HÀ NỘI — The Vietnam Golf Association (VGA) has announced that the Lexus Challenge 2022 professional golf tournament will officially take place on March 7-11 at Tràng An Golf & Country Club, Ninh Bình Province, after two years of postponement due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With a total prize value of up to VNĐ1.6 billion, the Lexus Challenge 2022 holds the record for the highest purse among professional golf tournaments in the country.

Aiming for international golf scoring standards, the performance of VGA Tour members at the Lexus Challenge 2022 will be accumulated to their annual ranking, determining their rights to participate in the Tour Championship and future events.

Golf Lexus Challenge 2022 will take place on March 7-11 at Tràng An Golf & Country Club, Ninh Bình Province. — Photo courtesy of VGA

“Rise Above” is the theme of this year’s tournament, inspired by transcending the limits of Vietnamese Golf.

The message reflects the efforts of the organising committee in embracing challenges and overcoming obstacles to make the event come to life. For Vietnamese golfers, the Lexus Challenge 2022 represents their spirit and determination to conquer new horizons. 

Hiroyuki Ueda, President of Lexus Vietnam, said: “It is meticulousness and discipline that fosters our passion, followed by courage and the pioneering spirit to keep pushing forward when facing challenges."

"Regardless of doubts over the event timing and other hindrances, VGA Tour and Lexus Vietnam strive to lift the spirit of Vietnamese golfers, providing them with a dynamic playground. While maintaining the international standards of the 2019 tournament, Lexus Challenge 2022 has also forged several major changes.”

Nguyễn Thái Dương, Tour Director of VGA Tour and Deputy General Secretary of the Vietnam Golf Association, said: “The biggest change in this year's tournament is that for the first time a Vietnamese professional golf tournament hosts a separate competition for female golfers."

"With a prize value of VNĐ100 million, the organising committee believes that this will set a premise for both women's professional golf and the golf's evolving landscape in Việt Nam. When the world golf championships are witnessing the rise of Asian ladies, Lexus Challenge 2022 will offer our promising female golfers an incubator to nurture their passion for the sport as well as cultivate their skills and competitiveness from real matches.” 

He added that the tournament was keen on supporting 100 per cent of the participation fee for all amateur golfers under 18 years old. On the other hand, coming out of a frozen period in the game, Vietnamese young golfers need a boost in preparation for the 31st SEA Games in May 2022.

Golfers in the VGA Tour will not only be given priority in registration but their scores at the Lexus Challenge 2022 will be counted in the annual ranking.

By establishing a membership mechanism along with an official ranking system based on performance and reward, the VGA Tour is demonstrating an effort in bringing Vietnamese professional golf to international standards. 

Keeping green, the Lexus Challenge 2022 continues to say no to single-use plastics. Pushing the role of the sports competition further, the VGA Tour is on the way to building sustainable golf in Việt Nam, putting community benefits and nature at the heart of the game, he said.

Precautionary measures against COVID-19 will be thoroughly conducted by the organising committee to ensure a safe and successful tournament, according to the committee. 

Lê Hùng Nam, General Secretary of the Vietnam Golf Association, said that VGA Tour was in discussion with the Asian Tour about an integrated tournament in the future. If conditions permit, it will be a remarkable turning point not only for the Lexus Challenge but also for the emerging golf scene in the country.

The tournament will be broadcast live from March 8 to 11, 2022, via the official channels of VGA Tour, VHndicap, GolfNewsTV, other major sports channels and TV apps. — VNS