Vietnamese teenager Khanh Hung Le is among 3 tied for Asia-Pacific Amateur lead

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Vietnamese teenager Khanh Hung Le opened with a 6-under 66 to share the lead with Fifa Laopakdee of Thailand and Billy Dowling of Australia after the opening round Thursday in the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship.

Le, the 17-year-old who has committed to play at the University of Illinois, was among 19 players who broke par from the 120-man field on the Majlis course at the Emirates Golf Club. He is the first Vietnamese player to have at least a share of the lead since the tournament began in 2010.

The winner of the Asia-Pacific Amateur earns a spot in the Masters and the British Open at Royal Birkdale next year.

Laopakdee, who tied for fifth in the Asia-Pacific when it was played in Thailand in 2022, is a junior at Arizona State. He started on the 10th hole and opened with six birdies before making the turn, and he made his lone bogey with a three-putt on the par-3 seventh.

Dowling, who reached the quarterfinals of the British Amateur last year, also had a fast start with six birdies through 11 holes.

Four players were at 67, including Sam Mullane of the United Arab Emirates and Rintaro Nakano, a former Japan Amateur Championship winner who last year held the 36-hole lead in the Asia-Pacific Amateur until finishing third.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf