When Fifa Laopakdee arrived at Arizona State, he didn’t come with fireworks. He came under the radar.
In fact, Sun Devil Men’s Golf Head Coach Matt Thurmond found him almost accidentally, at an under-16 European championship in the Czech Republic, surrounded by Europe’s best juniors, in which Fifa finished third.
Fifa came in as a very nice recruit, but he was part of a team with unmistakable depth. Five players entered that 2023–24 season together, an unusually large group for the team, and the spotlight fell elsewhere, rather than on a quiet freshman from Thailand.
Fifa went to work and cracked the lineup early as a freshman, but momentum vanished quickly. A finger injury in the fall required surgery and effectively took him out of the rest of the season. With a loaded roster, the team kept moving forward, but for Fifa, it meant watching, waiting and learning patience in a sport that rarely offers shortcuts.
“He had a nice summer after that year, and we expected him to come back and be really good,” Thurmond said. “But it was slow. I was asking, ‘Okay, what’s going on here?’” Then came a rough stretch in Hawaiʻi in the spring, where Fifa struggled against elite competition.
The turning point
Thurmond challenged Fifa harder than he ever had before. Instead of the usual three-round qualifier, Fifa was put through a nine-round grind against a teammate. No shortcuts, no safety net. Just focus and hard work.
The idea wasn’t punishment. It was a belief that the rounds would help him improve and build confidence.
“We wanted him to do something really difficult, so when it’s over, he would feel like he had done something big,” Thurmond said.
It worked. Round by round, Fifa grew steadier, calmer, sharper, and the confidence unlocked something.
In a world where top-10 finishes are celebrated and top-20s are considered excellent, Fifa did one better. He started winning tournaments outright. In his sophomore season, he:
- Won the 2025 Thunderbird Collegiate
- Tied for first at the 2024 Papago Individual
- Tied for the top spot at the Cabo Collegiate
“Well, let me just put it this way,” said Thurmond. “For him to come out and get two big wins was eye-opening for him and a lot of people. He showed that when he has a chance to win, he’s done it, and it’s kind of incredible.”
“When the moment’s big, it’s never too big for him.”
As a sophomore, Fifa Laopakdee tied for first at the 2025 Cabo Collegiate after an impressive 3-under performance, complete with four birdies. He had the lowest scoring average on the par 4s out of the entire field for the duration of the tournament.
The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship
The big-moment mindset followed Fifa overseas in the summer of 2025. Not only did Fifa win the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship to earn invites to the prestigious Masters (April 9–12, 2026) and British Open (July 12–19, 2026), but he is also the first person from Thailand to win the tournament hosted in Dubai.
Suddenly, the quiet Sun Devil was global news. Interviews poured in. Media from Thailand and beyond wanted his story. Golf outlets, radio shows, magazines and international coverage followed. Back home, he was being recognized at Sun Devil events, such as the Men’s Basketball game vs. Gonzaga on Nov. 14, medals gleaming under arena lights.
“It changes your life fast,” Thurmond said. “More people want something from you. More attention. More distractions.”
Steady resolve
The challenge now isn’t talent. It’s finding balance.
As a coach, Thurmond tells him to enjoy it, “But don’t forget what got you here. Training. Practicing. Being where your feet are.”
Fortunately, Fifa’s personality fits the task. He’s brilliant academically, majoring in sports business, earns excellent grades and carries himself with quiet composure. Not loud. Not a ringleader. More like steady gravity in the room.
“If he were a Beatle, he’d be George Harrison,” Thurmond joked.
On the course, he’s a surprise package. Not big in stature, but pound-for-pound one of the longest hitters in college golf. His swing is elegant, technically pristine and social-media gold whenever posted. Inside the program, his emoji is a poodle, not as a joke, but as a compliment. He is always polished, always prepared and always composed.
“He’s meticulously dressed, kept together and ready,” Thurmond said. “That’s who he is.”
The next chapter
Now in his junior year, Fifa is quickly approaching decisions on turning professional, something expected in a program built for the game’s highest stages. Thurmond doesn’t hesitate when projecting his future.
“He’s got incredible mechanics and physical skills,” he said. “And he’s still developing. The sky’s the limit.”
What comes next will help define his legacy at ASU. Appearances at the Masters and the British Open. NCAA championships. More moments where lights get brighter and crowds grow quieter before swings. If history is any indication, that’s where Fifa thrives most.
“We’re just at the beginning of people understanding how good he is,” Thurmond said.
From quiet recruit to global contender, Fifa’s rise hasn’t been loud. It’s been deliberate, patient and powerful when it matters most.
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