Masters Ticket Secured, DeChambeau’s Podcast, and Novak’s Stellar Putting

An exclusive club now has its second member. During this past weekend’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, Fifa Laopakdee earned the distinction of becoming just the second golfer ever to retain his title, overcoming New Zealand’s Zack Swanwick during the closing 18 holes at Te Arai Links’ South Course—twelve months following his initial victory in Dubai.

Alongside Hideki Matsuyama, Laopakdee stands as the sole competitor to capture consecutive Asia-Pacific Amateur trophies. Fittingly, this triumph guarantees him an invitation back to Augusta National for the 2027 Masters Tournament. Additionally, the Arizona State senior secured an entry into The Open Championship at historic St. Andrews.

“It’s an extraordinary feeling to enter that group,” expressed Laopakdee. “Hideki has been an incredible figure for Japanese and Asian golf alike. Matching his achievement of back-to-back victories is a tremendous privilege. He is an outstanding golfer, and I aspire to mirror his success.”

Even though Laopakdee launched his defense with an impressive opening 63 amid demanding weather, attention primarily centered on Swanwick as Sunday arrived. The local favorite held a two-shot cushion going into the last round and maintained that same advantage until reaching the 11th hole, a par 4 where the entire tournament swung dramatically.

Swanwick yanked his second shot left of the putting surface into a formidable sand trap. His bunker escape flew slightly too far, rolling away from the cup. Consequently, the Florida Gator suffered a triple bogey—his sole score worse than bogey all week—whereas the reigning champion drained a birdie putt to instantly transform a two-shot deficit into a two-stroke lead.

Laopakdee eventually sealed a three-shot win at 6 under par over Swanwick, helped by a crucial birdie at the formidable par-3 17th that provided the Thai golfer comfort on the final hole. Beyond Laopakdee cementing his place in the record books once more, the venue itself emerged as another standout triumph of the event.

This Coore & Crenshaw layout captivated viewers while testing the field to its limits, reaffirming that elite competitions excel when setup mirrors traditional links setups. Having to calculate ground firming and fluctuating gusts on every stroke naturally winnows the field, separating the elite contenders from the rest.

Amateur golfers qualified for the 2027 Masters

Bryson takes on a podcast appearance

Bryson DeChambeau recently eclipsed the 3-million subscriber mark on YouTube. Among his five most recent uploads, one highlights an Amish community while another stars sports broadcaster Stephen A. Smith. However, an appearance outside his personal channel is currently capturing the attention of golf enthusiasts.

The dual U.S. Open winner sat down for an interview on “Figuring Out with Raj Shamani,” a prominent and occasionally polarizing Indian podcast covering various topics. Running for two and a half hours, the discussion contained so much dense rhetoric that playing it back at double speed felt almost mandatory despite my usual dislike for accelerated playback.

The conversation traverses his early years up to the present; LIV Golf comes up during the interview, albeit briefly. DeChambeau praised the financial performance (EBITDA) of the Crushers GC while sharing his vision regarding the circuit’s trajectory.

“The structure of the business is highly logical,” DeChambeau explained regarding LIV Golf 2.0. “We are currently refining this refreshed format to ensure total financial viability. There are no gimmicks involved; it will be executed properly. The goal is to build a tour that endures permanently. We aren’t seeking conflict or direct competition with the [PGA Tour]. Our aim is to add value throughout the global golf industry.

“So the initial LIV arrangement served its purpose. Upfront compensation was necessary back then due to a lack of governance oversight. Without knowing who held operational authority, receiving immediate payment was essential. Now, the dynamic has inverted: compensation upfront is minimal, but we possess genuine governance and leadership authority.”

Below are a few interesting tidbits learned about DeChambeau during the broadcast:

• Captured his debut tournament victory at age nine, prompting local allegations of dishonest play
• Spent time playing “The Sims” during his youth, viewing it as a personal improvement tool
• Began analyzing and doubting his equipment design at age 15
• Shed 24 pounds within a single month following his bulk-up phase
• Sustained a corneal scratch after bumping into a gallery line rope

Novak shines without the shine

Andrew Novak secured his maiden individual PGA Tour victory on Sunday at the Mexico Open, comfortably managing his six-shot 54-hole cushion to cross the finish line victorious. Finishing at 25 under par, Novak established a new event scoring record, recorded the largest winning margin in tournament history, and posted his career-best four-round score on the PGA Tour, finishing five shots clear of runners-up Steven Fisk and Kris Ventura.

Ever since the PGA Tour outlined its qualification rules for the 2028 campaign, the significant benefits of victories such as Novak’s have been clear. The 31-year-old leaped from 89th to 53rd place in the FedEx Cup Fall rankings, but crucially, he guarantees himself a place in the Championship Series once the PGA Tour implements its updated structure in 2028.

Among the four fall victors, Novak remains the sole champion without multi-year Championship Series security, given how competitors have been leveraging wins to accumulate consecutive exemptions. Austin Smotherman and Michael Brennan hold exemptions through 2029, whereas Jacob Bridgeman is secured through 2030—an advantageous situation that some appear to be overlooking!

Novak delivered stellar play throughout the event, especially with his putting, putting him on track for historic statistics as noted by Rick Gehman. Across the opening three rounds, he gained over 12 strokes putting—utilizing a traditional blade putter, bringing joy to classic putting purists—though unpredictable golf realities caught up with him during Sunday’s final round. Novak surrendered four strokes on the greens on his way to a final-round 69.