Nationwide squad member Ng Wei Jun is eager to take pleasure in a dream debut on the seventeenth Asia-Pacific Newbie Championship at Te Arai Hyperlinks’ South Course in New Zealand from October 29-November 1, 2026.
The 22-year-old Ng might be joined by an in-form Justin Kuk on the prestigious Championship, which was launched in 2009 by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), The R&A and the Masters Event to additional develop beginner golf within the area.
This yr’s champion will obtain an invite to the 2027 Masters Event and an exemption into the a hundred and fifty fifth Open.
From being a spectator on the Asia-Pacific Newbie when Singapore performed host in 2018, Ng is now relishing the chance to compete for probably the most prestigious beginner title within the area, the place Singapore’s finest end was a fifth-place end by James Leow in 2019.
“I’m extremely excited and honored to make my debut,” mentioned Ng, a college pupil pursuing a double diploma in electrical engineering and information analytics.
“The Asia-Pacific Newbie Championship is the top of beginner golf in our area, and easily qualifying to be on this elite subject is a big milestone. I’m wanting ahead to testing my sport towards the best possible amateurs in Asia-Pacific and experiencing a world-class Championship surroundings. It’s a possibility to see the place I stand and to study from competing on such a large stage.”
This yr, he has loved three top-five finishes, together with a third-place end within the Singapore Nationwide Newbie Championship. It has been a rewarding beginner journey for Ng for the reason that days when he attended the Asia-Pacific Newbie as a fan when Singapore hosted the occasion in 2018.
“Ever since my first expertise again in 2018, competing and contending on this event has been a dream purpose of mine,” he mentioned. “Incomes the correct to symbolize Singapore means the world to me. It validates all of the early mornings, the sacrifices and the laborious work I’ve put in alongside my coaches and the Singapore Golf Affiliation. I need to go on the market, give it my all and make Singapore proud.”
The 25-year-old Kuk will savour a 3rd look at Te Arai Hyperlinks, a surprising links-style venue that constantly ranks among the many prime 100 programs on the planet and options 16 ocean-view holes overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
He completed T33 on his debut in 2021 however missed the minimize in Dubai final yr. Nevertheless, lifting a primary worldwide title on the Vietnam Newbie Open in July has injected a contemporary dose of confidence as he prepares for the journey to New Zealand.
“It was undoubtedly a giant confidence enhance,” Kuk mentioned of his Vietnamese breakthrough.
“I had a troublesome begin to the yr after affected by appendicitis, which resulted in two surgical procedures and a month-long keep in hospital. I used to be out of competitors for the primary half of the yr, so successful the Vietnam Newbie Open was somewhat sudden, particularly because it was my first abroad competitors since recovering.
“The win gave me a number of confidence that my sport is on target. Extra importantly, it confirmed that the work I’ve been placing in throughout my restoration is beginning to translate into my performances. I’m actually excited to maintain constructing on that and proceed enhancing,” added Kuk, who was the 2025 Singapore Newbie champion.
A complete of 117 gamers from 40 APGC member organisations have been confirmed to this point for the 120-player subject on the Championship.
A complete of 117 gamers from 40 APGC member organisations to this point have been confirmed for the 120-man subject on the Championship. The sector is highlighted by eight gamers inside the highest 60 within the World Newbie Golf Rating: Harry Takis of Australia (No. 17), Zackary Swanwick of New Zealand (No. 19), reigning champion Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand (No. 29), Nguyen Anh Minh of Vietnam (No. 30), Josh Duangmanee of Thailand (No. 41), 2024 runner-up Ziqin Zhou of China (No. 46), Taishi Moto of Japan (No. 49) and Jaden Dumdumaya of the Philippines (No. 51). Representatives from 5 international locations have claimed titles on the Asia-Pacific Newbie, together with China (5), Australia (4), Japan (4), the Republic of Korea (two) and Thailand (one).
Notable previous opponents embody 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, a two-time winner of the Asia-Pacific Newbie, 2022 Open champion Cameron Smith and 2026 Open champion Ryan Fox. Over the Championship’s 16-year historical past, the occasion has served as a springboard for a number of the world’s prime gamers, together with Matsuyama, 2018 champion Takumi Kanaya and 2021 champion Keita Nakajima of Japan; Smith, Cameron Davis and Min Woo Lee of Australia; New Zealand’s Fox; the Republic of Korea’s Si Woo Kim; and Chinese language Taipei’s C.T. Pan.
