Fifa Embracing ‘Amazing’ Augusta Experience

Augusta, Georgia, United States: Pongsapak ‘Fifa’ Laopakdee is aiming to eliminate the outside noise and stay in his bubble at Augusta National this week.

The Thai earned his starting spot in the 90th edition of The Masters courtesy of his play-off victory in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) in Dubai some six months ago.

One of six amateurs in the field this week, Fifa is the first amateur to represent Thailand at the Masters. As such, the Arizona State University junior is aware that he’s carrying the weight of a nation on his shoulders – and also the hopes of the Asia-Pacific golfing fraternity.

That’s an enormous burden to bear for a 21-year-old whose status in Thailand was further enhanced when he won the individual gold medal in the men’s golf tournament at the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games late last year.

Nonetheless, he’s doing his best to take everything in his stride.

And if Monday is anything to go by then this is going to be a week that he’ll never forget.

After discovering that he’s been allocated a locker in between Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau, Fifa re-focused as he headed to the course for a practice round.

He was then whisked to the media centre alongside Argentina’s Mateo Pulcini, winner of the Latin America Amateur Championship, for a press conference, after which he had to prepare for the traditional annual Amateur Dinner hosted by Fred Ridley, Chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament and the 1975 US Amateur champion.

No wonder Fifa used the word ‘amazing’ on at least a dozen times during the press conference.

He said: “It’s amazing – walking into the locker room today and my locker’s between Tiger and Bryson. That’s a lot to soak in! I took a picture of that.

“It’s amazing. These guys that we always watch on TV and now you get to play in the same event as them – in one of the most prestigious events and one of the most prestigious golf courses in the world. You couldn’t ask for anything better.

“The hospitality here is amazing. They treat us like kings. All the staff know who we are and our backgrounds. They’re all super friendly.”

Asked how he’s controlling his emotions and coping with the expectations from Thailand and around Asia, he said: “It’s a huge honour to be the first Thai amateur to play in the Masters. It’s always nice to know you’re playing for something bigger than yourself. The Thai fans have been very nice to me. It’s nice to see how much they care and support me and have my back.

“Everything is in the practice, what we do on the range. That’s the thing I can control. I can’t control what people in Thailand and Asia think about me as a player or as a person. I’m just trying to control what I can control. I can control my mind. I’m just trying to stay in my own bubble, stay in the present and let the result take care of itself.

“I’d say I was pretty calm and collected today on the course. I didn’t feel a lot of nerves. I was going out there to have fun. Obviously on the first tee on Thursday I’ll feel nerves – that happens to everyone playing at The Masters for the first time, even the best players in the world. That’s what you train for. I’ve just got to embrace it.”