Vietnamese Number One Chuc An Le's Driving Ambition

Hanoi, Vietnam: Chuc An Le is hoping it will be a case of third time lucky at the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) when she joins the region’s best young players for the eighth edition of the championship in New Zealand next year.

The 17-year-old will be Vietnam's lone contestant in the region’s pre-eminent amateur championship for women and will head to Royal Wellington Golf Club from February 12 to 15 determined to deliver a first WAAP victory for her country – her confidence boosted by a bronze medal-winning performance at the 33rd Southeast (SEA) Games in Thailand a fortnight ago.

“I’m really looking forward to the 2026 WAAP at Royal Wellington,” said Chuc, who finished tied 30th when Vietnam hosted the WAAP at Hoiana Shores in March following a missed cut appearance on her debut in 2024.

“Competing in the WAAP has played a huge role in my development as a golfer. Playing against the best amateurs in Asia-Pacific has helped me improve not only my technical skills but also my mental strength and course management. Having my best finish in Vietnam was very special, and it gave me a lot of confidence that I’m moving in the right direction." 

Among the teenager’s most eye-catching recent performances were victory in the 2024 Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Laguna Lang Co in Hue, and becoming the first Vietnamese champion on the All-Thailand Tour in May against the professionals.

Chuc, the top-rated Vietnamese female at 186th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR), has found inspiration in Malaysian Jeneath Wong’s victory in this year’s WAAP as she eyes her own breakthrough.

“It would mean everything to me (to win the WAAP) and would be a huge milestone for Vietnamese golf. Seeing a first Malaysian winner this year was very inspiring, and it shows how much golf in our region is growing.

"If I could win at Royal Wellington, I hope it will inspire more young golfers in Vietnam to believe in their dreams and push the development of women’s golf even further,” said Chuc, who has committed to play collegiate golf at the University of Tennessee in the US.

“The WAAP means a lot to golfers in our region. It’s one of the most prestigious amateur championships in the world and provides incredible opportunities, such as access to Major championships and exposure at the highest level. For players like me, the WAAP is a platform to measure ourselves against the best and to represent our countries on the global stage.”

Eighty-three players from 28 countries are set to contest the 2026 WAAP, a championship which was developed by the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC) and The R&A to nurture talent and provide a pathway for the region’s elite women amateurs to the international stage.

A total of 13 players from the top-50 of the WAGR and 26 from the top-100, including Korean Oh Soo-min, the world number 12, and Rianne Malixi of the Philippines, world number 17, will headline the 2026 edition alongside Wong.

Chuc knows the competition at Royal Wellington will be tough and will rely on her recent success to spur her to more silverware. 

“Winning a professional tournament on the Thai LPGA Tour was a very important step in my career. It helped me gain confidence competing against professionals and taught me how to handle pressure in a different environment. That experience has made me more mature as a golfer and better prepared me to handle pressure for more amateur and professional competitions in the future,” she said.

The WAAP offers life-changing opportunities to the winner, including exemptions into three Major championships in 2026 – the AIG Women’s Open at Royal Lytham & St Annes, the Amundi Evian Championship in France and the Chevron Championship in the United States.

The winner will also receive invitations to a handful of other elite championships such as the Hana Financial Group Championship, ISPS HANDA Women’s Australian Open, The 123rd Women's Amateur Championship and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur.

The inaugural WAAP champion, Atthaya ‘Jeeno’ Thitikul of Thailand, is the current world number one female professional golfer.

*The R&A and APGC are supported by championship event partners that share their commitment to developing golf in the Asia-Pacific. The WAAP championship is proudly supported by Rolex, ISPS Handa, Royal Wellington Golf Club, Samsung, Hana Financial Group, Nippon Kabaya Ohayo Holdings, Peter Millar, New Zealand Mercedes-Benz, Titleist and Tongariro as well as investment partners New Zealand Major Events and Wellington Council.