Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Teenager Le Khanh Hung has already carved his name into Vietnamese golf history over the past two years. On Thursday, a blistering start at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) gave him another milestone, and more importantly a chance to write his most significant chapter yet.
Setting out from the 10th tee, the 17-year-old produced a stellar six-under 66 at sun-baked Emirates Golf Club’s Majlis Course, highlighted by four birdies and a stunning eagle, to seize the co-first round lead with Thailand’s Fifa Laopakdee and Australian Billy Dowling. It’s the first time a Vietnamese golfer has held a share of the lead in any round of the championship’s history.
The US-based Le, with his father Van Lan as caddie, produced some impressive ball-striking, sinking an eagle conversion on the par-five 13th following a majestic seven-wood approach from 244 yards. He made further gains on the 18th and second holes, before finishing strongly with birdies on his closing two holes at the iconic venue which has the stunning Dubai skyline as its backdrop.
“It was good. I’m just happy that I stuck to my strategy. I didn’t get frustrated. I’m happy I was composed,” said Khanh Hung. “I think I believe in my preparation and just a lot of trust in myself. I would say everything is feeling nice out there.
“I didn’t look at the scoreboard for the whole round. I just tried to do my job and the last two approach shots from the waste area reacted nicely. I’m happy I hit it on the putting green and made the two putts. Very satisfying.”
Khanh Hung created history for Vietnam by becoming the first male golfer from the country to win the individual gold medal at the Southeast Asian Games in 2023. Last year, he was part of the national team which won the Nomura Cup on home soil, marking an historic maiden victory in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championship for the emerging golf nation.
In 15 previous editions of the Asia-Pacific Amateur, Nguyen Anh Minh’s tied seventh finish at Royal Melbourne in 2023 is the country’s best result.
Khanh Hung is confident the winless streak at the Asia-Pacific Amateur will end soon, if not by him, but by one of his fellow national team members. “Definitely would be a big thing,” said Khanh Hung on the prospect of celebrating a first Vietnamese winner.
“It would mean a lot to me and the country, and definitely it will happen for Vietnam. There are a lot of good players, golf is progressing, and the support from families is good. I have a lot of belief in Vietnam.”
The prospect of this week’s champion earning coveted invitations to the Masters Tournament and The Open is an enticing one for the bespectacled and soft-spoken Khanh Hung, who learned to play the game at the age of eight.
“The Majors are every player’s dream. To me, one of the most special majors is The Open because of the links test. Just to have the opportunity to play in this Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship and have a shot to play in the Majors is very big for the region,” he said.
Thai Fifa, a junior at Arizona State University, is making his fourth appearance at the AAC with a high finish of tied fifth in his home country in 2022. After entering the championship as the highest-rated player in the field in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the 20-year-old birdied six of his first nine holes beginning on the 10th.
“Kind of a little of everything [was working],” said Fifa, who settled for an even-par 35 on his second nine to tie the lead. “My drives were good. My irons were good. I hit 17 greens. Putting was good. I made almost every putt inside 10 feet and just one silly three-putt bogey on the card. But overall it was a good round.”
Dowling, who finished 10th at the AAC in his home country at Royal Melbourne in 2023, also started fast with six birdies across his first 11 holes before a dramatic bogey save at the par-five third hole kept his round on track.
“It was huge; I wouldn't say I was expecting to hole that putt,” said Dowling, a quarter-finalist at this year’s Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s. “Double was definitely accepting in my mind because it was 20 feet away and they are never gimmies, but when you hole it keeps the momentum with the putting and also keeps one shot off the scorecard.”
On a day when 19 players in the 120-strong starting line-up bettered par, Sam Mullane (tied fourth) and Ahmad Skaik (tied eighth) lead the hometown contingent of players from the United Arab Emirates. Last year’s runner-up Zhou Ziqin of China is joint 20th after an even-par 72.
A 36-hole cut will be made to the top 60 and ties after Friday’s second round.
Leading Scores
66 – Fifa Laopakdee (Thailand); Billy Dowling (Australia); Le Khanh Hung (Vietnam)
67 – Rintaro Nakano (Japan); Harry Takis (Australia); Sam Mullane (UAE); Taisei Nagasaki (Japan)
68 – Ahmad Skaik (UAE); Huang Kai-jun (Chinese Taipei)
69 – Cooper Moore (New Zealand); Rayhan Latief (Indonesia); Chang Xihuan (China); Takumi Kobayashi (Japan); An Seong-hyeon (Korea)
70 – Ratchanon ‘TK’ Chanatananuwat (Thailand)
71 – Chen Chi-chun (Chinese Taipei); Masato Sumiuchi (Japan); Zeng Guolin (China); Kayun Mudadana (Australia)
Selected Scores
72 – Zhoi Ziqin (China); Rayan Ahmed (UAE)
73 – Declan O’Donovan (Australia)
75 – Jeffrey Shen (Hong Kong, China); Joshua Bai (New Zealand)