VietNamNet Bridge – This week’s Mercedes-Benz Masters Viet Nam has attracted a strong line-up of some of the region’s most talented young golfers including four players who have already tasted victory on the fledgling circuit.

Viet Nam are represented by six golfers including Huynh Van Son, who played so well in this event last year when he led after the first round and eventually ended in joint eighth place.

Pariya is the most recent winner having claimed the Mercedes-Benz Masters Singapore two weeks ago. Wisut won the Mercedes Benz Masters Philippines in May while Casas was victorious in the B-Ing Championship in Thailand in September.

Chia tasted victory last year in the International Championship in Indonesia.

The Mercedes-Benz Masters Viet Nam is the penultimate tournament of the year for the tour, with the season-ending Mercedes-Benz Masters Thailand coming next week. Nearly 80 players have entered the tournament, which was inaugurated last year.

Thailand lead the way with 27 players competing while 17 have entered from Malaysia. Viet Nam are represented by six golfers including Huynh Van Son, who played so well in this event last year when he led after the first round and eventually ended in joint eighth place.

Chia is the most high profile player in the field. The Malaysian, winner of the Taiwan Open on the Asian Tour in 2002, is currently ranked 53rd on the AsianTour Order of Merit.

“I didn’t compete in this event last year but have tried to compete in as many Mercedes-Benz Tour events as I can. I am looking forward to the week,” said Chia, who took third position in the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Masters Indonesia.

“There are some good players here, so, as with all the Mercedes-Benz Tour events, it promises to be a competitive week,” added Chia.

Defending champion Mars Pucay from the Philippines is unable to compete as he is playing in the Hong Kong Open; however, a number of players who played well in this event in 2007 have returned.

Casas was joint third while also here are Thailand’s Pijit Petchakasem, who was runner-up, and his compatriot Nakul Vichitryuthasastr who was also third.

Last year’s Mercedes-Benz Masters Viet Nam which was instrumental in launching the fledgling circuit this year. The tournament was part of the ASEAN Golf Tour last year, after which Mercedes-Benz decided to sponsor the entire tour this year as well as six of the nine events on the schedule.

The Mercedes-Benz Masters Viet Nam is jointly sanctioned with the Viet Nam Golf Association.

Van Tri Golf Club is the first exclusively private golf estate in Viet Nam, located 22km from the centre of Ha Noi in a gated community. The exclusive, private golf club is restricted to only 400 members. The golf course measures 6.700 yards from the medal tees, but stretches to over 7,200 yards from the “Tiger Tees” and provides challenges to golfers of all skill levels.

(Source: Viet Nam News)