GOLF: Soccer has FIFA, Augusta has Fifa as Thai amateur set for Masters debut

AUGUSTA, Georgia — In the same year the FIFA World Cup is set to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, a Thai golfer named after the world soccer governing body is making his major championship debut at the Masters.

Fifa Laopakdee’s father, a devoted soccer fan, named his son after FIFA, and that name will appear on the tee sheet when the first major of the year gets underway this week at Augusta National.

“My dad is a huge soccer fan, and he was choosing between Fifa from FIFA World Cup and Uefa from UEFA Champions League,” Laopakdee said Monday. “Luckily, it ended up being Fifa.”

Laopakdee earned his Masters invitation by winning the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Dubai last October, becoming the first Thai player to claim the title. He entered the final round six strokes off the lead, birdied the 17th and 18th holes to force a playoff, then birdied all three playoff holes to secure victory — earning spots in this year’s Masters and British Open.

Arriving at Augusta National this week, Laopakdee became the first amateur representing Thailand to compete in the Masters. He was assigned a locker in the club’s new Player Services Building, positioned between those of five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods and two-time major winner Bryson DeChambeau.

“To be walking into the locker room today, and my locker is between Tiger and Bryson — that’s a lot to soak in,” he said. “I definitely took a picture of that.” -Reporting by Frank Pingue in TorontoEditing by Christian Radnedge/Reuters