Three Share the Lead as Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship Reaches Halfway Point
Dubai stage set for a thrilling weekend as Nakano, Le and Takis battle for glory
Dubai, UAE – Japan’s Rintaro Nakano, Vietnam’s Khanh Hung Le and Australia’s Harry Takis share the lead at 11-under-par after two rounds of the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course.
Nakano, who finished two strokes shy of victory on home soil last year, birdied the par-5 18th to cap a 66 and match his first-round 67. The 21-year-old, aiming to follow Japanese greats Hideki Matsuyama, Takumi Kanaya and Keita Nakajima as champion, said: “Yeah, I didn’t play well on the front nine and started to feel a bit uneasy. But I made the eagle on the 13th hole again, so I got my confidence back.”
Le, 17, continued his inspired form with a 67 after opening with a 66. The University of Illinois commit sits seven under on the more demanding front nine through 36 holes. He is seeking to become the first Vietnamese player to win the Championship — a victory that would earn him invitations to the 2026 Masters Tournament and The Open. “I feel like I’m grateful to be here and I’m just really appreciating the journey and the experience,” said Le. “I just want to enjoy every moment.”
Takis, the Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year at San Diego State University, birdied four of five holes from the 13th to 17th to close a 67 and join the tie at the top. “Yeah, there’s no better group to play in than the last one,” said the Australian. “It’s what we play for, massive opportunity, great city, great part of the world.”
Among those making history was Lebanon’s Geoffrey Laklak, who became the first from his country to make the cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur, finishing even-par (T-23). “It means the world to me,” he said. “Lebanon has always done so much for me and my family. There’s one golf course [in Lebanon], and golf isn’t really a big part of Lebanon because it’s not, like, a guarantee.”
Sixty-two players advanced to the weekend as the cut fell at six-over 150, with home hopes lifted by three UAE players – Ahmad Skaik (T-10), Sam Mullane (T-19) and Rayan Ahmed (T-42) – progressing for only the third time in Championship history.