By Joy Chakravarty
A 14-year-old, playing alongside a 14-year-old caddie who had no idea about his player’s game on a demanding links course, showcased the region’s immense talent in the opening round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
Hong Kong, China’s Joseph Cao raised the possibility of repeating China’s Tianlang Guan’s magnificent win in 2012 when he finished the opening round at two-under par 69, just three shots behind early leader Joshua Bai of New Zealand.
Cao’s four-birdie round in breezy conditions at Te Arai Links was impressive on its own, but its significance was further enhanced as he did not have his regular caddie, his father, on the bag. On Sunday, Danny sprained his ankle while trying to keep pace with his son on a hike in Auckland.
The replacement is Ethan, an Auckland resident and a golfer, but someone who has no idea about Cao’s yardages, or his preferences and motivations on the golf course.
“I was a bit worried about that,” said Danny, who could not walk the course, holding on to a pair of crutches. “We talk a lot on the golf course, starting from the yardages, to how the wind and temperature will affect his shots, and, of course, the slopes of the greens. He did it all by himself.”
“It worked out well for me. I did most of my own stuff, but he is very good,” said Cao. “He knows how to distract me. He knows when to keep quiet. We spoke about so many things, like our lives and video games. It took away any stress I felt between shots. And he kept complimenting me and kept me happy and calm.”
As for the round, Cao birdied the third and the fourth holes. Bogeys on the par-5 seventh and eighth were his only blemish of the day, before coming home with two more birdies on the stunning closing stretch of the course – the 16th and the par-5 18th.
“I really enjoyed that round. The only disappointment was that I hit two great shots – a driver and a three-wood – to get to within 10 feet of the 18th hole, but I missed the eagle putt,” said Cao.
“It was not too windy in the morning for the first five holes, so I capitalized on it with two birdies. When the wind picked up, I made a few mistakes on seven and eight.
“Luckily, I adjusted quickly, allowing myself to hit a lot more greens and get a lot of pars, and eventually the golf course presented a lot of opportunities coming down the stretch. I am proud that I could make a couple of nervy putts for birdies.”
Joseph Cao of Hong Kong, China plays his stroke from the No. 5 tee during the first round ahead of the 2026 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
2026 AAC
One year ago in Dubai, Cao said he never bothers about his playing partners and how much they hit it past him. He also said he got his satisfaction from pars. Since then, he has added 30 yards to his driving distance, but the mindset remains the same.
“My mindset going into this round was same. I’m playing with guys who are probably going to hit further than me. My strength is accuracy and consistency. Just keep getting on the greens, keep getting on the fairways, and eventually, I will have a few putts that drop,” Cao explained.
“But I kept my head straight today. I would have been delighted if I made pars on all 18 holes. However, my putting was pretty good today, so I was able to convert a few.
“I just stick to my process. I just want to do everything right in terms of what I can control. I don’t really have too much expectations. I don’t expect to even finish in the top 10 from this position. I just want to go out there, have fun, and see where I finish.”
Guan was 14 years and eight days old in 2012, which means his record of the youngest player to make the cut will remain intact if Cao makes it to the weekend.
