Pakistan’s Golf Trio Heads to New Zealand for Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

Pakistan’s three-member golf team has travelled to New Zealand to compete in the 17th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), scheduled for October 29 to November 1 at Te Arai Links’ South Course in Tomarata.

The team comprises Saad Habib Malik of Islamabad, Numan Ilyas of Lahore and Hussain Hamid of Lahore. The championship offers a major opportunity for amateur golfers, with the winner earning invitations to the 2027 Masters Tournament and The Open at St Andrews.

Saad Habib Malik Leads Pakistan’s Challenge

Saad Habib Malik enters the championship as Pakistan’s highest-ranked participant, sitting 252nd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). His career-best ranking is 232nd.

The 20-year-old has recorded nine WAGR wins and 19 top-10 finishes. He is a freshman at the University of Texas at San Antonio and will join the team from the United States.

Malik has won the Pakistan Junior Amateur Championship four consecutive years. He also captured the 64th Pakistan Amateur Championship in September 2025 after a final-round comeback. His other achievements include runner-up finishes at the 2025 Dallas Amateur and Sri Lanka Amateur.

This will be his second appearance at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

Numan Ilyas and Hussain Hamid Add Experience

Numan Ilyas is ranked 380th in the WAGR, with a career-best position of 300th. He has four WAGR wins and 21 top-10 finishes.

Ilyas won the 2026 Punjab Amateur Championship and claimed three WAGR events in 2025. He will make his third appearance at the AAC.

Hussain Hamid, ranked 527th in the WAGR, has a career-best ranking of 314th. He has recorded three WAGR wins and 11 top-10 finishes.

Hamid won the 2025 Chairman WAPDA Amateur Championship and recorded two WAGR top-10 finishes earlier this year. He also represented Pakistan at the 2024 APGC Team Championship in Vietnam. This will be his third AAC appearance.

Players Prepare for Challenging Links Conditions

The Pakistani team departed Lahore on October 25 and travelled through Dubai to Auckland, arriving around midday on October 26. The players scheduled practice rounds for October 27 and 28 before the championship begins.

Te Arai Links’ South Course is a par-72 links layout that winds through coastal sand dunes along the Pacific Ocean. The course is known for firm, fast fescue turf and exposed holes where changing winds can test players’ accuracy and decision-making.

Precise iron play and effective wind management will be important throughout the tournament. These conditions may also present an adjustment for Pakistani golfers, who largely compete on inland parkland courses.

Strong International Field Awaits

Around 120 players from 40 Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) member organisations are expected to compete. Defending champion Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand will lead the field.

The championship carries significant rewards for leading finishers. The winner receives invitations to the Masters and The Open, while the runner-up or runners-up gain access to The Open Qualifying Series. The top three finishers also earn exemptions into The Amateur Championship.

These opportunities make the event an important platform for emerging amateur golfers seeking to advance to major international competitions.

Limited Preparation Adds to Pakistan’s Challenge

Pakistan’s team is travelling without an organised preparation camp, according to the information provided. The country is also currently without a national golf coach, while some competing nations have held training and coaching camps ahead of the tournament.

With only two scheduled practice rounds before the opening day, the players will rely heavily on their individual preparation and tournament experience.

Despite these challenges, the trio brings a record of national and international competition wins. Malik’s ranking makes him Pakistan’s highest-ranked entrant, while Ilyas and Hamid add valuable experience from previous AAC appearances.

The team will now look to adapt quickly to New Zealand’s links conditions and deliver competitive performances against some of the region’s leading amateur golfers.