A joyous Vietnamese team celebrates their first ever victory
Vietnam’s 17-year-old Nguyen Anh Minh, ranked 83rd in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR), led his country to a historic double victory at the 30th Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championship, marking a milestone as the tournament was held in Vietnam for the first time.
Nguyen, the highest-ranked player in the field, lived up to expectations, carding rounds of 71-67-71-67 to finish with a commanding 12-under total, securing a two-shot win in the individual category. His team posted a cumulative score of 143-137-140-136 to finish at 20-under, clinching a three-shot victory in the team format.
Australia’s Declan O’Donovan claimed second place in the individual competition, finishing at 10-under with rounds of 69-71-72-66.
Nguyen’s teammate, 16-year-old Le Khanh Hung, contributed with rounds of 74-70-69-77, finishing tied for 14th at 2-over par. Meanwhile, 14-year-old Ho Anh Huy, the youngest player in the field, posted scores of 72-76-74-69 to secure a tied-17th finish at 3-over.
Defending champions Japan, a 10-time winner of the event, finished runner-up at 17-under, posting scores of 143-135-143-138.
For Vietnam, this was their first triumph in the longest-running event on the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation’s calendar, an impressive feat in only their second appearance. In 2013, they finished 17th out of 25 teams at Santiburi Country Club in Thailand.
India’s 14-year-old Kartik Singh turned in a solid performance, finishing tied for 10th with rounds of 71-72-71-72 for a 2-under total of 286. His compatriots, Rohit Narwal (74-76-77-68) and Anant Singh Ahlawat (75-74-76-70), both finished tied for 25th at 7-over 295.
About Nomura Cup
The Nomura Cup is a biennial amateur team golf championship for men, with its inaugural event taking place in 1963 as a tri-nation tournament in the Philippines, featuring host nation Philippines against Japan and Chinese Taipei. In recent years, the tournament has grown to include more than 20 nations, each fielding teams of four players. The competition spans four days, with each team playing 18 holes of stroke play daily, and the best three rounds each day contributing to the team score. Australia and Japan have historically dominated the tournament, each winning the Cup ten times. The winning team is awarded the Nomura Cup, named in honor of Shun Nomura, the former Vice-President of the Japan Golf Association who donated the trophy. Additionally, the event recognizes an individual champion.
Photo – APGC