Lang Co, Vietnam: Nguyen Tuan Anh produced a masterclass in iron play to soar to the top of the leaderboard in the 16th Faldo Series Asia (FSA) Grand Final.
Living up to his billing as one of the most highly-rated Vietnamese golfing prospects, the 15-year-old fired an opening six-under-par 65 over the Sir Nick Faldo Signature Course at Laguna Lang Co.
Unleashing a succession of pinpoint iron approach shots, Tuan Anh converted seven birdie putts from inside 15 feet.
“I hit a lot of good irons. I felt confident,” said the Ho Chi Minh City-based teenager, a member of the Vietnam national squad who began the week in 623rd place in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
Heading into Thursday’s second round in the 54-hole event, Tuan Anh holds a three-stroke lead from his compatriots Uy Doan and Nguyen Duc Son, the defending champion.
A further stroke back in joint fifth are Japan’s Daichi Hayashi and Ho Anh Huy, a member of the Vietnam team that scored an historic maiden win in last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Team Championship for the Nomura Cup.
In steamy conditions at the award-winning layout, Tuan Anh was quickly into his stride. A booming drive at the par-four opening hole left him just 97 yards to the flag. From there he lofted a beautifully judged wedge that set him up for a short birdie putt.
He gained further strokes at the third, sixth, eighth and ninth to turn in five-under 30. The only blemish on his card came at the par-three 11th where he three-putted for bogey.
Undeterred, further birdies followed at the 13th and 15th as Tuan Anh strengthened his bid to become the third successive Vietnamese winner of the FSA Grand Final after Duc Son last year and Nguyen Anh Minh in 2023.
As well as leading the overall standings, Tuan Anh is in pole position in the Boys' Under-16 segment, one of four categories at the championship.
Uy Doan and Duc Son are joint leaders in the Boys’ Under-21 division, while Japan’s Reina Todaka (Girls’ Under-21) and Thai Pimpakorn Panyadilok (Girls’ Under-16) are the leading females.
While Tuan Anh was prospering on a day when just eight players in the 60-strong field bettered par, others found the going harder.
Korean Yang Hyo-jin, one of the pre-tournament favourites, ran up a double-bogey six at the ninth and was four-over through 14 before hauling herself back into contention with an eagle three at the long 15th.
Winner of this year’s women’s Australian Master of the Amateurs and currently 61st in the WAGR, Yang added birdies at 17 and 18 to sign for an even-par 71 that leaves her in a share of ninth place overall.
Leading Scores
Overall
65 – Nguyen Tuan Anh (Vietnam)
68 – Uy Doan (Vietnam); Nguyen Doc Son (Vietnam)
69 – Daichi Hayashi (Japan); Ho Anh Huy (Vietnam)
70 – Park Gun-woong (Korea); Reina Todaka (Japan); Reshan Algama (Sri Lanka)
71 – Aiden Kei Ahmed Shaharuddin (Malaysia); Sophie Eppelstun (Australia); Sarah Cho Ser-yeong (Australia); Yang Hyo-jin (Korea); Pimpakorn Panyadilok (Thailand)
Boys’ Under-21
68 – Uy Doan (Vietnam); Nguyen Doc Son (Vietnam)
70 – Park Gun-woong (Korea)
71 – Aiden Kei Ahmed Shaharuddin (Malaysia)
73 – Park Jae-min (Korea)
Girls’ Under-21
70 – Reina Todaka (Japan)
71 – Sophie Eppelstun (Australia); Sarah Cho Ser-yeong (Australia); Yang Hyo-jin (Korea)
73 – Ananthi Vivek (India); Kim Min-seo (Korea)
Boys’ Under-16
65 – Nguyen Tuan Anh (Vietnam)
69 – Daichi Hayashi (Japan); Ho Anh Huy (Vietnam)
70 – Reshan Algama (Sri Lanka)
73 – Nguyen Trong Hoang (Vietnam)
Girls’ Under-16
71 – Pimpakorn Panyadilok (Thailand)
73 – Ai Goto (Japan); Amelie Ng (Singapore); Leung Hei-tong (Hong Kong)
74 – Camilla Kim (Australia)
