Mishra Grabs Top-10 At AAC, Says Learning From Stars At DPWIC Helped

Mishra grabs Top-10 at AAC, says learning from stars at DPWIC helped (Image Source: IANS)

Asia Pacific Amateur Championship: Displaying composure beyond his 17 years, Anshul Mishra, the reigning All India amateur champion, became only the third Indian to finish in the Top-10 of the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship.

Playing the Asia Pacific for the first time, Mishra, who turned 17 three days before he teed up this week, carded a 2-under 70 to total 9-under 279 to finish Tied-seventh at the iconic Emirates Golf Club.

Saying he learnt a lot from the stars he watched at DP World India Championship, Mishra remarked, “I feel like I managed the course pretty well this week, and it's got something to do with just watching the pros play at DP World India Championship at the DGC last week. I learnt a lot from the way Rory (McIlroy) and Tommy Fleetwood played a course where I have played a lot of times.”

Thailand’s Pongsapak Laopakdee, who goes by the first name Fifa, staged a big rally to win the coveted title that will send him to the 2026 Masters and The Open. Six behind at the start he first got into a play-off with a 67 and then birdied three times to beat the 16-year-old overnight leader, Taisei Nagasaki on the third play-off hole.

Revealing the reason behind his nickname, Fifa, he laughed and said, “My father loves football – FIFA World Cup and the UEFA Cup. Thank god, he chose FIFA. “

He added that the two Thai golf greats Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat have been inspirational for him. He said, “Kiradech has been amazing. He has done so much and when I last met him, he just said, ‘Don’t ever stop practicing, no matter what. And Thongchai has achieved so much. Yes, they have been my inspirations.”

Only two Indians have had Top-10s before Mishra in the AAC, which started in 2009, a year after Mishra was born in 2008. They are Khalin Joshi (T-9 in 2010) and Rayhan Thomas (T-2 in 2018).

Mishra, whose WAGR ranking of 437 was better than only other player in the Top-10 this week, shot par or better on each of the four days at the Majilis course. Mishra’s action-packed 70 was a roller-coaster with eight birdies, six bogeys and just four pars and came on the heels of 72-69-68 for a total of 9-under 279.

Asked what he could have improved, Mishra laughed and said, “Just get rid of all the bogeys! I would probably be in the playoffs if I shot a bogey-free round.”

He added, “It was just one of those days, it just happened. Like, it's, I was playing the exact same golf, just trying to hit fairway - green and trying to make the putt or else move on with the par, but just dropped a lot of shots but then I gained so many as well.”

And, then he added, “I was thrilled to have shot eight birdies at the tough and challenging Majilis Course, which also hosts the Hero Dubai Desert Classic and where Rory McIlroy has won so many times.”

Young Mishra, who was accompanied by his father Amit, also thanked his coach, Jesse Grewal.

Champion Fifa began the day six shots behind overnight leader, the 16-year-old Taisei Nagaski of Japan, but caught up with him at the end with a birdie-birdie finish to force a play-off.

Nagasaki, who had six bogeys during the day, had a birdie putt to win in regulation play, but missed it and went into a play-off.

It took three extra holes, which were played in the sequence of 18th, 17th and the 18th to separate them. Fifa and Nagaski birdied the first two times before the Thai birdied once again. This time Nagasaki failed and Fifa became the first Thai AAC winner.

As Fifa birdied the 18th and his friends and teammates joined him on the 18th green to celebrate, young Nagasaki was left in tears.

Fifa, the 20-year-old Arizona University golfer, Fifa, who shot 5-under 67 in the final round, said he was laughing and singing songs along the way. He added, “I have been singing (with my caddie) while playing for as long as I remember.”

On his upcoming Masters appearance, he said, “It was the first event I watched on TV as a two or three-year-old. I have been watching it for as long as I can remember.”

With four of the five Indians making the cut this week, the next best after Mishra was the Dubai-based Raghav Gulati (73-70-71-75) at 1-over in Tied-27th place, Rakshit Dahiya, the top world ranked Indian in the field at 342, shott 72-72-74-77 for a 7-over 295 and was T-42nd.

Ranveer Mitroo (74-71-77-76) was 10-over and T-48th. Harman Sachdeva missed the cut.

Japan’s Rintaro Nakano hit by three bogeys between the fifth and the ninth shot 71 and finished third. He was also third last year and T-28th in 2023.

Australian Harry Takis, who took a quadruple eight on Par-4 fifth a day earlier, closed the week with an eagle for a 70 on the final day was fourth.

Australian Billy Dowling (71) ended the week with a bogey on Par-5 18th and was tied fifth with Vietnam’s Khanh Hung Le (71), who began the day with a double bogey and ended it with a birdie.

Australian Harry Takis, who took a quadruple eight on Par-4 fifth a day earlier, closed the week with an eagle for a 70 on the final day was fourth.

The 2026 AAC will be held at the Te Arai Links in New Zealand.

Article Source: IANS