Thai sisters open junior golfers’ eyes to the world
For the first time, the young golfers of Vietnam today had an opportunity to learn directly from top-notch LPGA like Thai sisters Ariya Jutanugarn (May) and Moriya Jutanugarn (Mo) and were inspired by their amazing stories of conquering the professional golf world.
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Golfers hung especially on the words of May who has made history by becoming the first ASEAN golfer to be ranked as the World’s No. 1 by LPGA in June 2017.
The Hanoi Department of Culture and Sports collaborated with SCG to bring the world-renowned May and Mo to Vietnam in the framework of the special project “Inspirational Golf Training” for 20 talented Vietnamese junior golfers.
The training has taken place in the morning at Sky Lake Golf Club & Resorts. During the training, the two sisters showed junior golfers important golfing skills. Young golfers learned the longest drive from Ariya, while putt accuracy was demonstrated by Moriya. Most importantly, the Thai sisters shared tips and personal stories on how to practice like world class professional golfers.
Ariya and Moriya were excited to visit Vietnam and were ever so eager to transfer their knowledge and experience to the youth.
“This is our first time visiting Vietnam and the country has welcomed us so warmly. We are also excited to meet these enthusiastic young golfers who we believe also have a lot of potential. We understand how hard it is for a golfer to reach the international stage, and it takes a lot of motivation and determination. Sports science also plays an important role in preparing athletes for tense competitions on the world-class level. We are pleased to share all these experiences with these Vietnamese junior golfers,” said May.
“Playing in LPGA is the dream of golfers. Reaching the top rank in the LPGA is not easy, but Mo and May made us believe that you can make any dream come true with dedication and passion. We will take this opportunity to learn from the Thai Sisters and practice to be excellent like them,” said Ms. Doan Xuan Khue Minh, junior golfer of the Vietnamese National Team at SEA Games 2017 in Malaysia.
The leading supporter for regional sports initiatives, SCG has sponsored football and badminton as these are the two most popular sports that ASEAN athletes stand the best chance of reaching the international stage.
After seeing the Jutanugarn sisters play in some amateur golf tournaments, the corporate decided to support them to bring out their talents at professional competitions. This was the first time SCG sponsors golf. In 2012, SCG officially announced its sponsorship for May and Mo as the sisters turned professional, marking an important milestone in their journey to put the ASEAN on the world golfing map.
SCG entered Vietnam in 1992, and since then has supported the human resources development of the country through education and sports. In terms of sports, SCG officially sponsors Hanoi Football Club in the 2017-2018 season, and is a collaborator behind the first “Street Football Festival” in Vietnam. Besides, the company has facilitated world-class training for potential badminton players in Ho Chi Minh City via sports science. This Inspirational Training is part of the corporation’s continuous efforts to bring a better living to Vietnamese people.
Dhep Vongvanich, president of SCG Vietnam, said, “SCG believes in the value of individuals and quality people can be the main factor in developing the country. We believe sport is one of the factors that can deliver a healthy lifestyle and well-being for everyone. This is the reason why we have sponsored potential athletes like Ariya and Moriya to reach the international stage. Their successes at the world’s toughest competitions in the LPGA Tour will be an inspiration for many young ASEAN golfers. And today, we are delighted to bring this great inspiration to Vietnam during this unique Inspirational Golf Training.”
Ariya J. (May) reached the 1st place in the LPGA world ranking in the middle of June 2017 after winning LPGA Manulife LPGA Classic 2017. She got the Rolex Player of the year award 2016 after winning five tournaments in the 2016 LPGA Yokohama Tire, including LPGA Classic, Kingsmill Championship, LPGA Volvik Championship, Ricoh Women’s British Open, and Canadian Pacific Women’s Open. She is ranked as the 5th golfer on the LPGA world ranking now. Thai people call her as “Pro May.” Her signature move is longest drive.
Moriya J. is 22nd on the LPGA world ranking. She ranked as the 5th of the birdies in 2017, with 416 birdies. She nearly got her first LPGA champion title by being second-runner up at the LPGA Evian championship 2017 and runner up at Blue Bay LPGA 2017. Thai people call her “Pro Mo.” Her specialty is putt accuracy.
The two of them together are known as “the Thai sisters.” These two sisters made LPGA history by getting the highest rewards (more than US$1 million in a single year).
