LookAtVietnam – The Viet Nam Senior Amateur Championship will take place for the second time at HCM City’s Thu Duc Golf & Country club next week, the Viet Nam Golf Association said yesterday.

The champion, the lowest stroke player after 36 holes, will win a prize of more than US$50,000.

The golfers will compete in two rounds in each age group – over 50 and over 60 – with under-18 and under-22 handicaps.

The champion, the lowest stroke player after 36 holes, will win a prize of more than US$50,000.

Although the world was hard hit by the economic crisis, the tournament’s organisers put a great effort into making the contest happen, association general secretary Nguyen Ngoc Chu said at a press conference in Ha Noi yesterday.

“Thu Duc golf course will arrange the best conditions to host the tournament as the course is often crowded on weekends.

“It’s been one of the best places to organise big international tournaments over the years,” Chu said.

The course hosted the Hana Bank Viet Nam Masters 2007-08 and the Toyota Golf Tournament last year.

The seniors tournament will mark the start of this year’s golfing calendar.

Chu said the tournament was moving the sport towards the professional realm as the country has about a00 golf courses and clubs nationwide.

Chu said the association, which made its debut in 2007, had organised major events like the Viet Nam Amateur Open, the Viet Nam Ladies National Championship and the Junior Championship.

The association is developing a programme to identify talented young players at schools throughout the country.

Viet Nam’s golf team competed at the 23rd Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in the Philippines and Thailand in 2007 with top golfers Huynh Van Son, Tran Le Duy Nhat, Nguyen The Vinh, Trinh Van Tho, Tran Trong Thien from HCM City and Nguyen Thai Duong from Ha Noi.

Golf is the only sport from Viet Nam that competes at the SEA Games through funds raised from the private sector.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News