Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia: Ahead of his second appearance in the Bonallack Trophy, Nguyen Anh Minh’s stock continues to rise.

One of the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation’s (APGC) leading prospects for the Ryder Cup-style match play event against the European Golf Association in the United Arab Emirates in early January, Anh Minh closed out 2024 by reinforcing his status as Vietnam’s number one player.

Anh Minh celebrated his sixth victory of the season when he was the only player to break par in the Malaysian Amateur Open at Sabah Golf & Country Club in Kota Kinabalu.

The 17-year-old, who led his country to their first APGC Team Championship title at October’s Nomura Cup where he also clinched low individual honours, posted rounds of 72, 70, 74 and 71 in Sabah for a one-under 287 to win by two shots.

In so doing, he has advanced 10 positions on the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) to 51st.

Also on an upward trend is China’s Wang Haoyi. He will bring in the new year as the world’s 130th ranked player after a six-shot victory in the 2024 Feng Shanshan Cup International Junior Championship in his birthplace.

Wang was the only player to record two sub-70 scores, posting rounds of 68, 69 and 72 for a 209 total. His fourth victory of the year sees him rise 34 places.

In the women’s standings, Korean Lee Sie-un ends the year as a top 350 player after lifting the Malaysian Amateur Open title.

Lee was the only player to break 300 for 72 holes, posting rounds of 78, 75, 72 and 73 for a 10-over 298 at Sabah Golf & Country Club to win by three shots.

It was her second straight victory after a seven-shot triumph in the Malaysia Johor International Junior Open 2024. She progresses 104 positions to world number 309.

China’s Tang Rongze will also start 2025 as a top 350 player thanks to victory in the 2024 Feng Shanshan Cup International Junior Championship.

Tang sandwiched a 71 between a pair of 74s to post a 219 aggregate to take the title by one stroke. She improves 45 places to 337th.