Singapore: Teenager Nguyen Ahn Minh will create golfing history when he becomes the first player from Vietnam to represent the Asia-Pacific in the Bonallack Trophy.
Minh has enjoyed a breakthrough couple of months during which he won the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final and was then part of the silver medal-winning Vietnamese team at the Southeast Asia (SEA) Games in Cambodia.
Rishi Narain, non-playing captain of the Asia-Pacific team, said: “Given that golf is still in its infancy in Vietnam, the success that Minh and Le Khanh Hung (SEA Games individual gold medallist) have achieved in such a short space of time is remarkable.
“Their progress is hugely encouraging for the development of golf in the country.”
After a five-year hiatus, the Bonallack Trophy, a Ryder Cup-style match play team event that pits the leading amateurs from APGC member nations against their counterparts from the European Golf Association, will resume at Spain’s La Manga Club from August 3-5.
Much attention is sure to be focused on 16-year-old Minh, who gained international headlines when becoming the first Vietnamese winner of the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final in April.
At Hue’s Laguna Golf Lang Co, Minh posted a winning 54-hole total of nine-under 204 (68-69-67). It was a performance that impressed the watching Sir Nick Faldo who has invited Minh to the UAE’s Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting & Golf Club in November to compete in the Faldo Junior Tour Europe Grand Final.
Reflecting on Minh’s victory in Vietnam, six-time Major champion Faldo said: “Minh was immense out there. Conditions were extremely tough so to put on a consistent show like that was awe-inspiring.
“His determination and the skill and talent shown by him bodes well for the junior game in Vietnam and Asia.”
That talent bore fruit for Vietnam in May’s SEA Games where Minh won the individual bronze medal before helping his country to the team match play final, where they were narrowly defeated by Thailand.
On the back of those performances, Minh has risen to 201st in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the number one player from Vietnam in the standings.
Narain said: “All developing golfing nations need role models and we hope Minh’s selection for the Asia-Pacific team for the Bonallack Trophy will motivate and inspire up-and-coming golfers in Vietnam to follow in his footsteps.”
