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Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation unveils star-studded team for Bonallack Trophy title defence

‘We're thrilled to have such a talented group representing us, driven by pride and passion for their countries and the continent’:  Non-playing captain Rishi Narain

After a thrilling victory in Spain last year the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) is set to defend its Bonallack Trophy title, a Ryder Cup-style tournament, at Al Hamra Golf Club, Ras Al Khaimah, from January 8th to 10th, 2025.

The team is back with a powerful lineup featuring 12 players, all ranked within the top 236 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR). Five members of the team are currently in the WAGR top 100, with a further five in the top 200.

Team APGC boasts a diverse representation, with two players each from Japan, New Zealand, and Thailand and one from China, Hong Kong, India, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam. This stellar group will aim to retain the coveted title in what promises to be a fierce competition at one of the region's premier golf venues.

“We’re delighted to be represented by such a fine group of talented young men. They’ll be driven to perform with pride and passion – for themselves, their countries and the continent,” said non-playing captain Rishi Narain of the line-up for the match play event against the European Golf Association (EGA).”

Narain, who captained the triumphant team at La Manga 15 months ago, added: “‘We’re fortunate to have so many outstanding players to choose from – a testament to the overall strength at the elite level of the men’s amateur game across the region.”

As well as US college standouts Phichaksn Maichon of Thailand, Hiroshi Tai of Singapore, Enrique Dimayuga of the Philippines and New Zealand’s Zach Swanwick, the team includes four members of the International Team at September’s Junior Presidents Cup – Vietnam’s Nguyen Anh Minh, Thai Thanawin Lee, Indian Kartik Singh and New Zealand’s Joshua Bai.

Adding further firepower are China’s Zhou Ziqin and Japan’s Rintaro Nakano, who were second and third-place finishers at last month’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC).

Completing the APGC line-up are Hong Kong’s Jeffrey Wong Ngai Shen and Japan’s Taishi Moto, both of whom had top-20 finishes at the AAC and represented their countries with distinction at last month’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championships for the Nomura Cup.

“Our team has an excellent balance of players who are at college in America and those who are still succeeding in our region as they transition from junior golf,” said Taimur Hassan Amin, Chairman of the APGC.

The two highest-ranked players in the team are Texas A&M’s Phichaksn (24th in the WAGR) and Georgia Tech’s Tai, who made international headlines in May when he won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division 1 Men’s Championship.

In so doing he earned starts in this year’s US Open as well as The Masters Tournament in 2025. Currently 30th in the WAGR, Tai was the first Asian player to win the NCAA title in its 127-year history and is the first Singaporean to play in the two men’s Major championships.

Also making waves this year has been Vietnam’s Anh Minh, who led his country to a historic first victory in the Nomura Cup, claiming low individual honours.

Anh Minh and New Zealand’s Bai are the only two survivors from the APGC team that upset the odds to win the Bonallack Trophy in Spain last year.

“That was a fabulous experience and I’m looking forward to representing the Asia-Pacific again in January,” said 17-year-old Anh Minh, who has committed to playing collegiate golf at Oregon State University.

The AFPG Team

(Nationality and World Amateur Golf Ranking as of November 13 in brackets)

Phichaksn Maichon (Thailand, 24); Hiroshi Tai (Singapore, 30); Nguyen Anh Minh (Vietnam, 58); Enrique Dimayuga (Philippines, 63); Rintaro Nakano (Japan, 98); Zhou Ziqin (China, 116); Jeffrey Wong Ngai Shen (Hong Kong, 146); Kartik Singh (India, 152); Zach Swanwick (New Zealand, 163); Thanawin Lee (Thailand, 166); Joshua Bai (New Zealand, 206); Taishi Moto (Japan, 236)

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