Golf

The fifth Vietnam Masters will be held in Hải Phòng Vinpearl Golf Course on October 25-28. — Photo golfnet.vn

HÀ NỘI — The national golf community are being treated to not one but two high-level golfing events over the next two weeks, as the Vietnam Masters returns after its pandemic hiatus and the Tiền Phong Championship enters its sixth season.

The fifth Masters will be organised on October 25-28 at the Hải Phòng Vinpearl Golf Course.

Almost 120 men and women will vie for prizes up to VNĐ1.2 billion (US$48,000) purse, which Nam Á Bank sponsors.

Athletes also receive points to qualify for the year-end Tour Championship.

"Vietnamese golfers recently have shown remarkable progress, which pushes the development of golf in Việt Nam. As a result, the country will soon be a top team," said Hoàng Việt Cường, deputy general director of Nam Á Bank.

"As the sponsor, Nam Á Bank hopes to help organisers find talented athletes who will vie for titles against leading golfers of the region and the world shortly."

Lê Hùng Nam, general secretary of Việt Nam Golf Association (VGA), said: "Vietnam Masters is one of the oldest golf tournaments under the national professional golf system VGA Tour. With Nam Á as a new sponsor, we believed it would be a successful event which brings a chance to sharpen skills for national golfers."

"The Masters is the last event where athletes could earn points for the Tour Championship. Therefore, all competitors will focus on improving their ranking positions and qualifying for the most important competition.

"At the same time, VGA also supports young golfers to reach the international level," he said.

One week after the Masters, the Tiền Phong Golf Championship will be held on November 5 at the BRG Kings' Island Golf Resort in Hà Nội's Sơn Tây Town.

Nguyễn Anh Minh (centre) lifts the 2021 Tiền Phong Golf Championship trophy. — Photo tienphong.vn

The annual tournament, which is to support the Vietnam Young Talent Fund, will see the participation of 200 athletes.

Apart from the usual categories for men and women, this year, organisers set a discipline for young golfers under 18.

After five seasons, Nam, VGA general secretary, was the first champion; the other four, Nguyễn Bảo Long, Nguyễn Vũ Quốc Anh, Nguyễn Nhất Long, Nguyễn Anh Minh, won when they were all teenagers.

Minh, who won the last championship with 74 strokes, will be back to defend his title. The 15-year-old is still a candidate for the championship, although he will face powerful rivals such as former champion Nhất Long and rising stars Lê Chúc An, Đoàn Uy and Nguyễn Đặng Minh. VNS