Fifa Laopakdee secured his second consecutive title at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, a victory that he described as more significant than his first win last year in Dubai. The event was held this year at the South course of Te Arai Links in New Zealand, a prestigious location known for its rugged coastal beauty.
This latest triumph entitles Laopakdee, a senior at Arizona State University, to return to Augusta National for the 2027 Masters and grants him a spot in the 155th British Open at St. Andrews. However, Laopakdee emphasized the deeper personal significance of his win, noting that it came after a challenging year in college golf.
Laopakdee is only the second golfer since Hideki Matsuyama to win back-to-back titles at the Asia-Pacific Amateur, which began in 2009 and is co-organized by Augusta National, the R&A, and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation. Reflecting on his achievement, Laopakdee stated, “I feel like I’m more proud of myself this year because I never stopped believing in myself, even though I had a tough year.” He finished the tournament with a six-under-par total of 278, carding a final round score of one-under 70, which placed him three shots ahead of New Zealand’s Zack Swanwick.
Despite a strong start to the season with a win at The Desimone Invitational in March, Laopakdee faced struggles in subsequent college events, including appearances at the Masters and the British Open, where he did not make the cut. “I literally didn’t win a single thing since March [but] I just kept telling myself that I’ve still got it,” he remarked.
Laopakdee began the week with a strong opening round of 63 and demonstrated resilience on the final day, overcoming a two-shot deficit after 10 holes. Notably, he achieved a critical four-shot swing at the par-4 11th when he birdied the hole while Swanwick suffered a triple bogey after hitting his approach into a bunker. “It was a huge momentum shift, that’s for sure,” Laopakdee said, describing the tense moment.
Swanwick ultimately finished as the runner-up at three-under 281 after carding a 75. Meanwhile, Australia’s Kayun Mudadana secured third place with a score of two-under 286.
Laopakdee’s composition on the course allowed him to maintain control in the final rounds, making five straight pars from the 12th hole before birdieing the picturesque par-3 17th. He concluded his round with a par on the par-5 18th, cementing his place in Asia-Pacific history alongside Matsuyama, who won the event in 2010 and 2011 and later triumphed at the 2021 Masters.
Looking ahead, Laopakdee expressed a deeper preparedness for his future major championship appearances, reflecting on the personal growth he gained from this past year’s experiences. He said he has become “a lot more mature mentally,” and noted the lessons learned from competing at the professional level at both the Masters and the Open. “I’m really looking forward to both Augusta and St. Andrews,” he added, as he anticipates his return to the prestigious tournaments.
