AMATEUR GOLF

THE inaugural Angkor Amateur Open will run from August 14 to August 16 at the Angkor Golf Resort and is the first amateur open of its kind in Cambodia.

Participants from Sweden, Hungary and Australia have expressed interest in competing, and golf associations from Hong Kong and Nepal have also contacted the resort about sending a strong international field to compete.

Resort manager Adam Robertson said, "Of 350 emails we have sent, we have received 87 positive replies. It promises to be a golfing tournament with a real international flavour".

The Open will be played over three days, with Friday a practice day. A two-round stroke-play tournament will be held on Saturday and Sunday.

There will be possibly four handicap divisions, allowing all levels of golfers to compete, and organisers will soon decide on the categories.

"This is an auspicious occasion in Angkor Golf Resort's history," Robertson said. "We congratulate our course designer, Nick Faldo, for receiving a knighthood in the Queen's birthday honours, making him Sir Nick Faldo, and we also celebrate one-and-a-half years since the resort's opening. In the short time since completion, we have been awarded ‘Best New Golf Course' by Asian Golf Monthly   readers."

Four hotels - Angkor Palace Resort, Le Meridien, Royal Angkor Resort, and Sokha - have teamed with Angkor Golf Resort to provide conducive rates for participants.

Sir Nick Faldo has been invited to attend the welcome dinner, and  the winner of the Vietnam Gannon Open, to be played from July 24-26 in Dalat, will be invited to play.

Details can be found on the official website: www.angkor-golf.com.