Golf

Nguyễn Anh Minh (centre) receives the trophy of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final Golf Championship from golf legend Nick Faldo (left). Photo vietnamgolfmagazine.net

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Anh Minh made history as the first Vietnamese golfer to win the title of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final Golf Championship, which concluded at the Laguna Lăng Cô Golf Course in Phú Lộc District, Thừa Thiên Huế Province on April 21.

In the last round, the 16-year-old scored seven birdies and made three bogeys to score  a gross of 67 strokes, five under par.

The host teenager maintained his play superiority through out the three rounds. He made a three-under-par 68 in the first round and a two-under-par 69 in the second.

With the best result in the last round, he scored a nine-under-par 204 and emerged as the 2023 winner of the U16 category.

Isaac Lam from Hong Kong came second with a gross of 209, four under par. Yung-Cheng Lo of Taiwan and Lê Khánh Hưng of Việt Nam were third with 213, even par.

Việt Nam also had a successful season with two other names in the final top 10, Nguyễn Đặng Minh placing at No 8 at six over par and Nguyễn Đức Sơn at No 9, seven over par.

The Faldo Series earlier announced that it will return to Laguna Lăng Cô for the next four years as it named the resort the “Home of the Faldo Series Asia” after a three-year pause due to the pandemic.

Nguyễn Anh Minh takes the final stroke before winning the U16 title of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final Golf Championship. Photo vietnamgolfmagazine.net

The best 44 junior golfers from over 22 countries and territories in Asia came to Laguna Lăng Cô hoping to be crowned champions of Asia as they tested their skill against Sir Nick Faldo’s Signature designed course on April 19-21.

Boys and girls aged between 12 and 21 competed throughout the year in the Faldo Series Asia for World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points.

At the 14th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, players had a chance to meet six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo and attended several coaching clinics, where he taught them new techniques and skills at the Laguna Golf Academy .

The Faldo Series aims to help reach more juniors around the world by introducing them to the game through grassroots initiatives and helping them to develop the skills and attitudes needed to become a professional golfer.

It also aids the development of golf by staging events in less-established golfing nations.

After winning, Minh and Hưng, members of the national team, will travel to Cambodia on April 24 for the 32nd SEA Games. Their teammates will join them later for competition at the Garden City Golf Club in Phnom Penh.

Golf matches will be held from May 8-13.

At the last Games, Minh placed sixth in the ranking, the best result among Vietnamese golfers in SEA Games history. His score also helped Việt Nam to finish fourth in the team rankings, the best ever in history. VNS