Player blog: AAC champion Pongsapak ‘Fifa’ Laopakdee

Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand is greeted by his teammates after winning the 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in a play-off at the Emirates Golf Club in Dubai last week. Image courtesy of AAC.

FIFA Laopakdee rewrote golf history by becoming the first player from Thailand to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course last Sunday.

The 20-year-old overcame a six-shot deficit in the final round, beating Japan’s Taisei Nagasaki with a birdie in the third play-off hole to win the prestigious title.

The triumph comes with an invitation to the Masters tournament and an exemption for The Open in 2026. This is his blog from Dubai.

By FIFA Laopakdee

The Asia-Pacific Amateur (AAC) title means the world to me. It’s great to get the win and it was a great battle.

At the start of the day I told myself, it’s just another round of golf and go out there and try to play your best golf and whatever happens, happens.

I tried not to put pressure on myself this year because I have done that in past years at this event where I got a little choked up at the end. This year I felt like I could just go out and have fun.

When I played the AAC for the first time in Thailand in 2022, I had zero expectations. After I finished T-5, I told myself I could win this.

I have the potential and I could play in this event for another three or four years. So at the beginning of every year I always looked forward to this event the most.

Knowing that I could potentially win this championship gave me the focus and confidence in my practice and all the things you do every day, and as time went on I grew and matured.

At the beginning of the week in Dubai, I told the media that I am more mature now than I was three years ago. I also feel more confident and I think I am on the right track for my golf career.

Light mood

I laughed and sang songs as my caddy walked down the fairway on 18 in the regular course. We rock a lot of Bruno Mars on the last lap, for example Marry you, Just the way you are.

It is a nice, cheerful atmosphere. I didn’t know I shot five under on the back nine because I was just trying to have fun and take it shot by shot.

I look up to Jeeno Thitikul (current women’s world number 1). My parents and her parents, and our coaches, our agencies, are very close.

They always talk to each other and we support each other no matter what. It’s remarkable to see how Jeeno dominates women’s golf and how she controls herself, how she reacts to good and bad shots.

She’s always smiling and she’s always laughing at bad shots. She has played a big role in how I want to be on the golf course, and I try to emulate her attitude and I feel like it helps my game to the next level.

Jeeno is an exceptional golfer and person. I was on the national team with her for a few years before she turned pro. She has always been the person who has inspired me the most.

Unique personality

Even though she is super talented, she is an extremely hard worker. She also has a unique personality that very few people have. She is fun to be around and always radiates positive energy.

I started singing during my rounds when I started playing college golf at Arizona State University. There are a lot of big events and when I play with other top guys I feel a lot of pressure.

I don’t know when I actually started singing, but I did it. I did it every week.

I think all Thai fans have been waiting for so long for a Thai amateur to compete in the Masters and The Open. With this win I feel like I have gained so many fans. It’s great for me, my parents, the Thai fans and for my country.

I’ve been watching the Masters since I was very young, maybe when I was 2 or 3 years old when Tiger Woods was dominant.

Early influence

I think the Masters was the first event I saw on TV with my dad, and I think that’s what made me love golf. I think that particular event brought me here.

I’ve watched every Masters since then and I get emotional when I see someone win. To be able to follow that path with the professionals, it’s just surreal.

I’m also looking forward to The Open. One of my coaches in Thailand lives in Royal Lytham so I think he’s not far from Royal Birkdale. He’s probably as excited as I am.

I’ve also watched The Open a lot over the years. It will be a challenge with the cold weather and tough conditions, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.

Once when I was eight years old I was playing links golf in Scotland and it was raining and blowing. I cried. It wasn’t the best memory for me.

And why am I called FIFA? Well, my dad just loves football. It was between FIFA or UEFA. Thank goodness it’s FIFA.

Mishra rounds it off well

All Indi9a amateur champion Anshul Mishra in action during the final round of the AAC at the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course. Image courtesy of AAC.

Editor adds: Reigning All India amateur champion Anshul Mishra, 17, became only the third Indian to finish in the top 10 of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship.

Mishra, who turned 17 three days before the event, played in the Asia Pacific for the first time and carded a 2-under 70 for a total of 9-under 279 to finish tied for seventh.

Stating that he learned a lot from the stars he saw at the DP World India Championship, Mishra said, “I feel like I covered the course quite well this week, and it has something to do with watching the pros who played at the DPWIC last week.

“I learned a lot from the way Rory (McIlroy) and Tommy Fleetwood played a course I’ve played many times before.”

Also read: Kartik Singh becomes 18th as best-seeded Indian in AAC

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