Golfers and sponsors ’chip’ in

The golf tournament "Swing for Life 2009" raised VND1 billion (US$55,000) for charity on National Day.
Of the proceeds, VND800 million ($44,000) was donated to "Together light the DK1" - which aims to bring electricity to a community of stilted houses in the waters of the Continental Shelf. The remainder went to helping the families of on-duty navy soldiers.
As many as 173 golfers teed off in the annual tournament at HCM City's Thu Duc Golf and Country Club in District 9. It was organized by Sai Gon Golf Association (SGGA) and Thu Duc Golf and Country Club, in collaboration with HCM City's Red Cross Association and the HCM City Sponsor Association for Poor Patients.
The East Course's and West Course's winners were Laurent Nguyen and Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung, respectively, who each had a gross score of 76.
Pham Thanh Tien, with the net score of 68, came in first in the group A while Doan Anh Hung, with the net score of 67, and Nguyen Phi Hung with, the net score of 65, took groups B and C, respectively.
Nguyen Giao Bao won the Ladies group with the net score of 67; top spot in the Callaway group belonged to Ershen Selim with the net score of 76.
The organisers also awarded many other prizes, including the nearest to the pin, which was claimed by Ly Thanh Tung and Tran Xuan Linh in the men's event and Ngo Thi An Trinh and Tran Thi Thanh in the women's.
The longest drive prizes went to Vo Ta Thuy in the West Course and Luu Thi Viet Nga in the East Course.
The golfers - local and foreign businessmen living and working in Viet Nam, leaders of central agencies and diplomatic corps, as well as members of SGGA and the Thu Duc Golf Club - were divided into five groups (A, B,C, Ladies and Callaway) and competed on the West and East Courses.
Sponsors this year included PepsiCo Viet Nam, who gave US$20,000, the Thu Duc Country and Golf Club, Park Hyatt Sai Gon and Norfolk Corporation.
In its nine-year history, the tournament has donated more than VND9 billion ($500,000) to charities, helping to equip three specialised vehicles for blood donation, buying thousands wheelchairs for disabled people, and performing eye surgery on some 3,500 children with cataracts.