The 2025 Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC), played last week on the acclaimed Majlis Course at Emirates Golf Club in Dubai, successfully showcased a commitment to both world-class playing conditions and sustainable agronomy.

The event, one of the most prestigious amateur tournaments globally, benefited from expert championship support provided by The R&A in partnership with the local Greenkeeping team. This collaboration highlights The R&A’s growing focus on delivering high-performance golf through environmental best practice and sustainable turf management.

A Partnership for World-Class Conditioning

The R&A team worked with Matthew Perry and the Emirates Golf Club Greenkeeping staff to optimize turf performance and course presentation. This support centered on Integrated Turf Management (ITM) principles, which minimize resource consumption while maximizing playing quality.

Chris Gray, Head of Sustainability and Agronomy - Asia-Pacific at The R&A, praised the collaboration, noting their role was to simply "complement the excellent work already being done" by the local team to align course preparation with international best practice in both playability and environmental stewardship.

This modern, eco-friendly approach emphasizes key sustainability pillars:

• Water Conservation: Utilizing precise irrigation techniques and drought-tolerant turf to reduce water consumption.
• Soil Health: Prioritizing organic amendments and cultural practices like aeration to enhance the turf’s natural resilience.
• Biodiversity: Protecting and enhancing out-of-play areas to support local ecosystems, aligning with the club's long-term environmental goals.

Christopher May, Chief Executive Officer at Viya, underscored the shared vision, stating The R&A’s approach "combining performance with sustainability, aligns perfectly with our philosophy." The Majlis Course, a revered tournament venue since 1988, once again presented world-class surfaces for the region’s finest amateur golfers.

A New Champion Rises

The tournament itself culminated in a historic finish, with 20-year-old Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand mounting a stunning comeback from a six-stroke deficit to claim the victory. Laopakdee became the first Thai winner of the AAC and, with his triumph, secured invitations to the 2026 Masters Tournament and The 154th Open at Royal Birkdale.

The championship, therefore, was a success both on the scoreboard and in demonstrating a model for advancing the sport through responsible agronomy, innovation, and excellence in course presentation.