Golf 

Nguyễn Anh Minh of Việt Nam shares the top position with Japanese Masayuki Yamashita in the individual ranking of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championship after two rounds in Hải Phòng on October 16. Photo of VGA

HẢI PHÒNG — Vietnamese Nguyễn Anh Minh's quality golf performance helped him share the top place with Japanese Masayuki Yamashita in the individual ranking of the Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championship, after round two in Hải Phòng on October 16.

As the highest-rated player in the field, number 84 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Minh, teed-off from the 10th hole, raced out of the blocks with four birdies in his first nine holes. He added another at the fifth en route to a fabulous bogey-free 67, jumping from number six to the top of the ranking.

“It’s very rare to have a bogey-free round, so I can’t complain. The Vietnamese team had a good day today and we’re excited about what can happen in the next two days,” said Minh.

Two other Vietnamese golfers, Lê Khánh Hưng and Hồ Anh Huy. Hưng, finished with an even-par, while Huy took 4-over 76.

Yamashita, whose elder sibling, Miyu, is a star on the Japan LPGA Tour, fired six birdies and one bogey en route to have same score at the 2024 Nomura Cup at the Vinpearl Golf course in Hải Phòng.

In the individual standings, Yamashita and Minh are locked together at six-under 138, two shots ahead of New Zealand duo of Robby Turnbull and Joshua Bai and Australian Declan O’Donovan.

Twenty one year old Yamashita’s efforts also helped Japan to to the top of the leader board in the team standings.

“All of us are playing well and scored under par today. We're pretty confident we can go on and win the trophy,” added Yamashita, who believes the Japan team are well placed to retain the Nomura Cup.

Japan is bidding for an eleventh cup title overall and a second in succession, having triumphed in 2022, holding a two-stroke lead from New Zealand and hosts Việt Nam.

There is then a seven-stroke gap back to Korea and Australia on one-under 287.