Le Khanh Hung's historic round at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship

For the first time in history, a Vietnamese golfer topped the leaderboard at the most prestigious tournament for amateur golfers in the Asia- Pacific region.

At Emirates Golf Club (Dubai), a familiar and touching image appeared again when Le Khanh Hung was accompanied by his father - Mr. Le Van Lan as a caddie.

Entering the field with high form and confidence, Le Khanh Hung displayed a rare level of golf at the age of 17. He scored 6 birdies, did not make any bogeys, and finished the round with an impressive score of -6.

Khanh Hung started from hole 10, keeping par steady before making a highlight with a spectacular eagle at hole 13 par-5. From there, he played with excitement and sublimation, scoring more birdies at holes 18, 1, 8 and 9.

Every shot was precise, every decision was decisive - the expression of a young golfer who has overcome age limits to demonstrate the mettle of a true champion.

After what was considered the best round of his career, Khanh Hung remained humble: “This is a great result from sticking to the set strategy. I didn't look at the leaderboard, just tried to focus on each of my shots. I was very happy when both saves on the last holes went into the green and then putted in."

From SEA Games 32 gold medal to AAC milestone

Just over a year ago, the name Le Khanh Hung shone brightly with the historic Gold Medal of Vietnamese golf at the 32nd SEA Games, a victory that marked an unprecedented milestone in the history of the country's sports . After that memorable SEA Games, Khanh Hung became quieter when he went to the US to study.

But that was not a moment of silence, but a time for Khanh Hung to hone himself, accumulate experience and mature in the international golf environment. Recently, the 17-year-old boy continued to affirm his talent when he won the Colombian National Youth Championship, and at the same time, he gained many valuable lessons through each tournament he participated in.

And today, with the joint lead after round 1, Le Khanh Hung is writing a magical chapter, not only for himself, but also for Vietnamese golf. Although the road ahead is still long, this perfect opening round is enough to stir up great pride in the hearts of fans.

Amidst the bright sunshine of Dubai, the 17-year-old boy proved that Vietnamese golf is no longer an “unknown” but is gradually becoming a part of the big story of Asian golf.

Co-hosted by The Masters Tournament, The R&A and the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation (APGC), the AAC is the region’s most prestigious amateur golf tournament. The winner will receive an invitation to the world’s two most prestigious majors – The Masters and The Open Championship.

This is where big stars started, including Hideki Matsuyama, who won the AAC in 2010 before winning The Masters 2021.

This year, the tournament takes place from October 23 to 26 at Emirates Golf Club (Dubai). Besides Le Khanh Hung, Vietnamese golf also has a representative, the 2024 National Golf Champion Nguyen Duc Son.