Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand came through a playoff against Japan’s Taisei Nagasaki at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai to become the first Thai winner of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC).
Laopakdee and Nagasaki tied through 72 holes on 15-under-par meaning extra holes were required to decide the result of the competition.
On the first extra hole – the par-5 18th at Emirates GC, Nagasaki laid up with his second while Laopakdee played a strong second shot through the green. Both men got up-and-down for birdie.
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They moved on to the driveable 17th where, once again, both chipped close to make easy birdies.
On the second extra time down the 18th, Nagasaki went long and left of the green in two while the Thai player went straight at it. He very nearly left his second short in the water but it just crept over leaving him a relatively easy uphill chip shot.
Nagasaki was unable to make his four from a difficult spot and Laopakdee chipped close. He tapped in to take the title and the incredible prizes that go with it.
With the win Laopakdee, an Arizona State player, will start in next year’s Masters and The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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“I stuck to the plan I created at the beginning of the week,” he said. “I’ve just gone shot by shot and enjoyed it with my caddy. I had an amazing battle with Taisei. It’s unreal to play in The Masters and The Open. I will be the first Thai amateur player in The Masters. I can’t believe it.”
Laopakdee birdied the last five holes he played on Sunday, he followed birdies in regulation play on the 17th and 18th with three birdies in the playoff. An incredible finish.
Laopakdee started the event as the top-ranked player in the field. The 20-year-old Thai player is 53rd on the World Amateur Golf Ranking and will move up as a result of this performance.
Japan’s Taisei Nagasaki started the final round with a five-shot lead having set the tournament scoring record for 54-holes at 17-under.
But the 16-year-old started to feel the pressure as the final round got underway. The young Japanese player made four bogeys and just one birdie on his front nine to drop back to 14-under.
The door was opened but the chasing pack struggled to make inroads.
But Laopakdee came alive on the back nine and made five birdies to card a closing 68, force his way into a playoff that he then went on to win.
The youngster has also earned an exemption into next year’s Amateur Championship.
Nagasaki, despite not having his best game during the final round, still had a chance to win it outright. He missed a four-foot putt for a birdie on the 72nd hole that would have won him the title.
The 16-year-old Japanese player finished with a 74. As runner-up, he has earned a spot in The Open Qualifying Series and an exemption into The Amateur Championship.
Another Japanese player Rintaro Nakano finished third for the second straight year. The 21-year-old shot 71 to reach 13-under. He will also receive an exemption into the Amateur Championship.
Australia’s Harry Takis finished with an eagle three to reach 12-under and finish alone in fourth.
Fellow Australian Billy Dowling, who finished runner-up in this year’s Scottish Amateur Championship, had a less positive finish. He found water on the last and closed with a bogey to fall into a tie for 5th on 11-under.
Vietnam’s Khanh Hung Le also finished on 11-under. Aged just 17 Hung Le has committed to play for the University of Illinois.
The AAC was founded in 2009, a joint venture between The R&A, The Masters Tournament and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation.
The event has played a significant role in growing the game in the region and around the world. 2021 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama is a two-time former champion and 2022 Open champion Cam Smith is an alumni of the event.
Following the success of the early instalments of the AAC, further elite international amateur tournaments have been founded, including the Latin America Amateur Championship and the Women’s Asia Pacific Championship.
Next year’s Asia Pacific Amateur Championship will be held at the spectacular Te Arai Links South Course in New Zealand.
