In-Form Tuan Anh Aims to Pounce at Permaipura

Kedah, Malaysia: Nguyen Tuan Anh will be aiming to follow in the footsteps of his fellow-Vietnamese Nguyen Anh Minh when he tees-off in the 121st Malaysian Amateur Open tomorrow.

It was 12 months ago that Anh Minh added to his growing list of credentials with an impressive comeback victory in the 120th edition of the historic championship at Sabah Golf & Country Club.

Although Anh Minh is unable to defend his title this week due to college commitments in the United States, Tuan Anh is setting his sights on keeping the trophy in Vietnamese hands.

Following a breakout year which has seen him rise to 146th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), 16-year-old Tuan Anh is among the favourites in a strong field at Permaipura Golf & Country Club.

Last month, Tuan Anh gave the professionals a good run for their money, finishing joint second in the Asian Development Tour’s Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters, alongside seasoned American pro Dodge Kemmer, two shots behind the winner, Thailand’s Sarut Vongchaisit.

Three weeks earlier he'd created history by becoming the first Vietnam player to win the Singha Thailand Amateur Open, to go alongside his other 2025 triumphs in the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, the Vietnam Junior Open and the Vietnam National Championship Vinfast Cup, an event on Vietnam’s domestic professional circuit.

He also finished runner-up to New Zealand’s Cooper Moore in the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) Junior Boys’ Championship in Hong Kong in May and claimed the Boys’ individual silver medal at last month’s Asian Youth Games in Bahrain.

Among those expected to challenge Tuan Anh this week are a powerful Korean contingent including last year’s runner-up Kim Min-su (227th in the WAGR), Park Si-woo (318th), Park Jae-min (503rd), An Seong-hyeon (737th) and An Hae-cheon (747th).

Malaysian hopes will be led by Anson Yeo (226th), Farez Azihan (387th), Hariz Hezri (400th) and Zia Akmal Abdul Rashid (437th).

In the Malaysian Amateur Open ladies’ event, running concurrently with the men’s tournament, the spotlight will fall on the Korean duo of Hong Su-min and Yang Yun-seo, both of whom excelled at this year’s Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific in Vietnam, finishing third and joint fourth respectively.

Yang (48th in the WAGR) also placed eighth in the 2025 APGC Junior Girls’ while Hong (140th) was a member of the Korean team that triumphed in the 45th Queen Sirikit Cup in May.