The development of Vietnamese golf seen from the National Golf Championship

On the final day of the 2025 Gia Lai National Golf Championship, Truong Chi Quan almost made history. In a great day of competition, creating a series of bogey frees throughout the first 16 holes and creating a 2-stroke gap with Nguyen Tuan Anh, the golfer born in 1998 stood before the opportunity to win the first title since turning professional, at the same time breaking the streak of consecutive National Golf Championship titles of amateur golfers. Chi Quan himself had won the title 4 times, in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, also as an amateur.

Unfortunately, as Chi Quan shared when the tournament ended, two unforced shots at the par-5 17th hole ruined everything. Once again, the prestigious golf tournament, the dream of every golfer, witnessed another amateur champion.

Looking back from 2022 to present, with the participation of Tien Phong newspaper , the National Golf Championship was included in the Vietnam professional golf tournament system (VGA Tour) and expanded to include professional golfers, the champions are always amateur golfers. In the men's category, after Nguyen Anh Minh, Nguyen Nhat Long and Nguyen Duc Son, it was Nguyen Tuan Anh's turn to lift the Championship Cup at FLC Golf Links Quy Nhon. In the women's category, it was Doan Xuan Khue Minh and Le Chuc An (3 consecutive times).

According to Mr. Vu Nguyen - Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Golf Association, Co-Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the 2025 National Golf Championship, this is evidence that Vietnamese golf is developing very quickly. The young generation is increasingly being invested in both physically and in terms of skills, and is being trained and matured through many different tournaments.

Everyone has seen how excellent Nguyen Anh Minh was at the 2022 tournament, and has now risen to 37th place on the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) after his historic achievement, winning the runner-up position at the US Junior Amateur Championship. Nguyen Nhat Long, after his well-deserved victory in 2023, has also turned professional, and this could also be the path that 2024 champion Nguyen Duc Son is aiming for.

At the 2025 National Golf Championship, Nguyen Tuan Anh joined the ranks of champions at the age of 16. The medal colors in the tournaments also reflect the meteoric rise of the golfer born in 2009. In 2023, he had a breakthrough on the fourth day to finish in third place, winning the Bronze medal. In 2024, Tuan Anh, Doan Uy and Nguyen Duc Son created a dramatic race, before accepting second place, owning the Silver medal.

This year, Nguyen Tuan Anh is satisfied with the Gold Medal and the prestigious National Golf Championship Cup. Even when Do Duong Gia Minh had a great start and Chi Quan was surprisingly successful, the 16-year-old golfer was not discouraged. He quietly pursued, persisted with an attacking style and waited for the opportunity to rise.

It should also be noted that, having participated in many tournaments and played on many different courses, Tuan Anh still admits that FLC Golf Links is one of the most difficult courses in Vietnam, with narrow fairways, strong and complex winds, and steep greens that are difficult to read lines. However, the more challenging it is, the more Tuan Anh's fighting spirit is stimulated and his talent is continuously revealed.

Furthermore, despite his 16 years of age, he showed remarkable courage in removing pressure from his mind to master the game. For example, at the decisive par-4 18th hole, Tuan Anh always smiled brightly after every shot, including the first putt that missed birdie, leading to a play-off match with Chi Quan to decide the winner.

When the tournament ended, Chi Quan and Tuan Anh - one professional, one amateur - left the match behind, exchanging smiles and warm handshakes. For Tuan Anh, he represents the rising generation. As for Chi Quan, he was satisfied with what he had shown and happy to see his juniors grow up. With them, fans can be confident in the future of Vietnamese golf.