Zack Swanwick’s bid to become New Zealand’s first Asia-Pacific Amateur champion ended three shots short at Te Arai Links, where defending champion Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand successfully retained the title.
Swanwick closed with a four-over 75 to finish at three-under 281, three strokes behind Laopakdee, whose one-under 70 carried him to six-under and a second consecutive AAC crown.
It was a disappointing final twist for the Kiwi, who had started Sunday with a two-shot lead after back-to-back rounds of 67.
Across the final 18 holes, Laopakdee gained five shots on Swanwick to turn that deficit into victory.
Swanwick Comes Up Just Short
Swanwick’s week had been built around an impressive recovery.
An opening 72 left him tied 25th, before consecutive four-under 67s moved him first into contention and then into the outright lead through 54 holes.
Sunday proved much tougher.
His 75 opened the door for Laopakdee, who took advantage to secure another major amateur title and the championship’s invitations to the 2027 Masters at Augusta National and The Open at St Andrews.
Swanwick’s runner-up finish still carries valuable rewards.
He earns an exemption into The Open Qualifying Series, while his top-three finish also secures a place in The Amateur Championship.
Four Kiwis Finish Inside Top Six
New Zealand may have missed the trophy, but the final leaderboard reflected the depth of the home challenge.
Cooper Moore closed with a 75 to finish fourth at one-under 283 after remaining in contention throughout the week.
Ryan Xie produced the best New Zealand round of the final day, bouncing back from Saturday’s 80 with a superb five-under 66.
That 14-shot turnaround lifted Xie to fifth at even-par 284.
Joshua Bai completed the Kiwi quartet near the top, signing for a final-round 72 to finish tied sixth at one-over.
Bai had opened the championship with a brilliant 66 before enduring a difficult second round, but recovered strongly across the weekend to finish inside the leading group.
Australia’s Kayun Mudadana claimed third after a closing 67 moved him to two-under 282.
Kiwi Depth On Display
Further down the leaderboard, Zach May finished tied 13th at five-over following a closing 76.
Samuel Ding produced an even-par 71 to finish tied 20th at eight-over, while Yuki Miya ended the week tied 30th at 11-over.
Robby Turnbull closed with a 72 to finish tied 38th at 14-over, with Ishaan Shah tied 44th at 18-over after a final-round 74.
All nine New Zealanders reached the weekend at Te Arai, underlining the depth of the home contingent in one of the region’s most important amateur championships.
Final New Zealand Results
| Player | Position | Total | Final Round |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zack Swanwick | 2nd | -3 (281) | 75 |
| Cooper Moore | 4th | -1 (283) | 75 |
| Ryan Xie | 5th | E (284) | 66 |
| Joshua Bai | T6 | +1 (285) | 72 |
| Zach May | T13 | +5 (289) | 76 |
| Samuel Ding | T20 | +8 (292) | 71 |
| Yuki Miya | T30 | +11 (295) | 77 |
| Robby Turnbull | T38 | +14 (298) | 72 |
| Ishaan Shah | T44 | +18 (302) | 74 |
A Near Miss, But Plenty To Celebrate
New Zealand’s wait for a first AAC champion continues.
But Swanwick’s runner-up finish, Moore’s fourth, Xie’s fifth and Bai’s share of sixth ensured the home contingent had a major presence at the top of the leaderboard.
For Swanwick, the disappointment of missing the title will take time to fade.
Yet his week at Te Arai also delivered proof that he can contend at the highest level of amateur golf — and valuable opportunities to take that form onto even bigger stages.
Laopakdee leaves New Zealand with the trophy.
The Kiwis leave with a near miss, four top-six finishes and plenty of evidence that a breakthrough may not be far away.
