Overview

The 57^th edition of Singapore’s National Open will be staged this week on The Serapong for the 15^th occasion while it welcomes The Business Times on board as presenting partner for the first time.

The Business Times is part of Singapore Press Holding (SPH) Media, an iconic institution in Singapore. The partnership marks the first time that a flagship news publication has sealed such a deal with the National Open. They have aligned their sponsorship with their 50^th anniversary celebrations.

The tournament was last played at Sentosa Golf Club in 2022, when Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana beat Tom Kim from Korea and Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa from Japan by two strokes.

The Singapore Open is part of The International Series – the upper-tier level of events that provide you with a pathway to the LIV Golf League.

This year’s Singapore Open will also pave the way for qualification to the 154^th Open as part of the Open Qualifying Series.

The leading two players, not otherwise exempt, will be rewarded with places in the game’s oldest Major, which will be played at Royal Birkdale from 16-19 July.

Kazuki Higa.

Sentosa Golf Club

Sentosa Golf Club is the award-winning golf club that first hosted the Singapore Open in 2005.

The Club has set the benchmark for course conditioning across our entire region for many years.

The Club is regularly ranked in the top-100 golf courses in the world.  The Serapong has hosted LIV Golf Singapore for the past three years while The Tanjong is the home of the HSBC Women’s World Championship and also hosted the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and Women’s Amateur Asia- Pacific Championship.

The club was first opened in 1974 by then Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Tournament Information

• Tournament: Singapore Open presented by The Business Times
• Date: 23rd – 26th April 2026
• Venue: Sentosa Golf Club, The Serapong, Singapore
• Par/Yards: 71 / 7,411 yards
• Purse: US$2million. The winner receives US$360,000.
• Asian Tour leg: Fourth
• The International Series leg: Second
• Edition of tournament: 57^th
• Previous winner: Yosuke Asaji (JPN)
• Total number of players: 144
• Format: Stroke play tournament over four rounds of 18 holes with a cut after 36 holes to leading 65 pros plus ties.
• Open Qualifying Series (OQS): The leading two players, not already exempt, who make the cut at the Singapore Open will earn places in The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale from 16 – 19 July 2026

Andy Ogletree.

Field Breakdown

• Order of Merit winners: Kazuki Higa (2025), John Catlin (2024), Andy Ogletree (2023), Sihwan Kim (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Jeev Milkha Singh (2006, 2008)
• Nationalities: 29
• Top contenders: Travis Smyth (AUS), Lucas Herbert (AUS), Peter Uihlein (USA), Pavit Tangkamolprasert (THA), Josele Ballester (ESP), Austen Truslow (USA)
• Highest ranked player on OWGR: Travis Smyth #136
• Highest ranked player on the Order of Merit: Travis Smyth (AUS) #1
• Highest ranked player on The International Series Rankings: Travis Smyth (AUS) #1
• No. of amateurs in the field: 2
• No. of Singaporean players in the field: 12

Tournament Notes

• Australian Travis Smyth returned to the winner’s circle in dramatic fashion at the International Series Japan three weeks ago to post his second Asian Tour victory, making an eagle on the 72^nd hole to win by one shot over Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Ryosuke Kinoshita from Japan. He also recorded a third-place finish at the Philippine Golf Championship and a solo-fifth at the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort to currently lead the Order of Merit. On the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia he recently claimed a win at the ISPS HANDA Japan-Australasia Championship to wrap up the 2025/26 Order of Merit crown on that tour after a victory and two other recent top-fives. The Order of Merit title secures Smyth a place in The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in July, as well as a card on the DP World Tour in 2027.
• Fellow Australian Lucas Herbert, who plays for Ripper GC on the LIV Golf League, started his 2026 season with three straight top-10’s on the LIV Golf League as well as a runner-up in the New Zealand Open presented by Millbrook Resort. He is a one-time winner on the Asian Tour after taking the title at last year’s International Series Japan. He has also won three times on the DP World Tour and once on the PGA Tour.
• Peter Uihlein from the U.S. is a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, having won the International Series England and International Series Qatar, both in 2024. He plays on the LIV Golf League for the Range Goats GC and started this year well, finishing third and T3 in the first two events in Riyadh and Adelaide.
• Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert, currently in second place on the Order of Merit, has started his 2026 campaign in fine form after a T2 in the International Series Japan after a final round 62, and a runner-up at the season opening Philippine Golf Championship. He also has an early season T2 on the All Thailand Tour after a playoff loss to compatriot Danthai Boonma.
• Former amateur standout Josele Ballester from Spain won his maiden Asian Tour and professional title at the PIF Saudi International powered by Softbank Investment Advisers late last year in Riyadh. Playing for the Fireballs GC on the LIV Golf League he posted a T6 at the recent LIV Singapore, also played at Sentosa’s Serapong course, last month. His good form continued last week at LIV Mexico City where he finished third, behind only the winner Jon Rahm and his team mate and countryman David Puig of Fireballs GC. He is the second highest ranked player on the OWGR at number 146. During his successful amateur career he won the 2020 Spanish Amateur, 2023 European Amateur and 2024 U.S. Amateur. He was also a team-mate of Singaporean James Leow at the University of Arizona. Leow is also playing this week.
• American Austen Truslow has been in good form since the beginning of the season, recording a T4 in the International Series Japan and a T9 at the Philippine Golf Championship. He also claimed the The Quinovic New Zealand PGA Championship on the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia in February.
• Sadom Kaewkanjana from Thailand is the last player to have won the Singapore Open on Sentosa’s Serapong course. His three-shot victory on 13-under-par (271) earned him a start at the Open Championship at St. Andrews via the OQS, where he finished T11 for the best result by a Thai in this Major.
• Previous winners of the Singapore Open in the field this week: Sadom Kaewkanjana (2022), Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Jeev Milkha Singh (2008).
• Major winners who have won the Singapore Open at Sentosa: Sergio Garcia (2018), Adam Scott (2010, 2006, 2005), Angel Cabrera (2007).
• This will be the 15^th time Sentosa Golf Club has hosted the Singapore Open, previously it was the site of 14 consecutive editions of the tournament between 2005 and 2022.
• 12 Singaporeans are competing this week, led by Nicklaus Chiam and James Leow – both winners recently on the Asian Development Tour.

Pictures by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert will start as one of the favourites at this week’s Singapore Open presented by The Business Times after an impressive start to the season.

It is a pleasing position to be in for the Thai star and quite the contrast from when he debuted in the tournament in 2007, here on The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club.

Back then he impressed by making the cut despite his accommodation being far from satisfactory.

It was his first season in the professional game and because he was managing his budget carefully he opted to stay in an $18-a-night hostel in Geylang.

“Wow… I didn’t think anyone would remember that!” said the 38-year-old this week.

“It’s been a long time. I’d just turned pro. Back then, I didn’t have any sponsors, and I had some friends sharing a room, so we decided to room together – probably seven, eight people in one room.”

Pavit Tangkamolprasert on his way to second place in the Philippines at the start of the year.

Despite that he shot rounds of 73, 74, 78 and 74 to finish in a tie for 59^th. The pay cheque of US$13,600 would have felt like a windfall.

Fast forward nearly two decades and Pavit will fancy his chances of finishing 58^th places better this week and securing his third title on the Asian Tour.

He last won in 2019 at the Sabah Masters and has been one of the in-form players this year. He finished second in the season-opening Philippine Golf Championship and tied for second in the International Series Japan two weeks ago. He is currently in second place on both the Asian Tour Order of Merit and The International Series Rankings.

He said: “Actually, my training hasn’t changed much. I’ve just adjusted the training strategy a little, focusing more on what needs to be improved compared to last year.”

“I feel comfortable and confident with my current form. I think if I can maintain this standard, anything is possible.”

His maiden victory on the Asian Tour was at the Macau Open in 2016, while he is also an eight-time winner on the Asian Development Tour. It’s the most by any player, with his most recent coming in 2024 at the Singha Laguna Phuket Open.

Pavit also tied for second in Japan.

Asked if he thinks another win on the main Tour is on the cards, he said: “I’ll keep trying. I can’t say for sure, but it’s been my fourth time that I finished second place since December. I think I’m very close now.”

With the 5-star Hotel Ora, part of Resorts World Sentosa, the official hotel this week he will certainly not have any accommodation concerns.

Story: Simon Wilson/Asian Tour.

Pictures: Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

The Asian Tour’s evolving partnership with the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) will take an important step forward this year when two tournaments are held in consecutive weeks at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, El Jadida, Morocco.

The Am Green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars 2026 will initiate what will be an exciting stretch of tournaments in the North African nation and will be played from 28-31 May. It will be jointly sanctioned by the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and the IGPL.

The following week the US$500,000 Bharath Classic will tee-off from 4-7 June and will be sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the IGPL. Last year during the maiden season of the exciting new Indian franchise the event was played in Ahmedabad, but the event now moves to a new home in Casablanca to optimise player movements.

The International Series Morocco will then conclude an exciting three-week swing at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Red Course) from 11-14 June.

Carl Jano Corpus pictured after winning one of the Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech events last year.

“This is an exciting development for both the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer our members three successive weeks of playing opportunities in Morocco, where golf continues to make such great progress through the leadership of the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation and Hassan II Golf Trophy Association.

“It is the result of our emerging relationship with the IGPL, whom we know are working hard to help grow the game in India and beyond through new initiatives. We thank IGPL for adding a new event for the ADT as well as the flexibly in rescheduling and relocating the Bharath Classic for us on the Asian Tour.”

The top two players not otherwise exempt who finish in the top 10 at the Am Green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars 2026 will earn invites to the Bharath Classic – which was won last year by Thailand’s Poosit Supupramai [main picture].

The ADT tournament will offer prizemoney of the US$160,000 and builds on the Tour’s maiden visit to Morocco last year for two Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech tournaments, won by Aidric Chan and Carl Jano Corpus from the Philippines.

Today’s announcement follows soon after The International Series and the IGPL unveiled a new collaboration that will see India’s top-ranked players from the League gain access to the Series and the LIV Golf Promotions event.

If you were asked to pick a player who you feel is best equipped to tackle The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club, then you would need look no further than Sadom Kaewkanjana [main picture].

Cool, calm, and composed, he is the keeper of a structurally perfect golf swing – all the essentials needed to take on one of the region’s most-revered courses.

He showed that in 2022 when he coasted to a three-shot victory at the famous venue in the Singapore Open. It was an imperious performance that cemented his place as one of the Asia’s hottest young players.

Next week he returns to scene of that impressive triumph for the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times. It’s the first time the tournament has been back to Sentosa Golf Club since then, and Sadom will start as one of the favourites in a field laden with firepower.

“It’s difficult to get close to the pins – that’s one of the most difficult things about the course,” said the 27-year-old this week as he prepares for the US$2million event, which will be part of The International Series for the second successive season.

“You need to put your ball into position off the tee, but the fairways are narrow, so your game really needs to be on!”

Sadom Kaewkanjana is congratulated by Tom Kim at the Singapore Open in 2022. Picture by Paul Lakatos/SPORTFIVE.

Fortunately, his game is nearly always on and finding fairways is his forte.

He said: “My form right now is okay. I made some changes on my backswing. I feel a little better but still need some time to get fully used to it. If I can execute this on the course, I think I’d have a pretty good chance, but I don’t want to focus too much on the outcome.”

Since that victory four years ago, Sadom has added one more Asian Tour trophy to his cabinet: last year’s Kolon Korea Open, played on another challenging venue: the Dunes Course at La Vie Est Belle, outside the capital Seoul.

“I think winning in Korea was even harder than Singapore as the course set up was very difficult. I had to remind myself that week to be patient and fully concentrate throughout all the rounds.” he said.

The Thai star has a penchant for National Opens as all three of his Asian Tour wins have been in them. His first came at the Bangladesh Open in 2019, which at the time made him the fastest qualifying school graduate to win on the Tour.

As an amateur star he also claimed the Indian, Malaysian and Philippine Amateur Opens, remarkably all in 2017. It’s no wonder he turned professional the following year.

That relationship with Opens also extends to the biggest of them all. His win in Singapore in 2022 rewarded him with a place in The Open, as the tournament was part of the Open Qualifying Series (OQS) – which will also be the case next week. He seized the opportunity by finishing joint 11^th at St Andrews, for comfortably the best finish by a Thai golfer in the game’s oldest Major.

Sadom made his second appearance in The Open last year. Picture by Getty Images.

Last year’s Korea Open was also part of OQS so he competed in the event for a second time, but despite featuring on the leaderboard early on he failed to progress to the weekend.

When he won at Sentosa in 2022, incredibly, Sadom was bogey free over the weekend. He was the joint third-round leader with American Sihwan Kim and fired a two-under-par 69 on Sunday to finish on 13 under and beat Japan’s Yuto Katsuragawa and Tom Kim from Korea by three strokes.

On a extremely hot day, possibly the conditions that will greet him next week, Sihwan Kim made bogey on the first to give Sadom the outright lead, and from there the Thai star did not look back. Birdies on six and seven saw him move three ahead and he calmly parred his way home and enjoyed the comfort of a three-shot lead playing 18.

He said: “My best memory from 2022 was the last hole on the final day. I remembered being very excited hitting the tee shot.  And of course, the last putt on 18 was definitely the most special memory of that week.”

The victory continued a remarkable run of form as in the final three months of the previous year, he won five times in Thailand on the domestic circuits – including the Thailand Open.

It also allowed him to secure second place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit in what was the final event of the 2020-22 season, when the global pandemic had played havoc with the schedule. Tom Kim took top spot to become the youngest winner of the Merit title at the age of 19, while it remains Sadom’s best ever finish on the rankings.

Australian Adam Scott is the only player to have claimed more than one Singapore Open title on the Serapong Course, as he has triumphed there three times – in 2005, 2006 and 2010. He holds the record for the most wins in the tournament.

Sadom will attempt to join him next week and become part of a select group of five players to have raised the prestigious trophy on more than one occasion. The others are Chinese-Taipei’s Lu Chien-soon and Hsieh Yung-yo,  Filipino Ben Arda, and Australian Frank Philips – winner of the inaugural event in 1961 before achieving the double four years later.

Back in 2023 he entered monkhood for a short period to gain merit for his parents and foster calmness. Many young Thai men do this including some of his peers, like Jazz Janewattananond, Prom Meesawat and Poom Saksansin.

He lived in a forest temple, shaved his head, and meditated for a few weeks. That was post winning his first Singapore Open and part of his attempt to become an even better person and player. Singapore will soon find out how far one of their National Open winners has come since then and whether The Serapong will once again prove no obstacle for one of the region’s finest golfers.

Story by Simon Wilson/Asian Tour.

Travis Smyth’s red-hot form has earned him a swift return to the LIV Golf stage, with the Australian teeing it up as a Wild Card at this week’s event in Mexico City, just two weeks after his breakthrough victory at the International Series Japan.

The 31-year-old Australian will make his return at Club de Golf Chapultepec today, stepping into the field following Scott Vincent’s move into the HyFlyers GC starting lineup. Vincent, who also earned his place through The International Series Rankings, replaces Phil Mickelson this week, further highlighting the strength of players emerging through the pathway.

For Smyth, the opportunity is a direct reflection of both form and momentum.

“Winning the first event of The International Series season has definitely put me in a strong position, and I think that’s a big reason why I’m here this week,” he said. “So yes, the pathway is working in my favour. I’ve been playing well and it’s great to see that translate into opportunities like this. I’m really excited to keep that momentum going on such a big stage.”

It’ll be Smyth’s first LIV Golf start since the last weekend in July of 2022 when he finished solo 22nd at LIV Golf Bedminster.

Travis Smyth after winning the International Series Japan. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Asked how his game has changed in the ensuing four years, Smyth replied Wednesday: “Totally different. I used to do some funky stuff with my swing; I was working with a pretty out-there golf coach at the time. My body was really average, and I had some lower back issues at the time. I was pretty much a mess back then.

“I’m a much better player now. Super-pumped to see how I stack up against these guys now since I’m in some good form.”

That form has been undeniable. Smyth arrives in Mexico off the back of two wins in his last three starts, including International Series Japan and the Japan–Australasia Championship.

He currently leads both The International Series Rankings and the Asian Tour Order of Merit, having also secured the PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit earlier this season.

Now ranked a career-high 135th in the world, Smyth has already locked in starts at both the PGA Championship and The Open later this year, further evidence of a player hitting his stride.

“I’ve felt like I’ve hit it better or played better through stretches before this,” Smyth said. “But my ability to score and put myself in contention – mentally I feel like I’ve come up to another level, and it’s allowed me to play a bit better. I’m scoring well and hitting the shots when I need to to stay in contention and also win.”

Smyth will travel to Singapore next week for the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times, part of The International Series, as he seeks to maintain his spot atop the rankings. The International Series champion at the end of the season will earn a spot in the 2027 LIV Golf League, one of the reasons he’s prioritizing his schedule around those tournaments.

It was a scramble, however, to get to Mexico City. After receiving notification Sunday morning in Australia that he had a spot in this week’s field, he had to apply for a visa while dealing with some passport issues after his appearance in Japan. He’s also in the middle of moving to a new house in Australia. He arrived Tuesday ready to check out the high-elevation course.

“Everything’s felt a bit of a rush,” he said, “but I had a good night’s sleep and today feels nice. Really excited to be part of this again.”

LIV Golf star Lucas Herbert will have the opportunity to revisit the scene of one of his early successes after confirming he will participate in next week’s Singapore Open presented by The Business Times.

The Australian will be one of the headline acts that includes fellow LIV Golf players Josele Ballester and Luis Masaveu from Spain, Americans Peter Uihlein, Caleb Surratt, and Michael La Sasso, plus New Zealand’s Danny Lee.

Filipino Miguel Tabuena and Bjorn Hellgren from Sweden, Asian Tour regulars both playing on the League as ‘Wild Cards’, will also compete in the US$2million event which will be played on The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club, 23-26 April.

Herbert, who plays for the all-Australian Ripper GC team on the League, has played in Singapore’s National Open once before, back in 2018 when he tied for eighth.

Josele Ballester. Picture By Ian Walton/Asian Tour.

It was a strong performance early in his career that came with the added bonus of qualifying for his first Open Championship – as like this year the Singapore Open was part of the Open Qualifying Series. He went on to make the cut at Carnoustie Golf Links, in what was only his second appearance in a Major.

The 30-year-old has already qualified for this year’s Open by virtue of finishing second in the New Zealand Open in February but will no doubt be focused on following up his victory at last year’s International Series Japan in Singapore. His win in Japan was his first success on the Asian Tour, and The International Series.

He will face one of the strongest fields of the year on the Asian Tour next week. His compatriot Travis Smyth, who claimed the International Series Japan at the start of the month to take the lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and The International Series Rankings, is back in action as well as reigning Merit champion Kazuki Higa from Japan.

Former OOM winners John Catlin, Andy Ogletree, and Sihwan Kim from the United States have also entered as well as Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond. Jazz won the 2019 Singapore Open enroute to finishing the year as the number one ranked player

Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana who triumphed at the Singapore Open in 2022 when it was last played at Sentosa Golf Club will also tee-off next week.

Travis Smyth. Picture by Graham Uden/Asian Tour.

Nine other winners from last year on the Asian Tour will add further depth to what will be the 57th staging of the tournament: Thailand’s Suteepat Prateeptienchai, Rattanon Wannasrichan, Poosit Supupramai and Ekpharit Wu, Dominic Foos from Germany, Australian Wade Ormsby, Korea’s Doyeob Mun, American Ollie Schniederjans, and Julien Sale from France.

Hong Kong number one Taichi Kho and Korean Jeunghun Wang, who lost in a play-off last year, will also compete along with twelve Singaporeans led by Nicklaus Chiam and James Leow – both winners on the Asian Development Tour recently – reinforcing The International Series’ commitment to provide opportunities for local talent to compete at the highest level.

The leading two players not otherwise exempt will secure places in The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale in July.

The Singapore Open presented by The Business Times is the fourth leg on this year’s Asian Tour and the second stop on The International Series – the upper-tier level of events on the Tour the provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League via The International Series Rankings.

Link Hong Kong Open champion Tom McKibbin [main picture] is feeling annoyed that he could not extend his Masters debut into the weekend, but missing the cut has fueled the inner fire to come back to Augusta National Golf Club, again and again. Story by Joy Chakravarty – Asian Tour contributor – at Augusta.

The 23-year-old from Holywood in Northern Ireland, now a resident of Dubai, shot rounds of 75 and 76 and fell shy of the cutline at four-over par by three shots.

That second-round 76 saw him balloon to five-over in the first five holes with a double bogey and three bogeys, before he gathered himself and finished the last 13 holes in one under.

Also missing the cut was Thailand’s Fifa Laopakdee, the reigning Asia-Pacific Amateur champion, who finished on 11-over par total.

McKibbin, whose win in Hong Kong last year had secured the first Masters invitation for him, said: “I think it’s probably the first time I’ve come to a place and sort of felt like ‘try to not miss it again’.

Masters champion Jon Rahm and Tom McKibbin greet each other on hole No. 9 during a practice round prior to the Masters.Picture by Simon Bruty/Augusta National/Getty Images.

“Obviously, it’s very hard to get in. I’d definitely like to try and get back here at some point. It would be nice. It’s the best golf tournament that I have ever played. Yeah, it would be good to come back here again and again.”

Friday was a frustrating day for McKibbin, who started with two solid shots into the par-4 first green, but then got completely flummoxed by the green and three-putted for a bogey from 30 yards. On the par-5 second hole, he hit a brilliant tee shot that was in the left fairway, and his second shot unfortunately clipped the last branch of a tree and led to a double bogey.

“Overall, I hit a lot of good shots. A couple too many putts, and then the second is probably the only real bad shot that really cost me,” said McKibbin.

“It was a very annoying week, but one that was so much fun. It was a bit of everything. Probably a little bit of every emotion.”

McKibbin said the two competitive rounds and the days leading up to it were a great learning experience, especially on how the greens behaved. He hoped that it would stand him in good stead in the future.

“I think the biggest positive is just the sort of experience that I take from here,” he said.

“The more times you can play, especially on these greens, the better. I think the greens are obviously the trickiest part. The course changes so much from the practice days. Yesterday (Thursday) was a little bit of guesswork, maybe.

“I knew what they would do slope-wise, but the speed was so quick. Uphill, they are still quite slow. Then, going out this morning, again, you think they’re going to be super quick, but that little bit of dew and stuff slows it down. It’s like a little bit of guesswork on the greens, which you learn through playing more rounds here.

Tom McKibbin. Picture by Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

“I was sort of uncertain. You don’t really know what’s going to happen until you hit the putt. Obviously, once you sort of hit it outside 25 feet, you’re just trying not to three-putt really. Some of the putts have so much slope.”

McKibbin said the shot of the tournament for him was the one that set up his birdie on the par-5 15th hole on Friday.

“I hit a lovely seven-wood into 15 today. I had to cut it around the trees and hit it about 20 feet. It was nice to pull off one iconic shot that I had watched on TV. I also hit another really good shot into the 10th green, which was enjoyable as well,” he added.

The Legion XIII team member on the LIV Golf League travels to Mexico City next for the LIV Golf Mexico next week.

Already living in his own version of Alice in Wonderland, Pongsapak ‘Fifa’ Laopakdee could not believe what he saw as he entered the players’ locker room of Augusta National Golf Club. Story by Joy Chakravarty at Augusta.

On the left of his allocated locker was one with Tiger Woods’ name on it, if the five-time Major champion had taken his place in the first major championship of the season. On the right, was Bryson DeChambeau’s.

The 21-year-old Thai, who secured a spot to play this year’s Masters Tournament after becoming the first player from his country to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship last October in Dubai, rubbed his eyes in disbelief, clicked pictures and sent it to family and friends.

Everything so far has been nothing but fantastical for the supremely talented amateur from Rayong, who is part of the famous Arizona State University’s Sun Devils team – which has won four Green Jackets this century (Phil Mickelson thrice and Jon Rahm in 2023).

Fifa is under no illusions of adding to that tally – not this year at least – but even as he is enjoying some incredible experiences, he wants a solid weekend finish.

Fifa Laopakdee. Picture by David Paul Morris/Augusta National/Getty Images.

Part of that preparation was playing a few rounds earlier in the year with Rahm, and deriving inspiration from Woods, who is half-Thai.

Staying at Crowe’s Nest at the property, Fifa is trying to soak up everything.

“The hospitality here is amazing. They’re treating us like kings. Like, every staff member knows who we are, and they know about our backgrounds. And they’re all super friendly. It’s amazing,” said Fifa, who is known for his long-hitting abilities despite a slender frame.

“There are a lot of ASU alumni who have played this event. I’m lucky enough to talk to them. I spoke to Josele (Ballester, who won the 2024 US Amateur and played the Masters last year), and I played a few rounds with Jon Rahm.

“It’s been an honour to have those kinds of guys in town and practice alongside you and give you any answers. They were happy to answer all my questions, ease all my concerns, and give me all the tips and other strategies to use this week.

“It’s been unreal so far, but I want to make it even better by playing well this week.”

Thailand has produced several remarkable talents in the past and many have played at Augusta National. However, Fifa is the first player from his country to get a Masters invite in six years since Jazz Janewattananond played here in the 2020 Masters and finished tied 51st. The best finish by a Thai player is Kiradech Aphibarnrat’s tied 16th at the 2016 edition.

Fifa is aware that the whole nation, and the continent of Asia, wants him to do well. But that is something that he is trying not to pay any attention to.

Fifa Laopakdee and Mateo Pulcini speak to members of the media. (Picture by Benjamin Gilbert/Augusta National/Getty Images).

“To be able to represent Thailand, and the Asia-Pacific region, is a huge honour. And to be the first Thai amateur to play in the Masters, is also huge. It’s always nice to know that you’re playing for something that’s bigger than yourself,” said Fifa, who loves singing during tournament rounds to deflect any pressure, a habit that he picked up from women’s world No1 Atthaya ‘Jeeno’ Thittikul.

“The Thai fans have been very, very nice to me. It’s so good to see how much they care and how much they support me. I really feel that have my back.

“Even though I won the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, I’m still the same person, same Fifa, and just trying to be myself. I am trying to keep away from the expectations back home. I am just doing what I’m supposed to do, and that’s what I do best.”

Former world No1 Woods has been an inspiration growing up.

“I grew up watching Tiger. But do I want to be like Tiger myself? Yes, but I also know we are so different. I always try, and work hard, to be the best version of myself,” said Fifa, nicknamed so by his football-loving father, after his AAC win.

“The media doesn’t say that he is half Thai, but it’s always a good reminder for me. I too have Thai blood, the same that has dominated the world of golf.”

Fifa has been paired with former Masters champion Fred Couples and Australia’s Min Woo Lee for the first two rounds. He tees off in Thursday’s opening round at 12:15pm Eastern time.

Twelve Singaporean golfers will be in action at the Singapore Open presented by The Business Times when the tournament tees-off on The Serapong at Sentosa Golf Club, 23-26 April.

Singapore’s Nicklaus Chiam [main picture], who recently won the Selangor Masters on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), headlines a list of 10 players from the Singapore Golf Association – that utilises the Official World Golf Ranking.

The others are Ryan Ang, Gregory Foo, Dengshan Koh, Qiwen Wong, Dennis Lim, Joshua Yap and Marc Ong, while the country’s amateur stars Brayden Lee and Troy Storm complete the list.

James Leow, another recent winner on the ADT, at last year’s Aramco Invitational, and Mardan Mamat, the country’s most decorated golfer, will also compete.

Leow enters through the Asian Tour category for those who finished in the top-10 on the ADT Order of Merit last season, while Mardan qualifies through the Asian Tour’s Career Earnings exemption.

James Leow. Picture by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour.

Chiam, whose victory at Selangor was his first in the professional game, said: “I’m very honoured to represent Singapore as the top ranked Singaporean golfer but that also comes with pressure. I’ll continue to focus on my processes and do what I can to replicate that success I had when I won in Malaysia.”

Said Leow: “Everybody, even all the Singaporean players will look forward to the Singapore Open. And with two available spots to The Open, that’s a very big opportunity for all of us. I like to compete against the best and see where I get myself.”

National squad member Storm, aged 17, is relishing another opportunity to prove his worth again on home soil after making the cut in the Singapore Open last year.

“Playing in the Singapore Open means a lot to me, especially after last year’s experience which was one of my best memories on the golf course,” said Storm.

“Being able to represent my country and compete in front of my friends and family makes the tournament even more special. I’m really looking forward to this year’s Singapore Open and can’t wait to get back out there and enjoy every moment.”

Troy Storm.

Last year Lee finished at the leading Singaporean after tying for 50^th, while Storm ended equal 63^rd. It was a remarkable performance by the duo who represented Singapore on home soil at the World Amateur Team Championship, also known as the Eisenhower Trophy, the month before.

For the second year in a row the US$2million Singapore Open will be part of The International Series – the upper-tier level of events on the Asian Tour that provide a pathway to the LIV Golf League via The International Series Rankings.

The tournament is also one of the Open Qualifying Series events this season, with the top two players not otherwise exempt earning spots in The Open at Royal Birkdale, scheduled from July 16–19.