Lucrative Ho Tram Open in Vietnam to make Asian Tour debut in December

Lucrative Ho Tram Open in Vietnam to make Asian Tour debut in December

Ho Chi Minh City: The US$1.5 million Ho Tram Open will make its Asian Tour debut at the Ho Tram Strip from Dec 3-6, organisers said yesterday.

Organisers of the Ho Tram Open at the press conference in Ho Chi Minh City.

The first of three editions will be held at the Greg Norman-designed Bluffs Ho Tram Strip golf course, a two-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City.

Colin Pine, general director of Ho Tram Project Co, said he was delighted to have the tournament which will not only showcase the place to the world but also help push for the growth of golf in Vietnam.

“We hope that it will provide a catalyst for the game to grow in this beautiful country,” he said.

“We are committed to stage the tournament for three years and we will work closely with the Asian Tour and our partners to ensure its success in 2015 and beyond.”

Through four days of live television broadcast that is expected to reach 180 countries and 625 million homes on the Asian Tour’s global TV platform, the Ho Tram Open will put the Ho Tram Strip and the Bluffs on the international map and showcase the destination as a world-class hub for gaming, entertainment and recreation.

As the first golf event to be held in Vietnam since the 2008 Hana Bank Masters won by Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, the inaugural Ho Tram Open will be the most lucrative golf tournament ever held in the country.

Nguyen Van Hao, general secretary of the Vietnam Golf Association, said he believed that the event will spur golf development in Vietnam and inspire young golfers to try to become better players.

“We are confident the Ho Tram Open will lay the foundation for our dream of seeing a Vietnamese golfer qualify for the Olympics in the near future,’’ he said.

Asian Tour CEO Mike Kerr welcomed the tour’s newest tournament, one of four events to make its debut in the 2015 Asian Tour season.

He said that with a purse of $1.5 million, the Ho Tram Open will take its place as one of the prestigious championships on the tour’s 2015 schedule.

“Our members are very excited to return to Vietnam,” he said.

“I believe the Ho Tram Open, which will be the richest full-field event on our schedule this year, will contribute positively towards the growth and development of professional golf in Vietnam.”

The other three new events on the tour this year are the recent Thailand Classic, Mauritius Open (May 7-10) and Vascory Classic (Aug 20-23) in Malaysia.

Ben Styles, general manager of the Bluffs Ho Tram Strip golf course, said that the course, which was open in October, had received rave reviews for its links style design, five-star clubhouse and recreational facilities.

Built along Vietnam’s spectacular south-central coast, the par-71 layout offers stunning panoramic and ocean views that are sure to test the best golfers from the Asian Tour.

Apart from two-time European Tour winner Robert Rock, who is the course’s brand ambassador, more big-name players will be approached to take part in the event.

Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT