Contenders in Confident Mood Ahead of Final Test

Auckland, New Zealand: Zack Swanwick describes the prospect of becoming the first New Zealander to win the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) as ‘a cool opportunity’.

After seizing the third-round lead at Te Arai Links, Swanwick said he’s focused on trusting the process rather than eyeing the enticing prize at stake – appearances at the Masters Tournament and Open Championship next year.

“I feel really confident now,” said the 20-year-old, who takes a two-stroke lead from compatriot Cooper Moore and Thailand’s Pongsapak ‘Fifa’ Laopakdee, the defending champion, into Sunday’s final-round.

Of the state of his game, Swanwick said: “I kind of know where the ball is going. I know how far it’s going … and my putting is starting to feel really good. Everything feels really good.

“There’s going to be pressure. There’s always pressure. But I’m just going to try and play golf. That’s what I’m here to do this week.

“I’m looking forward to tomorrow. It’s a cool opportunity. I’ll just go out there and try the best I can on every hole. Just keep my mind on the golf. If it happens, it happens.” 

Moore expressed similar sentiments.

He said: “It’s real exciting. It’s obviously hard to not think about (the rewards to the winner), but going into tomorrow I’ll just focus on one shot at a time like the last three days. 

“Keep it one shot at a time and just stay patient and enjoy the day.”

For his part, Fifa has cause for confidence having come from a bigger deficit after 54 holes last year to win.

He said: “Last year I was six shots back. This year, I’m only two shots back. I’ve got to do what I'm capable of, and attack tomorrow … and hopefully the putts drop like the first round.

“It's tough out there. Being a leader is never easy. There's a lot of pressure for me because I have a privileged task as defending champion, and that's always at the back of my mind. I think I'm doing great so far throughout the week mentally and mechanically. I just need to get my body rest good for tomorrow. 

“I have nothing to lose. If I win, I win. If I lose, I know I’ll have tried my best. I’ll keep my head high and stay in present.

“It’s my last AAC. I’ll do my best tomorrow and not take things for granted and see what happens.”