Anshul Mishra grabs Top-10 at AAC, credits lessons from stars at DP World India Championship

Dubai: 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.

Anshul Mishra in action in the final round

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.

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.”

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

Fifa Laopakdee lifts the 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship trophy 

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, shot 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.

Tags : Fifa Laopakdee, Anshul Mishra, Pongsapak Laopakdee, Golf, Asia Pacific Amateur Championship