Vietnamese golfers join a press conference at the Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship (WAAP) in Quảng Nam Province. The event will be on until March 9. — VNS Photo Công Thành

QUẢNG NAM — The best 94 golfers from 24 countries and territories will begin the first round of the seventh Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship (WAAP) golf tournament at Hoiana Shores Golf Club today (March 6), sparking a tough competition on the special 71-par course.

The tournament, which will be held in Việt Nam for the first time by Royal & Ancient, offers four rounds for golfers with the best 50 each group after two first round earning places in next rounds.

Vietnamese Bảo Châu, 12, is the youngest player at the tournament, while Australian Nadene Gole, 56, is the oldest golfer.

Eight favourite golfers, including four Vietnamese, shared their feelings before the competition, at a joint press conference.

Vietnamese Lê Chúc An, 17, who competed at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) and Asian Games 2022, said the event will be a challenge as the best women’s golfers in Asia will be there.

The Vietnamese is committed to play for Tennessee University in the US, and she was inspired by the difficulty of the sport.

She said the tournament is an opportunity for her to test her skills in the game against top Asia women’s contenders.

“Many strong golfers from Malaysia, the Philippines will be competing and Việt Nam would earn the best results at the SEA Games,” she said.

Hoiana Shores Golf Club is an official venue for the seventh Women's Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship (WAAP) golf tournament. It's the first time Việt Nam has hosted the event. — VNS Photo Công Thành

Nguyễn Viết Gia Hân, 14, said playing the WAAP golf tour would leave good memories and win over more friends.

Hân won the Việt Nam National Championship in 2022 at the age of 11.

The other teammates of the Việt Nam team are Anna Lê, 15, and Arena Trần, 13.

The Philippines’ Rianne Maxili, 17, who ranked fourth at WAGR, said it’s the fifth time she has joined the WAAP Championship.

She ranked third at the WAAP in 2022, and fifth place in 2024. She also took the US Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship and the US Women’s Amateur in 2024.

“It’s an honour for me playing the WAAP. I played in the SEA Games in Việt Nam in 2022. I love the country, people and food of Việt Nam,” Rianne Maxili said.

The Filipino will turn 18 on March 18, so winning the title would be a nice birthday bonus.

Soomin Oh, 16, from Korea, who ranked in top 25 at BMW Ladies Championship, shared she had made mistakes in the previous tournament, but would improve her ranking at the 2025 event.

Achiraya Sriwong from Thailand, whose nickname is One-On, said she was born for golf, and winning the tournament is a dream.

According the organising committee, the winner will also have invitations to play in three major championships – the AIG Women’s Open, the Amundi Evian Championship and The Chevron Championship, as well as elite championships such as the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open, the 122nd Women’s Amateur Championship, and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

Last year, Wu Chun-wei of Chinese Taipei scored 18-under 270 to bring the title home. — VNS