{"id":25680,"date":"2025-10-26T20:42:28","date_gmt":"2025-10-27T00:42:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/10\/26\/fifa-lao-pakdee-recovers-from-six-strokes-deficit-to-qualify-for-masters-and-british-open-championship-at-asia-pacific-amateur\/"},"modified":"2025-10-26T20:42:28","modified_gmt":"2025-10-27T00:42:28","slug":"fifa-lao-pakdee-recovers-from-six-strokes-deficit-to-qualify-for-masters-and-british-open-championship-at-asia-pacific-amateur","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportsdaily.news\/index.php\/2025\/10\/26\/fifa-lao-pakdee-recovers-from-six-strokes-deficit-to-qualify-for-masters-and-british-open-championship-at-asia-pacific-amateur\/","title":{"rendered":"FIFA Lao Pakdee recovers from six strokes deficit to qualify for Masters and British Open Championship at Asia Pacific Amateur"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Phongsapak “FIFA” Laopakdee, 20, rallied from a six-shot deficit with a 4-under 68 and defeated 16-year-old Taisei Nagasaki of Japan in the third playoff to win the Asia Pacific Amateur and qualify for next year’s Masters and British Open Championship.<\/p>\n

Laopakdee, a junior at Arizona State University, became the first Thai player to win the championship, which began in 2010. He is also the first Thai amateur to compete in the Masters.<\/p>\n

Rao Pakdee’s winning shot turned out to be a 6-iron on the 18th of the Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course that stayed on the slope above the yellow hazard line and cleared a pond with inches to spare. From there it was simple ups and downs until five consecutive birdies until the regulation 17th hole.<\/p>\n

In the end, he birdied five holes on the back nine, including the 17th and 18th, to clinch a playoff spot. Laopakdee made five straight birdies, including the last two holes of regulation, to round out the victory.<\/p>\n

“I mean, obviously it’s great,” Raopkhadi said after the tournament. “I think all the Thai fans have been waiting for a long time to see a Thai amateur or a Thai professional at the Masters or the British Open. With this win, I feel like I’ve probably won over a lot of Thai fans. If you check your phone, you’ll probably see a lot of Thai fans texting me right now. It’s great for me, for my parents, for Thai fans, and for my country.”<\/p>\n

Nagasaki, who started the final round with a five-stroke lead over Rintaro Nakano, tied Laopakdee with a two-stroke swing on the 15th hole. But the Japanese teenager responded with an 18-foot birdie on the 16th, drove in a reachable par-4 for birdie on the 17th, and hit an exquisite chip shot to 4 feet on the final par-5 hole.<\/p>\n

However, he missed the winning birdie putt and finished with a 74, tying him with Lao Pakdee at 15-under 273. Laopakdee was forced up and down from the back bunker to birdie the final two. He shot a 5-under 32 on the back nine.<\/p>\n

“After finishing No. 18, I had no idea I’d hit 5 under on the back nine,” Raopakdee said. “It was great golf. Shout out to Taisei. He made my life so much harder.”<\/p>\n

More sensational shots followed in the playoffs. Nagasaki opted for a layup on the 18th, and after Laopakdee made a birdie from behind the green, he clipped his wedge two feet above the water for birdie to stay in the playoffs.<\/p>\n

Laopakdee used his power on No. 17, which is reachable in the playoffs, and set up another simple up-and-down, and Nagasaki made a wonderful pitch to score a birdie.<\/p>\n

But on the 18th, the third playoff hole, Nagasaki went too far to the left of the green and his chip from a sticky lie weighed down, leaving him about 35 feet out. He got par with two putts.<\/p>\n

“I’m very disappointed,” Nagasaki said through an interpreter as he wiped his tears with his shirt. \u201cWe really struggled to score.\u201d<\/p>\n

Nakano finished with a 71, taking third place for the second year in a row.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n