HSBC-Sofitel Metropole Vietnam Europe Corporate Golf Tournament 2006 (EuroVision) was hosted by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (Eurocham) on May 21, 2006 at Kings’ Island Golf, Dong Mo, Ha Tay province. The special event was organized to celebrate the launching of the Vietnam-Europe Business Forum on May 22 and the 15th anniversary of Vietnam-Europe relation.
The amateur, friendship tournament has recorded a great success with the participation of nearly 130 golfers from European, Vietnamese organizations and enterprises. Especially, many EU ambassadors to Vietnam took part in.
With the Callaway format, free golf cars, and many attractive prizes and gifts from the main sponsors of the Hongking and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) Ho Chi Minh Branch, Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, and Kings’ Island Golf, all golfers experienced very exiting, friendly moments on the course. This is an amateur tournament but was organized really professional.
“This is a good opportunity for Vietnamese and European business people to exchange views and business experience, expand business cooperation and relations, and further strengthen the collaboration between the two business communities,” remarked Doan Duy Khuong Ph.D, Vice President of VCCI, at the Opening Ceremony.
On behalf of the tournament’s sponsors, Mr. Alain Cany, President and CEO of HSBC in Vietnam, highly appreciated the sport event built around the Vietnam-Europe Business Forum. “Golf is one of the most popular and fastest growing sports worldwide. Golf is an aspirational sport in Asia and is increasingly popular in Vietnam. As “The world’s local bank”, HSBC is committed to investing in a sport that creates a global passion and very much reflects our brand’s character and values which are “global”, “local”, “knowledgeable and experienced”, as well as “human & honest”. HSBC has been holding a highly popular annual golf tournament in the South since 2001 and started organizing a golf tournament in the North since 2005.”
The Prize Awarding Ceremony was held at the Club House of Kings’ Island Golf in the evening, and the Champion Prize (Best net - 71) belonged to Mr. Patrick Basset, Vice President of Accor Asia Pacific, however, he did not have enough time to participate in the ceremony before leaving Vietnam for work. The Best Gross (77) won by H.E Ivo Zdarek, Ambassador of Czech. Golfers Doan Anh Quan, General Director of ANQ Co, and Pham Chi Thua, Director of Investlink Company under VCCI, won the 2nd Best net (72) and 3rd Best net (73), respectively. Sofitel Metropole Hanoi offered three Hole-in-one prizes worth US$1,400 to golfers to use the hotel’s luxury services, unexpectedly, no one recorded.
The Organising Board presented the prizes of Longest Drive, Nearest to the line and four Nearest to the Pin prizes, and many valuable lucky draws.
Notably, the tournament’s success was appreciated by Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan at the Vietnam-Europe Business Forum one day later.
This is the second golf tournament successfully organized by VCCI, and this October, VCCI will host the Vietnam Businessman Golf Tournament 2006 with the participation of nearly 200 golfers from the Vietnamese business community to welcome the Vietnamese Entrepreneurs’ Day, October 13.
T.N
Vietnamese
