Lang Co, Vietnam: Nguyen Tuan Anh made a gutsy up-and-down for birdie on the final hole to maintain Vietnam’s recent domination of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final.

The talented 15-year-old survived a tense and dramatic final-day head-to-head battle with Korean playing partner Park Jae-min to complete a memorable wire-to-wire success in the 16th edition of the event that features many of the region’s most promising juniors.

After his winning putt from three feet disappeared below ground, Tuan Anh let out a roar of delight before being congratulated by team-mates and officials, led by senior Vietnam Golf Association officers Vu Nguyen and Bach Cuong Khang.

It was the third year in succession that a Vietnamese player has claimed top honours at the Grand Final with Tuan Anh following in the footsteps of Nguyen Anh Minh in 2023 and Nguyen Duc Son last year.

"Congratulations to Tuan Anh. He displayed skill and courage. His performance underlines the emergence of Vietnamese players as a growing force in the game," said Matthew Faldo, Director of the Faldo Series.

It was an impressive effort from Tuan Anh who was the only player in the 60-strong field to post three sub-par rounds over the Sir Nick Faldo Signature Course at Laguna Lang Co.

After setting a blistering pace with an opening 65, he followed up with a 70 on day two. A closing 70 gave him a 54-hole aggregate of eight-under 205 and a one-stroke winning margin from 17-year-old Park.

For good measure, Tuan Anh also topped the standings in the Boys' Under-16 division. Compatriot Ho Anh Huy, joint third overall overnight and his closest challenger in the Under-16s, was forced to withdraw after eight holes of the final round, suffering the effects of a fever.

Other divisional winners were Park (Boys’ Under-21), Yang Hyo-jin, who defeated fellow-Korean Kim Min-seo on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off in the Girls’ Under-21 segment, and Japan’s Ai Goto who carded a best-of-the-day 67 to capture the Girls’ Under-16 title.

But it was Ho Chi Minh City-based Tuan Anh who received the lion’s share of the plaudits after a display that simultaneously underlined his standing as one of Vietnam’s brightest golfing prospects and improved his chances of a gaining a spot on the national team for this year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Thailand.

“It feels great to win. That was the best up-and-down of my life on 18,” said Tuan Anh, who began the week in 623rd place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).

“I love this course here at Laguna Lang Co. It’s definitely my favourite,” added Tuan Anh, who has twice won Vietnam Junior Tour events at the venue, the first two years ago and the second last week when he shot nine-under for three rounds.

“This week I felt a lot more responsibility because I was representing Vietnam and there were so many good overseas players. Last week was more comfortable with only Vietnamese players in the field,” he said.

Two shots ahead of Park at the start of the day, Tuan Anh appeared to be coasting to victory when the Korean bogeyed 13 and 14 to fall four strokes behind.

But Park made a brilliant up-and-down from a greenside bunker for birdie at the long 15th to cut the deficit by one. After 16 holes, the margin was reduced by another two shots when Tuan Anh ran up a double-bogey six having taken a penalty for an unplayable lie after pulling his drive.

With the tension mounting, both players holed short putts for par at 17, enabling Tuan Anh to go to the final hole with a one-stroke advantage. It proved decisive.

Both struck good approach shots to the par-five 18th. From pin high, Park pitched to four feet after which Tuan Anh coaxed a wedge from just short of the putting surface to within three feet.

Park duly converted his effort, leaving the way clear for Tuan Anh, who maintained his composure to complete the biggest win of his fledgling career and spark scenes of joy among the local galleries.

Leading Final-Round Scores

Overall

205 – Nguyen Tuan Anh (Vietnam) 65-70-70
206 - Park Jae-min (Korea) 71-66-69.
211 – Yang Hyo-jin (Korea) 71-67-73; Kim Min-seo (Korea) 73-68-70
213 – Ai Goto (Japan) 73-73-67; Sophie Eppelstun (Australia) 71-71-71; Park Gun-woong (Korea) 70-72-71
214 – Arshvant Srivastava (India) 74-70-70; Reina Todaka (Japan) 70-69-75
215 – Uy Doan (Vietnam) 68-73-74

Boys’ Under-21

206 – Park Jae-min (Korea) 71-66-69
213 – Park Gun-woong (Korea) 70-72-71
215 – Uy Doan (Vietnam) 68-73-74
219 – Aiden Kei Ahmed Shaharuddin (Malaysia) 71-75-73
221 – Nguyen Doc Son (Vietnam) 68-76-77

Girls’ Under-21

211 – Yang Hyo-jin (Korea)* 71-67-73; Kim Min-seo (Korea) 73-68-70
213 – Sophie Eppelstun (Australia) 71-71-71
214 – Reina Todaka (Japan) 70-69-75
217 – Denise Ng (Singapore) 74-75-68

*Yang Hyo-jin won sudden-death play-off at first extra hole

Boys’ Under-16

205 – Nguyen Tuan Anh (Vietnam) 65-70-70
214 – Arshvant Srivastava (India) 74-70-70
216 – Kanav Chauhan (India) 76-71-69
218 – Reshan Algama (Sri Lanka) 70-71-77
220 – Jessada Chuangprayoon (Thailand) 75-73-72; Miller Sato (Japan) 74-73-73

Girls’ Under-16

213 – Ai Goto (Japan) 73-73-67
216 – Kaya Daluwatte (Sri Lanka) 77-70-69
218 – Pimpakorn Panyadilok (Thailand) 71-73-74
222 – Camilla Kim (Australia) 74-74-74
223 – Amelie Ng (Singapore) 73-79-71