Khmer Times: Five Cambodian golf courses in the running for World Golf Awards 2020

Tue 14 April 2020

There is some good news coming out amidst all the doom and gloom hanging over the Cambodian sports scene.

Five Cambodian golf courses have been nominated for the World Golf Awards 2020, a sign that the Kingdom, despite the adverse effects of the Coronavirus-sparked health crisis, is well on its way to becoming a golfing destination in Southeast Asia. The pandemic has led to the temporary suspension of golfing events and the closure of some golf courses in the Kingdom.

Angkor Golf Resort, Cambodia Golf & Country Club, Garden City Golf Club, Phokeethra Country Club and Vattanac Golf Resort-East Course are competing for Cambodia’s Best Golf Course 2020 award.

Angkor Golf Resort and Phokeethra Country Club are both located in Siem Reap. The rest are located in Phnom Penh. Angkor Golf Resort and Vattanac Golf Resort-East Course are notable for being designed by British golfing legend Nick Faldo.

In addition to the golf course, several local firms were nominated for Cambodia’s Best Inbound Golf Tour Operator 2020.

These companies are Cambodia Golf Tours, GolfCambodia.com, LGT Golf and PSD Travel.

The World Golf Awards recognises the best golf destinations, golf courses, golf tour operators and golf clubhouses in the world, among others. It was first launched in 2014 and has been held every year since then.

“The awards aim to drive up standards within the golf industry by rewarding the organisations that are leaders in their field,” the World Golf Awards said on its website.

The winners are picked via online voting by tour operators, travel agents, journalists and other professionals connected to the golf industry. Winners are selected from among the nominees in the country, continent and global levels.

Voting for the awards is underway and will conclude on September 1. Winners will be announced at a gala dinner and awarding ceremony, which will be held at Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on October 29. The ceremony is expected to gather under one roof the movers and shakers from the global golf industry.

Last year, Garden City Golf Club was recognised as ‘Cambodia’s Best Golf Course’, after edging out Angkor Golf Resort, Phokeethra Country Club and Cambodia Golf and Country Club in the voting.

PSD Travel was named as ‘Cambodia’s Best Inbound Golf Tour Operator’ last year over three other nominees (Cambodia Golf Tours, GolfCambodia.com and LGT Golf).