This week the event returns to Thailand and Amata Spring Country Club, the venue playing host in 2012 when Guan Tianlang become the event’s youngest champion at just 14 years of age.

As was the case when the Chinese player won here 10 years ago, the winner this week will by tradition earn an invite to the Augusta National and The Masters as well as a start in The Open Championship in 2023.

Australia has plenty of claims to a potential winner this week across its seven strong team that includes the likes of Jeffrey Guan, Connor McKinney and Harrison Crowe, while local hopes will be pinned on the highest ranked player in the field. Ratchanon Chantananuwat or ‘TK’ as he is commonly known, already a winner on the Asian Tour despite being aged just 15.

There are high hopes for TK and numerous other players in the field this week with plenty of potential for long careers in the play-for-pay ranks, and there is an abundance of good examples to follow from the event. Hideki Matsuyama a two-time winner of this event, while Cameron Smith went close and Matsuyama’s fellow Japanese World No.1 amateurs Takumi Kanaya and Keita Nakajima have also triumphed.

RIGHT: Keita Nakajima won this event last time in Dubai. PHOTO: Supplied.

DEFENDING CHAMPION: It was Keita Nakajima who emerged victorious in 2021 at Dubai Creek after a year off the AAC in 2020 due to COVID.

Nakajima had challenges from Hong Kong’s Taichi Ko, Korea’s Wooyoung Cho and China’s Bo Jin on the final day, but it was Ko who was able to finish level with the rising Japanese star at 14-under-par.

It took two extra holes for Nakajima to claim the title after Ko found the water the third time they played the 18th on Sunday.

RELATED: So-called expert golf tips for this week

COURSE: Amata Spring Country Club is a course that whole some may not know the name, they have likely heard of its unique 17th hole that is almost completely unique in world golf.

The par-3 features a full island green, players taking a boat out to the putting surface once they are safely aboard, with the green able to be moved on runners underneath the water that surrounds it to adjust the distance. Aussie Connor McKinney noting on Wednesday that you can actually feel the movement of the island when standing on the green.

Outside of the unique penultimate hole, Amata Spring provides a stern tournament test.

Designed by Lee Schmidt, the par-72 will measure up to 6,860 metres this week, with the 9th and 18th holes particularly tough par-4s measuring in excess of 460 yards.

Amata Spring Country Club's island 17th green in a uniquely Thai setting will be crucial this week. PHOTO: Supplied.

Noted by players on site this week as not as “grainy” as other courses in Thailand, the scoring is strongly in the hands of the setup committee depending on how far back the tees are set and the pin placements on the large greens, which a firming up as the week goes on.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Ratchanon Chantananuwat stands out as one of the players to beat this week. The Thai likely playing with some extra freedom after finishing up some school exams recently.

‘TK’ is a proven winner at every level, and despite plenty of home pressure on him has a game well suited to this venue that requires plenty of power and finesse around the greens.

When it comes to the Aussies, you can make a case why each one has claims to a potential third win for our country this week.

The obvious first cab off the rank is Jeffrey Guan who arrives after two top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour of Australasia in the past fortnight in a year when he has gone from strength to strength.

Lukas Michel and Connor McKinney put in some work earlier in the week at Amata Spring. PHOTO: Supplied.

The New South Welshman plays big golf courses well, and managing fatigue after a hectic year might be the most important element for him this week.

Connor McKinney is experienced in this event, and a winner this year at the St. Andrews Links Trophy.

Officially playing out of Perth, the Scottish product is currently in the middle stages of DP World Tour qualifying school, and would love to have the issue of choosing whether to remain and amateur and take up the spoils of winning this week or turning pro.

Harrison Crowe claimed both the NSW Amateur and Open titles earlier this year, so can’t be discounted, while Karl Vilips is learning his craft in the US college system at Stanford, alma mater of Tiger Woods, no less.

Lukas Michel is the veteran of the team and a proven winner on the big stages of amateur golf, who is looking to book a return visit to Augusta, while Hayden Hopewell is a Australasian Tour winner and Joshua Greer produced a solid summer in 2021/2022 to earn his spot here.

Outside the Aussies, U.S. Junior winner Wenyi Ding of China will be worth watching over the week, while James Leow of Singapore is among the older players in the field at 25 with plenty of experience across five previous AAC starts and his college career at Arizona State.

72-HOLE RECORD: 269 (Hideki Matsuyama 2010)

PAST AUSSIE WINNERS: Antonio Murdaca (2014) and Curtis Luck (2016).

AUSTRALIANS IN THE FIELD: Harrison Crowe, Lukas Michel, Jeffrey Guan, Connor McKinney, Hayden Hopewell, Karl Vilips and Joshua Greer.

TV TIMES*
Round 1: Thursday (Fox Sports 505 6pm – 9pm)
Round 2: Friday (Fox Sports 505 6pm – 9pm)
Round 3: Saturday (Fox Sports 505 4pm – 7pm)
Round 4: Sunday (Fox Sports 505 4pm – 7pm)
*AEDT, check local guides