Nguyen Anh Minh: 'I lack a little luck'

How does Anh Minh feel about winning the runner-up position at the US Junior Amateur, one of the most prestigious junior golf tournaments in the world ?

I feel very happy, and also surprised. Before participating in the tournament, I did not think I would go this far. After the first round, I shot 74, I thought: " Well, I'm done" . But it was not until the second round, when I shot 66, that I started to believe that I could continue. And when I reached the final, in a big tournament like this, it was a big surprise. For me, it was like a dream come true.

Looking back at the 8-round journey at the US Junior Amateur, when did Minh find it most difficult?

From the quarterfinals onwards, I felt the pressure. The opponents from this round onwards were all extremely strong and brave, such as Nicholas Gross or Qiyou Wu. They were all among the best young golfers in the world.

I myself was also starting to feel tired, my legs were a bit sore after many days of continuous competition. However, in my head there was only one thought: "Don't stop, just keep moving forward". It was that belief that helped me stand firm in the most difficult times.

Before the final, did Anh Minh feel pressured knowing that if he won, he would get a ticket to the US Open, one of the four most prestigious major tournaments in the world?

Honestly, no. I came to the US Junior Amateur with the main goal of learning, experiencing and enjoying the top golf atmosphere. I was very relaxed, not worried at all, even after the first round of 74 and facing the risk of being eliminated, or before the decisive final match with Hamilton Coleman. I told myself: "Just be yourself, try to play your best golf, don't think too far ahead" . Perhaps it was that relaxed mentality that helped me get to the final match.

In the final, there was a time when Anh Minh was behind 5 Up but he narrowed the gap. How did Minh come back so strong?

When I found out my final opponent was Hamilton Coleman, I had faith that I had a chance to win. We had met at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in March, and I knew I could compete with him.

In the final, after the first 12 holes, I was still not calm. Because if I putted a little better, I would have narrowed the gap. And I almost did. After 18 holes in the morning, the gap was only 3Up. In the afternoon, Coleman even led by 1Up, the moment when I really felt the situation could be turned around. If I had putted better, the result might have been different.

That day, I don’t know why my putting was really bad. I chose the line confidently, the feel was good, but the ball wouldn’t go in. Partly because I wasn’t used to the green speed. In Vietnam, the green speed is usually 8.5-9.5, but in this tournament it was 13.5-14, a huge difference.

With the runner-up position in this prestigious tournament, what is Anh Minh most satisfied with about himself?

What I am most proud of is that I have controlled myself and my emotions very well . In top tournaments, this is an extremely important factor. Even when facing many unfavorable situations, I did not let myself lose my composure or get caught up in the pressure.

Of course, I feel sorry that I had a chance but was not good enough to win. However, I know that I fought hard and did not give up.

Anh Minh's entry into the finals shows that the dream of participating in the PGA Tour and a major tournament has never been closer to Vietnamese golf. What do you think about this?

I also hope that in the future I will have the opportunity to play on the PGA Tour, especially in the majors. Recently, if I had won the US Junior Amateur, I would have qualified for the US Open, right? (laughs). I regret a little bit because I just lacked a little luck.

But I am proud to have reached the final, and I hope that this achievement will inspire young people who are starting to play golf. I want them to believe that if they are really persistent and try hard, they can absolutely reach the biggest arenas. And who knows, one day, if not me, then they will be the ones carrying the Vietnamese flag to appear in major tournaments or big tours around the world.