Vietnamese Duo Set Early Pace in Faldo Series Asia Grand Final

Hue, Vietnam: Making the most of home advantage, Vietnamese players sprang to the fore on the opening day of the 17th Faldo Series Asia Grand Final. 

National squad member Harry Nguyen Trong Hoang snared seven birdies en route to a five-under-par 66 to lead the way in the Boys’ category at the Nick Faldo-designed Laguna Golf Lang Co course.

That score was matched by Nguyen Khanh Linh, who collected eight birdies to set the pace among the Girls.

“I’ve been having a bad stretch with my game, so I didn’t expect to do so well,” said 15-year-old Trong Hoang, the reigning Vietnam Amateur Open champion, who represented his country at last year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games.

Thanks to a succession of pinpoint wedge approaches, Hanoi-based Trong Hoang enjoyed a mid-round purple patch that saw him cover the seven-hole stretch from the sixth to the 12th in six-under.

Despite dropping a shot at 17 following a wayward drive, Trong Hoang will take a one-shot lead over Japan’s Daichi Hayashi into Thursday’s second round in the 54-hole World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) event that features players from 16 countries.

“Starting well has given me more confidence, but there’s a strong field here,” said Trong Hoang, fifth among Vietnam players in the WAGR in 970th place.

In addition to Trong Hoang and Hayashi, four other boys bettered par – Australian James Nicholas and Indian Prince Bainsla returning two-under 69s and Jared Saban of the Philippines and Australian Coby Carruthers shooting 70s.

Like Trong Hoang, 13-year-old Khanh Linh was quickly into her stride, picking up shots at four of the first seven holes. Bogeys at eight and 11 – both par-threes – threatened to derail her round, but she hit back with birdies at 14, 16 and 17 to reach six-under.

Her composure was tested at the par-five 18th where she found sand with her second shot. Having failed to escape with two attempts she then came within inches of holing out for a par.

Not even that closing bogey could take the gloss off the lowest round of her tournament career, that includes a victory in a Vietnam Golf Association (VGA) Under-18 Junior Tour event.

Regarded as one of Vietnam’s most promising golfing prospects, Khanh Linh is coached by senior VGA official Bach Cuong Khang.

“She only took up the game four years ago but is showing a lot of talent,” said Khang of Khanh Linh, whose 16-year-old brother, Nguyen Vinh Za Quang, has featured in Vietnam’s national Boys’ squad.

In the Girls’ category, Khanh Linh is four shots ahead of second-placed Nana Fujiwara of Japan with Indians Keerthana Rajeev Kumar and Priya Kumari, Malaysia-based Australian Jasmin Bradley, Korean Yang Ay-eon and Indonesian Sania Talita Wahyudi in a share of third spot on even-par 71.