Fifa Laopakdee appeared to be out of the running. Entering the final round of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course in Dubai, the Arizona State junior from Thailand was six strokes behind the leader, Taisei Nagasaki of Japan. But Laopakdee never gave up, forcing a playoff against 16-year-old Nagasaki and ultimately becoming the first Thai golfer to take the crown.
“I stuck to the plan I created at the beginning of the week,” Laopakdee said. “I’ve just gone shot by shot and enjoyed it with my caddie. I had an amazing battle with Taisei.”
Laopakdee shot 66-69-70-68 (-15) before winning with a birdie on the third playoff hole. The highest-ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in the field (No. 52), Laopakdee was one of only five players to shoot under par every round. With the victory, Laopakdee earned an invitation to the 2026 Masters and an exemption into next year’s Open Championship.
“It’s unreal to play in the Masters and the Open,” he said. “I will be the first Thai amateur player in the Masters. I can’t believe it.”
In Thursday’s first round, Laopakdee’s 66 gave him a share of the lead with Australia’s Billy Dowling and Vietnam’s Khanh Hung Le. But Laopakdee fell two strokes behind Rintaro Nakano, Harry Takis and Le after Friday’s second round, despite playing it in 3-under par. A bogey on the par-5 18th hole didn’t help his cause.
Starting Saturday one stroke behind the leaders, Nagasaki fired a 7-under 65 to take a commanding five-stroke lead. Through 56 holes, Nagasaki had 19 birdies to only two bogeys.
Laopakdee closed his third round on a negative note, once again bogeying 18 after chunking a chip and three-putting. Six strokes back entering the final round, he knew he had to be aggressive on Sunday.
“Strategy‑wise, I probably have to attack the pin more,” Laopakdee said. “But I can’t get too greedy. I can’t make any silly bogey.”
In the final group with Nagasaki and Nakano, Laopakdee knew exactly what he had to do. After a 1-over-par front nine, Laopakdee caught fire on the back, making three birdies in six holes to draw level with Nagasaki, who made six bogeys in the first 15 holes Sunday.
A birdie by Nagasaki on 16 and matching birdies by both players on 17 meant Nagasaki had a one-stroke lead going into the final hole. After bogeying the par-5 the previous two days, Laopakdee birdied it to force a playoff.
After both players birdied the first two playoff holes, Laopakdee and Nagasaki played the 18th once again. A fifth birdie in a row from Laopakdee earned him the crown.
Of the 62 players to make the cut, three were from the United Arab Emirates: Ahmad Skaik, Sam Mullane and Rayan Ahmed. Only three players from the UAE had made the cut in the previous 15 editions of the championship.
Also making the weekend was Lebanon’s Geoffrey Laklak, who shot even par through two rounds. Laklak is the first player from his country to make the cut at the Asia-Pacific Amateur.
“It means the world to me,” Laklak said. “Lebanon has always done so much for me and my family and given us amazing opportunities to play in these amazing events. It feels good to finally repay all the opportunities they gave us. It’s a signal of hope for the country and a signal of hope for me.”
Everett Munez