Vietnam golf tournament scores record number of participants

A total of 134 golf players from pro to amateur levels, including 22 foreigners have registered for the competition that started on Tuesday.

"This is a record number for a professional golf tournament in the country. It’s a positive sign for the pro golf scene in Vietnam, especially when the Covid-19 pandemic is still here," said Nguyen Thai Duong, executive director of Lexus Challenge.

The four-day tournament has a prize pool of VND1.6 billion ($70,052). Of which, 108 male players will compete for VND1.5 billion and 12 female golfers will swing for VND100 million.

The contenders for the title are leading VGA Tour players like Truong Chi Quan, Do Hong Giang, Nguyen Huu Quyet, Park Sang Ho and Kim Woo Jin.

However, a surprise happened on the first day as 15-year-old amateur player Nguyen Anh Minh played excellently and scored five birdies to lead the table.

The venue for 2022 Lexus Challenge is 18-hole golf course Trang An in Ninh Binh Province. Its secluded location provides the best Covid-19 prevention capabilities. All participants are required to vaccinate and get tested before competing.

There is no participation fee for players under 18.

For the first time ever, Lexus Challenge has hosted a division for women, creating a more fitting playground for female golfers instead of putting them in the same category as male players.