Laopakdee makes history at Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai

Fifa Laopakdee, a 20-year-old from Thailand, came back from a six-stroke deficit to start the final round to win the 16th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Emirates Golf Club's Majlis Course on Sunday.

With the win, Laopakdee became the first Thai winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur and will receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters Tournament and an exemption to The 2026 Open at Royal Birkdale.

Laopakdee, a junior at Arizona State University, started the day with a deficit to 16-year-old Taisei Nagasaki of Japan, who set a new 54-hole scoring record of 17 under par. After a slow start, Laopakdee notched five back-nine birdies — including Nos. 17 and 18 - to reach a playoff. He went on to birdie three consecutive playoff holes (18-17-18) to outlast Nagasaki. In total, he birdied his final five holes to win the Championship.

"I still stick to the mindset that I created at the start of the week," said Laopakdee.

"Stay present, process only, have fun out there. Have fun with my caddie and just enjoy golf, shot by shot, hole by hole. I'm just proud that I did all that on the back nine especially. After I finished 18, I didn't know I shot 5 under par on the back nine. I laughed with my caddie, I shot 5 under par on the back nine. Amazing golf. Shout out to Taisei as well. He made my life so hard. But it was a pretty amazing battle, with Rintaro as well."

Laopakdee will now become the first Thai player to compete in the Masters as an amateur. He said he had told Arizona State coach Matt Thurmond he would accomplish the feat, and during his on-camera interview after the Championship, he looked into the camera and said, "Coach, I did it!"

The four-time Asia-Pacific Amateur participant closed with a four under 68 to chase down Nagasaki at 15 under par for the Championship. The pair finished two strokes clear of Japan's Rintaro Nakano, who finished third for the second consecutive year in what is likely his last event as an amateur.

Nagasaki had a chance to win in regulation but missed a five-footer for birdie at the par-5 18th to settle for the playoff.

Skaik carded his third under-par round of the week with a closing one-under-par 71 to finish the tournament in 13th place — the best result in the Championship's history for a UAE national.

While there was reason to celebrate the historic achievement, the 28-year-old was left thinking what might have been after a double bogey on the 18th hole denied him a top-ten finish.

"Today was pretty steady," said Skaik. "I had so many good shots and made some good up-and-downs as well. I was three-under going into the last and thought I hit a good tee shot, but it ended up in the rough again, blocked out by the trees. I hit a low cut and ended up between the second cut and the rough. I got a flyer into that bunker - rock hard. Had to play sideways. Thought I hit a good first putt, but the second putt didn't go in."

He later added: "If you told me six months ago that I would finish 13th, I would have said you're out of your mind. But it shows how hard work and self-belief make a difference."

With Skaik looking to turn professional in the coming months, the result gave him confirmation that he can compete with the very best. The career-best finish came in his final amateur appearance in the competition.

"You can see the quality of the field and how much this event means to everyone," said Skaik. "You saw the support I had this week. The winner goes to the Masters - that says it all. They treat you like a star here. I've always loved coming here, so it's bittersweet that this is my last one. Obviously not happy about the double, but happy with how I played overall."

Fellow UAE players Rayan Ahmed and Sam Mullane ended the tournament in tied 24th and tied 31st.