DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — 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 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 o

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