The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) offers tantalising rewards, but the path to glory leaves little room for error. Across 72 holes and four rounds, only the most exceptional performances will deliver a chance to fulfil a lifelong dream.

Victory not only crowns the region’s leading amateur golfer but also opens the door to two of golf’s most coveted stages – the Masters tournament and British Open.

For Singapore’s Justin Kuk and Ng Wei Jun, the Oct 29-Nov 1 Asia-Pacific Amateur represents a chance to turn those dreams into reality, with both aspiring amateurs keen to make the most of the opportunity to chase major glory.

Ng, 22, has come a long way since watching the tournament as a spectator when Singapore hosted the Championship in 2018. Now, he is preparing to experience the occasion from the other side of the ropes, making his debut at the prestigious event played at the Te Arai Links’ South Course in Auckland.

“I am incredibly excited and honoured,” said Ng, a university student pursuing a double degree in electrical engineering and data analytics.

“The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship is the pinnacle of amateur golf in our region. It is hard not to think about the rewards, especially with the 2027 Open being at St Andrews alongside a trip to Augusta National. Pulling off a win would be a dream come true, it would be life-changing.”

Kuk finished tied-33rd on his debut in 2021 but missed the cut in Dubai in 2025. However, lifting a first international title at the Vietnam Amateur Open in July has injected a fresh dose of confidence as he prepares for the trip to New Zealand.

“It was definitely a big confidence boost,” Kuk said of his Vietnamese breakthrough. “I had a difficult start to the year after suffering from appendicitis, which resulted in two surgeries and a month-long stay in hospital.”

Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand is among the lucky few who has realised his childhood ambition following a stunning triumph 12 months ago as he rewrote history by becoming the first amateur from his country to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur.

He then got to rub shoulders with the world’s best in the two majors in 2026 and the 21-year-old is now eager to become only the second golfer after Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (2010 and 2011) to successfully defend his title, and relive the drive down Magnolia Lane and plan for a visit to St Andrews in 2027.

“It’s totally an amazing experience,” Fifa said after his Masters debut last April.

“It’s like a once-in-a-lifetime thing. It’s amazing what the AAC has provided for me and for every Asia-Pacific player. I can’t wait to go to New Zealand and try to defend my title, and get to do all these things again next year. That will be so cool,” added the Thai, who is now a senior at Arizona State University.

They say golf is a marathon and not a sprint, and that proved to be the case for a luckless Taisei Nagasaki of Japan, who opened up a six-shot lead after three rounds in Dubai but faltered at the finish line.

It was heartbreak for the now 17-year-old Nagasaki, who had a five-foot birdie putt on the final hole of regulation play to win last October. He missed the chance, lost in extra holes before understandably breaking down in tears as his dreams of competing in the Masters and the British Open vanished.

“To play in this Championship is my biggest goal of the year, and it also gives me the closest opportunity to achieve my dream of playing in the Masters. I want to overcome the disappointment I felt last year,” said Nagasaki.

The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship returns to New Zealand for only the second time for its 17th edition, with 120 of the region’s finest amateurs from 39 Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation member organisations.

Since its inauguration in 2009, notable past competitors have included the likes of Matsuyama, Australian Cameron Smith and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox, who have all gone on to win major titles, proving that the Championship launched by Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation, The R&A and the Masters Tournament has become a successful springboard for many rising stars.

Matsuyama became the first Asian to win the Masters in 2021, Smith won the British Open in 2022 and Fox was victorious at the latter in July.

Matsuyama, now the winningest Asian golfer with 11 PGA Tour victories, said: “I owe a great debt of gratitude to Augusta National and will be eternally grateful for the opportunity to play in the Masters and helping me reach my dream to play professional golf. Winning the 2010 Asia-Pacific Amateur was life-changing.”