Young Vietnam Trio Aiming to Upset Nomura Cup Odds

Beijing, China: A young, new-look Vietnamese team have been challenged to upset the odds and retain their Nomura Cup title.

It was two years ago at Vinpearl Golf Hai Phong that Nguyen Anh Minh, Le Khanh Hung and Ho Anh Huy created history by claiming victory in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Golf Team Championship. It was the first time that Vietnam had triumphed in the biennial event. 

For the country’s title defence at Beijing’s Bayhood No 9 Golf Club next week, only Ho is returning to the line-up. Anh Minh and Khanh Hung are unavailable due to college commitments in the United States.

However, rather than bemoaning their absence, Vietnam Golf Association (VGA) Deputy Secretary General Bach Cuong Khang is adopting a positive approach.

He said: “Although we’re without Anh Minh and Khanh Hung, it doesn’t change the team’s goals. Rather, it opens up opportunities for new talents to follow in their footsteps.

“For this year, we may not have our strongest team, but we still have good players. I hope they can put up a good defence. It’s a tough challenge, but I’m confident we’ll have good results.”

Joining Ho are Nguyen Tuan Anh and Nguyen Van Hoa, whose selection was based on their standing in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

Tuan Anh is currently 106th in the WAGR, behind only Anh Minh among Vietnamese players, while Van Hoa has come on in leaps and bounds this year, breaking into the top-500 in the standings.

It was in 2013 that Vietnam made their Nomura Cup debut in Thailand at Chiang Rai’s Santiburi Country Club. The Vietnam team, which included Vu Nguyen, the VGA’s Secretary-General, finished 19th out of 26 participating teams.

There was then an 11-year gap before Vietnam returned to the tournament, creating one of the most memorable milestones in the country’s golf history.

Khang said: “I still remember that winning moment from 2024. It was very beautiful – especially as it came in our home country.”