Vietnamese Golf Sensation Hoang Makes History as Youngest Open Class Winner on Junior Asian Tour
Teen prodigy Nguyen Trong Hoang of Vietnam set a new record as the youngest open-class winner as the season-ending Junior Asian Tour circuit concluded at Treasure Hill Golf Club in Chonburi on Sunday.
Competing in the B-boys (age 13-14) event, the 13-year-old Hoang won the trophy after registering a final round of 77 and a total of 17 over-par-233. This performance also earned him the open title, with countryman Do Duong Gia Minh securing second place in both the B and open classes with a total score of 234.
“I feel nice. I feel excited and nervous at the same time. I’m really happy with my performance today. I just hope that I can do this again in the future,” said the delighted young boy after his maiden win on the JAT.
“The key for me to win is my putting. On this course, the hardest thing for me is putting and chipping, the short game. Today, I was playing well. That’s why I shot a low score and won. My chipping was good too, providing a lot of up-and-downs. I learned that even though you played poorly on the first and second days, you could still redeem yourself and not give up. I just tried my best on the last day and hoped for the best,” he added.
In the girls' division, Supitpreeya Pruksanubal sealed off the victory with an ending 88 and a total of 19 over-par-235, beating Chinese Song Ruolin of China who came second with a total of 237.
In the A boys category (age 15-18), South Korean Seonu Joo, despite a sluggish form that led him to a final 81, prevailed with a total of 19 over-par-235. He beat German big-hitting Tim Richter by three strokes as the latter carded an 80 for 22 over-par-238.
“It always feels great to win a tournament. This tournament is special for me, so I feel very nice,” said the 16-year-old Joo who had seven bogeys and a double bogey on No 9.
“I had no birdie at all. I had one double bogey on the ninth hole. I topped my driver and my shot went into the water and ended up with a double. That was very unfortunate. I had so many bogeys today as my short game was not good. My chip shots were short in almost every hole, and my putts didn’t go in today. I hope I can do better and shoot lower scores in the future,” Joo bemoaned about his form.
“However, I had a good experience this week. This is my first time playing on a fast course with strong winds. I’ve learned how to compete with others and try to play better golf under tough conditions,” he added.
In the girls' competition, Alisa Inprasit made amends for her defeat to Arisa Bintachitt in the previous circuit as she fired a final 73 with a total of 7 over-par-223, beating the arch-rival with a huge margin of 12 shots.
“I've made several mistakes for three rounds, partly because I'm still adjusting my swing. I plan to continue refining my swing during the off-season," the 17-year-old Alisa explained
In the Boys C class (ages 10-12), which concluded on Saturday, Nattagorn Bennukul beat his twin brother Wannagorn Bennukul for the trophy.
The JAT brought down its curtain for the 2023 season, consisting of six circuits. For the latest tournament updates, fans can stay informed by following the Junior Asian Tour Facebook page.
The Junior Asian Tour not only provides a platform for international standard tournaments but also offers opportunities for players to accumulate points, potentially opening doors to participation in various international junior and professional events, including the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour, Asian Tour, TrustGolf Tour, and other prestigious events in Thailand.
