Laopakdee Wins Asia-Pacific Amateur Title
The amateur champion earns invitations to the 2027 Masters and Open Championship after a final-round battle at Te Arai.
Updated on Nov. 1, 2026 in Golf
Laopakdee claimed the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Te Arai's South Course, edging out a field that included Zack Swanwick, who held a two-shot lead at the halfway mark. Swanwick finished in the top five and missed both the title and the Masters and Open invitations.
Why it matters
The winner's invitations to the 2027 Masters and Open Championship give the title significant weight for an amateur golfer. The event also draws attention from Augusta National members and tournament officials from the Masters and the R&A.
The final-round leaderboard shows Swanwick, who led by two shots at the halfway mark, slipped after dropping shots on the first and 11th holes. Moore, 18, finished fourth at one-under, and Mudadana finished third at two-under.
The players
Zack Swanwick
Swanwick was the halfway leader who finished in the top five, missing the title and the invitations to the Masters and Open.
Fred Ridley
Ridley is the chairman of the Masters Tournament and attended the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.
Mark Darbon
Darbon is the chief executive of the R&A, the governing body that runs the Open Championship, and attended the event.
The details
Swanwick, Laopakdee and Moore formed the final group of the week, with Laopakdee and Moore making pars on the first hole while Swanwick dropped a shot. Augusta National members in green jackets and Masters chairman Fred Ridley, along with R&A chief executive Mark Darbon, attended the event.
Timeline
The winner's invitations to the Masters and Open Championship apply to the 2027 editions of both tournaments.
Season Trajectory
The winner's invitations to the Masters and Open Championship tie this regional amateur event to the two majors that shape the professional and amateur pipeline. Those invitations give the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship a direct role in the international competitive calendar.
The championship's winner earns invitations to the 2027 Masters and Open Championship, which sets up a path into two of golf's most prominent events. Swanwick's near-miss in the top five leaves him outside those invitations despite leading at the halfway mark.
The takeaway
A two-shot halfway lead can slip quickly, as Swanwick's dropped shots on the first and 11th holes showed in a field where a single hole can decide the title.
Further reading
For more on the tournaments and players behind this result, explore our Golf coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NZ Herald.
