Fifa Laopakdee just etched his name into golf history, becoming only the second player *ever* to successfully defend his Asia-Pacific Amateur crown. And yeah, that means he’s officially punched his ticket to the 2027 Masters at Augusta National! You know, the year’s first major championship. Talk about earning your way in.
The New King of Asia-Pacific Amateurs
Laopakdee’s back-to-back victory is a huge deal. He joins the legendary Hideki Matsuyama as the only players to pull off this incredible feat. After winning the title in Dubai last year, he showed up at Te Arai Links’ South Course in New Zealand and did it again, beating New Zealander Zack Swanwick in the final round. As a senior at Arizona State, Laopakdee isn’t just heading to Augusta. He also locked up a spot in The Open at St. Andrews. He said, “That feels amazing to join the club. Hideki has played a huge part in golf for Japan and also Asia. Being able to win back‑to‑back like him is a huge honor. He’s a great player. I hope to follow in his footsteps.” Dude’s got goals, and he’s already chasing them.
The 11th Hole That Changed Everything
This wasn’t just a walk in the park. Laopakdee started his defense fast with an opening 63 in tough conditions, but heading into the final round, all eyes were on Swanwick, who held a two-stroke lead with 18 holes to play. That lead was still intact heading to the par-4 11th. Then, the golf gods decided to spice things up. Swanwick pulled his approach left, found a gnarly deep greenside bunker, and then hit his third shot a hair too long. The Florida Gators star carded a triple bogey, his only double bogey or worse all week. What did Laopakdee do? He snuck in a birdie bid. Just like that, a two-shot deficit for Laopakdee turned into a two-shot lead. Absolute championship drama! Laopakdee ultimately sealed the deal by three strokes at 6 under, even sinking a birdie on the devilish par-3 17th to finally breathe a little on the finishing stretch. And shout out to the course itself, Te Arai Links’ South Course. The Coore and Crenshaw design gave the players everything they could handle, proving yet again that links-style conditions make for the best championship golf.
So, get ready to see Fifa Laopakdee at Augusta in 2027, and St. Andrews, too! This kid is going places. Oh, and in other golf news, Bryson DeChambeau surpassed 3 million subscribers.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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