Golf

Nguyễn Anh Minh celebrates his birthday by winning the Việt Nam Amateur Open on June 30. Photos of VGA

QUẢNG NAM — Nguyễn Anh Minh won and set a record at the Việt Nam Amateur Open (VAO), a great big gift to celebrate his 17th birthday on June 30.

After four rounds, Minh scored a best ever score in the 18-year's of the tournament, with a 22-under-par 266. He was the only golfer to score fewer than 70 strokes in all rounds, 67, 66, 68 and 65, respectively. He suffered only three bogeys while securing 25 birdies at the Vinpearl Golf Nam Hội An in Quảng Nam Province.

If that wasn't enough to celebrate, on his birthday, he secured the only national title that has so far evaded his trophy collection.

Reigning SEA Games champion Lê Khánh Hưng came second with 14-under par 274.

National youth champion Nguyễn Đức Sơn (5-under par) and Nguyễn Tuấn Anh (4-under par) finished third and fourth respectively.

On the women's side, Đoàn Xuân Khuê Minh's outstanding performance helped her to win the second Việt Nam Lady Amateur Open (VLAO) trophy on June 29.

Đoàn Xuân Khuê Minh wins the 2024 Việt Nam Lady Amateur Open on June 29.

She topped the ranking with 7-under par 281, six better than second-placed Ng Yu Xuan of Malaysia.

Minh said her regular participation in tournaments in the US and her playing without a caddie style, helped her to improve her ability and focus better on games.

Minh's first VLAO win was in 2017.

Malaysian Maisarah Hezri and Vietnamese Nguyễn Viết Gia Hân shared the third place with a score of 7-over par 223.

The top four golfers of the VLAO 2024 have all earned their place at the Việt Nam Junior Open on July 2-4 at the same venue. VNS