Vietnam is making a power play in the world of international sport and golf is its game of choice. This weekend Ho Chi Minh City was officially named as one of 21 destinations worldwide selected to host the Legends Tour 2025, a prestigious series featuring some of the greatest names in senior professional golf.

The Vietnam Legends Championship 2025, scheduled for November 29 to December 1, will bring the likes of Colin Montgomerie, José María Olazábal, and Miguel Ángel Jiménez to Southeast Asia. It hopes to open new doors for fans, business leaders, and investors from regions like the UAE and the Middle East, where golf, tourism, and cross-border investment continue to grow hand-in-hand.

The Tour officially launched with the Staysure Marbella Legends at the renowned Aloha Golf Club in Marbella, Spain, on February 14 to 16..

A high-energy press conference held on Saturday under the direction of the People's Committee and the Department of Culture and Sports gathered notable figures, including Legends Tour Chairman Ryan Howsam, European golf icons, and leading Vietnamese and international business representatives.

A Global Gateway

In his welcome address, Nguyen Nam Nhan, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports and Head of the Organizing Committee, underscored the tournament’s strategic impact saying: “Vietnam Legends Tour 2025 is not just a sporting event, but a bridge for cultural, economic, and human exchange between Vietnam and international friends.

“Through this event, we hope Ho Chi Minh City will affirm its role as a hub for organizing world-class sporting events while opening up investment cooperation opportunities for the business community.”

Chairman of the Legends Tour, Ryan Howsam, echoed this sentiment: “We are honoured to have the Vietnam Legends Tour 2025 hosted in Ho Chi Minh City - a vibrant, friendly, and highly promising city.

“Our presence here is not solely for competition, but also to observe the dynamic transformation of a city in motion.”

Dubai-Driven Vietnam Comeback

The highlight of the conference was the signing of a three-year strategic partnership between the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the Legends Tour, and The Golf House JSC, the event’s promoter. Nguyen Gia Bao, Chairwoman of The Golf House, is based in Dubai and played a key role in bringing the Legends Championship back to her native Vietnam for the second time after 2023.

Additionally, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Legends Tour and The Golf House to establish a Golf Academy in Vietnam - an ambitious move to nurture local talent and grow the sport throughout Southeast Asia.

Gia Bao, an avid golfer and a professional motorsports racer, commented “The official signing of a 3-year strategic partnership with the Legends Tour to bring the Vietnam Legends Championship to Vietnam from 2025 to 2027 marks a significant milestone for The Golf House.

“Our goal is not only to organize world-class tournaments but to foster a professional golf community and connect enterprises for sustainable growth. Ho Chi Minh City will be the launchpad for projecting Vietnam’s values onto the global stage.”

A Nation on the Rise

As Vietnam celebrates the 50th anniversary of Southern Liberation and National Reunification, the Vietnam Legends Championship 2025 stands not only as a world-class sports event but also as a powerful symbol of the country’s global ambition.

From championship fairways to corporate boardrooms, Ho Chi Minh City is extending an open invitation to the world -especially forward-looking economies like the UAE - to connect, invest, and grow alongside a dynamic country ready to lead on the international stage.