With another Sunday comeback, Thailand's Fifa Laopakdee became only the second golfer to secure back-to-back Asia-Pacific Amateur titles, adding to the lore around the rising star.

He shot a final-round one-under 70 to seal a three-stroke victory, bypassing the need for a playoff this time around. With the victory, Laopakdee earned a spot at Augusta National for the Masters in April, as well as a returning appearance at St. Andrews for the Open Championship next summer.

Having played at both Augusta and Royal Birkdale in 2026, Laopakdee gained major championship experience despite missing the cut at both events. Putting the experience to work required achieving a rare feat accomplished by only one other golfer in history. He had to defend his Asia-Pacific Amateur title, which was contested recently at Te Arai Links along the coast of New Zealand's North Island.

After launching the tournament with an opening round of 63, the Arizona State senior trailed by two strokes with just 10 holes remaining on Sunday. With spots at Augusta and St. Andrews on the line, he birdied the 9th, 11th, and 17th holes to finish at six-under.

The late surge secured a three-stroke victory over New Zealand's Zack Swanick, the leader entering the final round.

By securing this victory, Laopakdee became just the second golfer in tournament history to win back-to-back Asia-Pacific Amateur titles, following in the footsteps of Hideki Matsuyama, who accomplished the feat in 2010 and 2011.

During his previous appearance at the Masters, the 21-year-old swapped contact details with Justin Rose, who assured him a spot in a practice round should Laopakdee earn a return trip to Augusta.

"Rosey, see you at a practice round for the Masters," Laopakdee said with a wide smile recently.

During the 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai, the Thailand golfer staged an impressive Sunday rally, overcoming a six-stroke deficit at Emirates Golf Club to claim victory.

The win earned the Arizona State product invitations to the 2026 Masters and the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. To keep his composure under pressure, Laopakdee said he relies on a mental strategy borrowed from fellow Thai golfer Jeeno Thitikul.

It’s singing songs to soothe his nerves.

“I’ve been watching the Masters since I could remember, like 2- or 3-years-old, watching Tiger dominating,” Laopakdee said last year after winning in Dubai.

“The Masters is why I start to love golf. I always get emotional watching someone win. I also watch a lot of British Open throughout the years. Being able to follow that path with the pros, it’s just unreal.”