Saturday, July 26, 2014

R Hotel Opens Doors At Rancamaya Golf Estate

Bogor, Indonesia, July 25, 2014 - The Suryamas Group is delighted to announce the opening of R Hotel Rancamaya, Bogor's most anticipated luxury hotel and the first in the group's property portfolio. In celebration, the hotel is offering guests tantalizing pre-opening rates starting from Rp. 788,000++ for superior rooms.

Ideally located in the over 700 hectares Rancamaya Golf Estate with sweeping views of Mount Salak and the estate's award winning golf course, R Hotel Rancamaya offers the perfect retreat for a weekend getaway with the family or an inspiring corporate meeting.

"We are proud to open our doors and set a new milestone for Bogor as a leisure and corporate meeting destination," commented Ulrich Hahn, the hotel's General Manager. R Hotel Rancamaya is the perfect escape from city life at only 65 km from Jakarta's business district and offers guests stylish accommodation and a range of impeccable facilities, all of which are underpinned by a sincerely personal style of service. We continuously encourage our employees to take care of people and make every moment of the guest's stay simply perfect," he added.

R Hotel Rancamaya's opening rates are valid until 30 September 2014 with discounts on published rates ranging from 20%-50%. All opening rates include a sumptuous breakfast and are subject to availability.

Saturday, July 19, 2014

Turner Holds On To Win Linc Group Jakarta Classic At Imperial Klub Golf

Jakarta, July 18 - Niall Turner of Ireland survived a bumpy final round to win his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title after posting a one-over-par 73 at the US$60,000 Linc Group Jakarta Classic on Friday.

The 30-year-old Turner held a five-shot lead heading into the last day but had to fend off the strong challenge from Englishman Peter Richardson before winning by one shot with a 10-under-par 278 total at the Imperial Klub Golf.

Richardson, who has one ADT victory, settled for second following a 69 while Thai talent Annop Tangkamolprasert ended his campaign in third position after shooting a 68 for a 281 total.

Turner dropped two bogeys on holes two and three but swiftly recovered with two birdies before the turn. A bogey on 14 narrowed the Irishman’s lead to one but he held on to his narrow advantage to win the second edition of the Linc Group Jakarta Classic.

The victory was exceptionally sweet for Turner who had been struggling with a hip injury in the last three years.

“I really needed this win. It has been quite grim in the last few years because I had a bad hip injury since 2011. That was the only thing holding me back. I was born with a defect in my hip and had to go through some surgery. My hip feels great now although I had to make slight changes in my swing.

“Winning a tournament really gives you the confidence. It will be an important few weeks on the ADT and I really want to get back on the Asian Tour. Hopefully I can stay healthy and continue my form,” said Turner, who won US$10,500 and earned six Official World Golf Ranking points.

Richardson, who was bogey-free in his last 45 holes, held his head high after pushing Turner to the limits, but he was disappointed not to take the outright win or force a play-off when he returned with four straight pars.

“I played great without any bogeys. I had a few birdies and put him under pressure. I was close but I couldn’t quite make the putts when I needed to. I had chances on the last four holes to make birdies but didn’t quite get the line or pace right.

“My goal was try to put him under pressure and I did. I’m pleased with the way I played and fought out there,” said the Englishman, who won his first ADT title in Malaysia in 2012.

I Ketut Sugiarta was the the only local player able to make it into the top 10, sharing the final spot with Australian Jordan Sherratt.

Leading fourth round scores:

278 – Niall TURNER (IRL) 70 68 67 73

279 – Peter RICHARDSON (ENG) 72 70 68 69

281 – Annop TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 69 73 71 68

283 – Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 71 72 73 67, Grant JACKSON (ENG) 69 68 76 70, Brett MUNSON (USA) 67 69 75 72

284 – CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 73 70 73 68, Konosuke NAKAZATO (JPN) 71 70 71 72

286 – Arie IRAWAN (MAS) 77 69 70 70

287 – I Ketut SUGIARTA (INA) 71 70 76 70, Jordan SHERRATT (AUS) 71 74 70 72

288 – Unho PARK (AUS) 72 71 70 75

289 – Rory HIE (INA) 71 73 75 70, Mathiam KEYSER (RSA) 70 68 79 72, YE Jian-feng (CHN) 74 71 72 72, Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA) 71 75 71 72

290 – Kevin MARQUES (AUS) 72 75 71 72, Wisut ARTJANAWAT (THA) 76 73 72 69, William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 76 73 74 67, Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 75 72 69 74

Thursday, July 17, 2014

Turner Overturns Leaderboard On Day Three Of Linc Group Jakarta Classic

Jakarta, July 17 - Niall Turner of Ireland fired an impressive five-under-par 67 to seize a commendable five-shot lead without a proper warm-up session in the third round of the Linc Group Jakarta Classic on Thursday.

The towering Irishman woke up an hour before his tee time and dashed to the Imperial Klub Golf, located 10 minutes from his hotel, just in time to hit some balls before heading out for the penultimate round in the US$60,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.

The morning rush worked wonders for Turner as he returned with a flawless round for an 11-under-par 205 total to put himself in prime position to win his first ADT title. Englishman Peter Richardson was in second following a 68 while overnight leader Brett Munson of the United States slipped to third with a 75.

The 30-year-old Turner jolted straight into action when he opened with a chip-in birdie from 20 feet before going on to add two more birdies in each half.

“I was lucky today! Waking up at 6.55am (local time) and I had a tee time at 8. Thankfully the golf course was close to my hotel or I would have been in trouble,” he laughed.

“I got off to a perfect start and that got me on the right foot. From there I played really good and I’m in a great position. It will take something special to beat me so I’m going out there to play like how I’ve been playing,” said Turner.

Richardson birdied the last hole to cap a solid bogey-free round. The Englishman, who finished third on the 2012 Order of Merit, is aiming to claim his second ADT title since 2012.

“It was a good round. It is nice to have a bogey-free round. A lot my rounds have been with a lot of birdies and bogeys. If Niall keeps playing the way he has then he has a good chance to win. I can only control my game but I hope to shoot a good score and put some pressure on him,” said Richardson.

Leading third round scores:

205 - Niall TURNER (IRL) 70 68 67

210 - Peter RICHARDSON (ENG) 72 70 68

211 - Brett MUNSON (USA) 67 69 75

212 - Konosuke NAKAZATO (JPN) 71 70 71

213 - Unho PARK (AUS) 72 71 70, Annop TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 69 73 71, Grant JACKSON (ENG) 69 68 76

214 - Mitchell SLORACH (SIN) 71 71 72

215 - Jordan SHERRATT (AUS) 71 74 70

216 - Arie IRAWAN (MAS) 77 69 70, Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 75 72 69, CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 73 70 73, Paul HARRIS (USA) 75 73 68, Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 71 72 73

217 - Nabil ABDUL (AUS) 73 74 70, Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA) 71 75 71, YE Jian-feng (CHN) 74 71 72, Benny KASIADI (INA) 70 77 70, Jack MUNRO (AUS) 71 72 74, Rizal AMIN (MAS) 75 73 69, I Ketut SUGIARTA (INA) 71 70 76, Mathiam KEYSER (RSA) 70 68 79

Munson Holds On To Lead In Linc Group Jakarta Classic

Jakarta, July 16 - Brett Munson of the United States maintained his lead at the halfway stage of the US$60,000 Linc Group Jakarta Classic after shooting a three-under-par 69 on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old Munson stayed in front of the chasing pack with an eight-under-par 136 total to hold a one shot advantage from Englishman Grant Jackson, who returned with a 68 at the Imperial Klub Golf.

Niall Turner of Ireland and Mathiam Keyser of South Africa were a further shot back in tied third on 138 while Japan’s Konosuke Nakazato, Michael Moore of Australia, I Ketut Sugiarta of Indonesia and Shang Zhi of China shared fifth place on 141.

Munson was even-par at the turn before shooting three birdies on his homeward nine to put himself in good position to seal his second victory on the burgeoning Tour, which is the gateway to the Asian Tour.

“I played consistently but I need to eliminate the three putts because I had one each day. It is a good feeling to have when you are at the top of the leaderboard but we are only halfway through the tournament. I’m still going out there to take one shot at a time,” said Munson.

The American believes that the confidence gained when he won his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title in Malaysia in March will put him in good stead against the talented cast gathered at the Linc Group Jakarta Classic.

“Once you’ve won, you have proven it to yourself that you can win and it gives you some confidence. Hopefully I can continue my form,” added Munson, who is ranked third on the Order of Merit.

Jackson charged up the leaderboard with seven birdies against three bogeys highlighted by a huge 40-feet birdie putt on the par three fifth hole. The Englishman was delighted that his hard work during the break is starting to pay off.

“This is a position where I want to be. I’m coming here with the mind set of winning and this is a good position to be in. I trained a lot using the TrackMan Golf device and the Aimpoint Express. My putting and hitting have improved so I’m pleased with my game and results so far,” said Jackson, who has one ADT victory.

The halfway cut was set at five-over-par 149 with a total of 56 players progressing into the final two rounds.

This season, the ADT will reward the top five players on the final Order of Merit with playing rights for the 2015 Asian Tour season. Previously, the top-three players were offered Asian Tour cards since the ADT’s launch in 2010.

Leading second round scores:

136 - Brett MUNSON (USA) 67 69

137 - Grant JACKSON (ENG) 69 68

138 - Niall TURNER (IRL) 70 68, Mathiam KEYSER (RSA) 70 68

141 - Konosuke NAKAZATO (JPN) 71 70, Michael MOORE (AUS) 72 69, I Ketut SUGIARTA (INA) 71 70, Shang ZHI (CHN) 72 69

142 - Mitchell SLORACH (SIN) 71 71, Annop TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 69 73, Peter RICHARDSON (ENG) 72 70, Ian ANDREW (INA) 70 72

143 - Clarke LUTTON (SCO) 71 72, Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 71 72, Unho PARK (AUS) 72 71, Jack MUNRO (AUS) 71 72, CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 73 70, George GANDRANATA (INA) 73 70, Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN) 72 71

144 - Fajar WINURYANTO (INA) 73 71, Rory HIE (INA) 71 73, Danny MASRIN (A) (USA) 73 71

145 - Jordan SHERRATT (AUS) 71 74, YE Jian-feng (CHN) 74 71, Joshua Andrew WIRAWAN (INA) 73 72

146 - Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA) 71 75, Tenka TERADA (JPN) 72 74, Casey O'TOOLE (USA) 74 72, Jake STIRLING (AUS) 74 72, Mars PUCAY (PHI) 74 72, Arie IRAWAN (MAS) 77 69, Yuki USAMI (JPN) 76 70

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Soewarno In Pursuit After Day One Of Linc Group Jakarta Classic

Jakarta, July 15 - Brett Munson of the United States got off to a hot start when he returned with a flawless five-under-par 67 to take the opening round lead at the Linc Group Jakarta Classic on Tuesday.

England’s Grant Jackson, local hope K. Soewarno and Annop Tangkamolprasert of Thailand trailed the leader by two shots in tied-second place after carding matching 69s at the Imperial Klub Golf.

Local prospects Benny Kasiadi and Ian Andrew were a further shot back in tied-fifth place alongside American Jeff Lai, Niall Turner of Ireland and South African Mathiam Keyser at the US$60,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event, which is the ninth stop on the ADT this year.

Title holder James Bowen of the United States will have to make up ground after carding a 75 to take a share of 48th place.

Having missed out on the opportunity to earn an Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School earlier this year, Munson decided to turn his attention to the ADT where he won his first victory in March and secured one other top-five result.

Currently ranked third on the ADT Order of Merit, Munson shot five birdies to kick start his campaign in Indonesia where he hopes to win a second victory on the burgeoning Tour which is the gateway to the premier Asian Tour.

“I played some solid golf. This course suits my game a lot. It’s good to be back on the ADT after a short break. I’ve been working on my game and it’s great to be playing well again after missing the cut in the previous tournament. Hopefully I can continue to do well over the next three days,” said the 27-year-old Munson.

Jackson, ranked 10th on the Order of Merit, kept chase for his first victory this season as he set his sights on making a move on the Merit list where the top five players at the end of the season will earn Asian Tour cards for 2015.

“I always try my best to win in every tournament I play. This week is no exception. I had a generally good round today. This week is the start of a series of events on the ADT. I hope to build up on my good form and secure a good result this week so that I can be in a good shape for the next few tournaments,” added Jackson.

Soewarno, who plays regularly on the domestic Tour, took advantage of the opportunity to play on the ADT this week and is hoping to continue his good run of form. The leading Indonesian stumbled with a double-bogey on the fourth but recovered swiftly with five birdies to put himself in contention after the first round of the Linc Group Jakarta Classic.

“My game was not too bad today. The wind got stronger in the afternoon but that didn’t really affect my game. I’m feeling pretty confident right now and I hope to keep up my good form,” said Soewarno.

This season, the ADT will reward the top five players on the final Order of Merit with playing rights for the 2015 Asian Tour season. Previously, the top-three players were offered Asian Tour cards since the ADT’s launch in 2010.

Friday, July 11, 2014

Bowen Ready To Defend Jakarta Classic Title At Imperial Klub Golf

Jakarta, July 11 - Title holder James Bowen of the United States is ready to embark on a successful title defense when he returns to the Imperial Klub Golf for the Linc Group Jakarta Classic from July 15 to 18 (Tuesday to Friday) next week.

Bowen, a two-time winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), has received a timely confidence boost following his victory on the domestic Tour in Jakarta last week.

The talented American is in fine form ahead of the US$60,000 Linc Group Jakarta Classic, which is the ADT’s first stop in Indonesia this season.

Bowen claimed his second ADT victory at the inaugural Linc Group Jakarta Classic last year and eventually finished second on the final Order of Merit, earning him an Asian Tour card for the 2014 season.

“I am very excited coming back to Jakarta and very much looking forward to defending my title. Last week’s win was really pleasing. I’ve been working on my swing for a while now and seems like it’s finally paying off,” said the confident 28-year-old.

Bowen remains optimistic with his game despite a disappointing start to the 2014 Asian Tour season where he has yet to make a single cut.

“It’s been a slow start for me this season but I’m starting to feel good about my game after winning last week. I think my current game is good and I’m ready to play next week,” added Bowen.

Order of Merit leader and three-time ADT winner Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei, past winners Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand and American Brett Munson, as well as Indonesia’s George Gandranata and Rory Hie will also feature in the Linc Group Jakarta Classic.

George Gandranata Seeks Maiden Win On Asian Development Tour

Jakarta, July 10 - Highly-rated George Gandranata of Indonesia, who impressed with three victories on the local circuit in the last three months, will be looking to secure a fourth title on home soil and his first on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) when the Linc Group Jakarta Classic gets underway next week.

The talented Indonesian will be amongst an international cast of talents from over 18 countries vying for honors at the US$60,000 ADT event, which is returning to the Imperial Klub Golf for its second edition from July 15 to 18 (Tuesday to Friday) next week.

Gandranata will be joined by compatriot Rory Hie and title holder James Bowen of the United States at the Linc Group Jakarta Classic, which is the ninth stop on the burgeoning circuit this season. Bowen claimed another victory in Jakarta last week where he played on sponsor’s invite.

Since joining the play-for-pay ranks in 2012, Gandranata has been striving to perform well on the premier Asian Tour as well as the ADT. He came close to claiming his first ADT title at the 2013 season-ending event earlier in January before settling for second place behind Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert.

The 28-year-old has been showing strong support for his domestic circuit by playing most of the tournaments on the newly established Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia (PGTI). His move has yielded great returns as he finally claimed his first professional victory in April. He went on to secure two other local victories in May and June respectively.

“The PGTI is a new domestic Tour and I hope I can lend my support to them whenever I can to help it grow. The best way to show my support is to play in these events.

Having won three titles recently was a blessing but golf is still golf. We will never know what to expect. All we can do is to prepare as much as we can,” said Gandranata.

Gandranata hailed the return of the Linc Group Jakarta Classic which he believes will be a great opportunity for the local players as it is an international event.

“The Linc Group Jakarta Classic will be a good tournament for us. All international events in Indonesia are great opportunities for us to showcase our capabilities. I will work on my game plan and hopefully I can get the desirable results,” added Gandranata, who is playing in his first ADT event of the season next week.

The ADT Order of Merit race will also resume next week following a one-month mid-season break. Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei leads the rankings on US$28,816, courtesy of two victories this season.

This season, the ADT will reward the top five players on the final Order of Merit with playing rights for the 2015 Asian Tour season. Previously, the top-three players were offered Asian Tour cards since the ADT’s launch in 2010.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament Makes ADT Debut

Singapore, July 7 - The inaugural Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament will make its debut on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) in Jakarta this August, raising the season’s schedule to a total of 19 tournaments.

The US$100,000 event will be played at the BSD course by Damai Indah Golf from August 21 to 24 where leading players from Indonesia will compete against an international field from the ADT.

With the addition of a new tournament, aspiring professionals from the region will enjoy another occasion to improve their world rankings as all ADT events are afforded with Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points starting from 2013.

Ir. Ciputra, founder and chairman of Ciputra Business Group as well as sponsor of the inaugural Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, hailed the launch of the event, saying it is a great opportunity for Indonesia’s budding golfers to establish themselves on the ADT.

“We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament on the ADT, which we believe will offer a strong platform for Indonesian golfers as well as golfers from the region to further excel in the game, especially with the world ranking points on offer,” said Ir. Ciputra.

Ir. Ciputra has long been a strong advocate for developing professional golfers in Indonesia and he is confident that the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament will play a key role in shaping the growth of the sport in the country.

“We hope that by creating new playing opportunities, we can nurture more home grown talented golfers to become strong International players. We look forward to a very successful tournament in August,” added Ir. Ciputra.

A total of 144 players will compete in the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, with the field being split between the ADT and the newly established Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia (PGTI).

Asian Tour Chairman Kyi Hla Han expressed his delight on the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament coming on board as the newest tournament on the burgeoning ADT this season.

“Playing on the ADT will be a good stepping stone for aspiring golfers in the region to move on to the Asian Tour. With the launch of the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, I believe Indonesian players will definitely benefit from the ADT platform,” said Han.

“I would also like to express our fullest appreciation to Mr. Ciputra and the PGTI for taking this initiative to launch the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament,” he added.

Apart from the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament and Jakarta Classic on the ADT, there are two other events staged in Indonesia on the Asian Tour schedule, the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters which was held in April and the Indonesia Open which is scheduled to be played from December 4 to 7.

The Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament will be the 13th leg of the 2014 ADT season and also the second stop in Jakarta following the Jakarta Classic next week.

Starting this season, the ADT will reward the top five players on the final Order of Merit with playing rights in the 2015 Asian Tour season.

This is a significant boost for aspiring professionals on the ADT as it is the highest number of Asian Tour cards up for grabs since the burgeoning Tour was inaugurated as a gateway to the Asian Tour in 2010. Only the top three players on the final ADT Order of Merit for each season obtained their Asian Tour cards in the past.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Bowen Secures Second Win In Indonesia At Indonesian Golf Tour At Jababeka Golf & Country Club

Cikarang, July 3rd, 2014 - With a score of seven-under-par (206), James Bowen of USA is the champion of the 6th edition of the Indonesian Golf Tour at Jababeka Golf & Country Club. As a special invite player, James did not waste the opportunity, firing in a 68 and generating 4 birdies in the final round. Bowen kept his position from round two and continued his momentum in the final round to secure his throne in the tournament.

“It's a tricky course. The greens are firm and playing here before during the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational earlier this year definitely helped me with my game plan. I was very patient and didn't make mistakes so that is great. I’m an invited player so I wanted to play well. I wanted to give myself a good chance. I played really well in the final round. I made one bogey today, but I’m quite pleased with my game,” said James.

“Thanks to the Indonesian Golf Tour, the game of golf is growing in Indonesia. A lot of young players are improving. I played with two of the young players today (Joshua Andrew Wirawan and Putra Abhinawa Sahari) and they have a very good game. I’m thankful that I was able to play.” added James.

Chasing closely was Joshua Andrew Wirawan, who came in second with a total score of two-under-par 211. Putting forward his best effort from day one, Joshua played really well to hold his position.

As a come back moment, Rory Hie who finished in 7th position while current Order of Merit leader, George Gandranata had to settle for 11th position.

On the amateur positions, Joeh Se Ik and Rivani Adelia Sihotang again proved their skills on the course and became Best Male and Female Amateur in this event. Joeh Se Ik recorded eight-over-par 217 while Rivani Adelia Sihotang signed-in a total score one-under-par 212.
Joeh Se Ik finished as Best Male Amateur in the Indonesian Golf Tour 6th event. Photo by Andy Rezandi / OB Golf Events

Juriah put up a good a fight on the course by sticking close to Rivani during the final round, but even a Double-bogey on the 3rd hole did not stop Rivani from claiming her victory.

”It was so tense! It feels like you’re in a race, but I made it to the finish line. The course is amazing. It helped me to improve my skills for sure. I learned a lot from this course.” said Rivani.

“I’m happy to be able to win, but I don't want to get cocky. My plan is to become professional and go on the LPGA tour. So glad that now we have the tour (Indonesian Golf Tour). For amateurs such as me, we can gain more experience and skills on this tour. The tour is not only playing on one course, but it moves around so this helps us to learn and read each course's characteristics,” added now 2-time Best Female Amateur champion, Rivani Adelia Sihotang.

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Indonesian Government Raises Visa On Arrival Fees

Jakarta, 2 July 2014 - Starting tomorrow, Thursday 3 July 2014, the fees for Visa On Arrival (VOA) for international travelers coming to Indonesia will be USD 35 for a 30-day stay period, a 40% increase on the current applicable fee.

For the Special Economic Zones, including Batam and Bintan, there is the possibility for a 7-day visa that will cost USD 15.

The new fees are in Peraturan Pemerintah (Government Regulation) No 45/2014, which can be downloaded from the Immigration Service website (in Indonesian).

American James Bowen Drives His Way To Lead Indonesian Golf Tour At Jababeka Golf & Country Club.

Cikarang, July 2nd, 2014 - With 5 birdies in round two and a total score of four-under-par (138), James Bowen of USA took the lead from Joshua Andrew Wirawan by 2 points in the 6th event of Indonesian Golf Tour at Jababeka Golf & Country Club. Joshua who played one-over-par struggled to stay on top today and shares second place with Putra Abhinawa Sahari with a total score two-under-par (139).

“Today I played very solid. I made one boogie, one mistake on the 2nd hole with 3 putts. Other than that, I hit a lot of greens. My short game was very good. I had two tough bunker shots but I got it up and down and that’s what really kept my momentum going. I hit it really close on the last two holes , I missed birdie on the 17th but made it on the 18th. I played a solid round and I’m very pleased,” said LINC Group Jakarta Classic 2013 Champion, James Bowen.

“The course is long and you didn’t get too much roll. Everything was in great shape. Wind was a bit tricky, but it wasn't too hard to read which direction it came from. All in all the course is great and I’m very happy that I played here.” added James.

Joeh Se Ik signed-in a total score of two-over-par (144) in round two allowing him to keep the throne for another day as the Lowest Male Amateur. Chasing second place is Danny Masrin of USA who signed-in a total score of four-over-par (146).

Overnight Ladies Amateur leader, Renata, dropped to second place after recording 72 with a total score of one-over-par (143) tied with Juriah who signed-in a magnificent three-under-par score in round two alone. New Ladies Amateur leader, Rivani Adelia Sihotang played brightly by recording a bogey free round with 4 birdies to finish at two-under par (140).

Linc Group Jakarta Classic Returns To ADT

Jakarta, July 2 - The second edition of the Linc Group Jakarta Classic will kick start an exciting second half of the 2014 Asian Development Tour (ADT) season where the quest to secure an exclusive Asian Tour card for 2015 continues.

The highly rated Imperial Klub Golf will be the venue for leading Indonesian players to compete against an international field for the second consecutive year from July 15 to 18 (Tuesday to Friday).

The Linc Group Jakarta Classic will be the ninth stop on the burgeoning circuit, which is the gateway to the premier Asian Tour. A total of 18 tournaments have been confirmed for the ADT schedule this season.

Title holder James Bowen of the United States, who won the inaugural event last year, will return to defend his title. It was his victory last year that helped him finish second on the final Order of Merit, earning him his Asian Tour card for 2014.

OB Golf Events, the event promoter said the return of the Linc Group Jakarta Classic will provide a good platform for Indonesian golfers to enhance their game.

“We are delighted to announce to return of the Linc Group Jakarta Classic for the second consecutive year. The tournament is a great event which will benefit the local players as they will have an opportunity to improve on their world ranking points,” said Harmony Thomas, President Director of OB Golf Events.

Asian Tour Chairman Kyi Hla Han expressed his appreciation to OB Golf Events for their continuous support in developing the game in Indonesia and across the region.

“On behalf of our players, I would like to thank OB Golf Events for their continuous support and we look forward to working with the newly established Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia (PGTI) this year,” said Han.

“The ADT has grown immensely over the past few years and it is good to see a lot of young players like George Gandranata emerging from Indonesia. With the establishment of the Indonesian Golf Tour which sees 13 events a year locally for Indonesia, I believe the Linc Group Jakarta Classic will provide another opportunity for them to showcase their talent on an international level and fight their way on to the Asian Tour,” added Han.

The ADT Order of Merit race will resume following a one-month break. Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei leads the rankings on US$28,816, courtesy of two victories this season.

This season, the ADT will reward the top five players on the final Order of Merit with playing rights for the 2015 Asian Tour season. Previously, the top-three players were offered Asian Tour cards since the ADT’s launch in 2010.

MNC Land To Spend USD2-3 Billion On Developing Lido Lakes Resort

Jakarta, 2 July 2014 - PT MNC Land Tbk, a property developer in Indonesia, plans to spend $2 billion to $3 billion in the next 20-30 years on developing Lido Lakes Resort, a 1700ha tourism and recreation area that includes the Lido golf course in Sukabumi, West Java.

Construction will start in August, said Hary Tanoesoedibjo, CEO of the company. MNC Land will build a hotel, villas, theme park and other supporting facilities on the site.

Last year MNC Land acquired the Lido Lakes Resort, operated by PT Lido Nirwana Parahyangan, from the Bakrie Group for IDR 1.4 trillion (approx. USD 120 million).

The company will spend USD 400 million for the first phase of the development, said Darma Putra, Vice President Director at MNC Investama, which is expected to be completed in 3-4 years.

Joshua Wirawan Leads After First Round Of Indonesian Golf Tour At Jababeka Golf & Country Club

Cikarang, July 1st, 2014 - The first round of the 6th event on the Indonesian Golf Tour presented by LINC GROUP held at Jababeka Golf & Country Club is being led by young golfer Joshua Andrew Wirawan who came in with a three-under-par 68. The 17-year-old achieved 1 eagle and 3 birdies during his round.

Heat and windy weather was an issue for many but it did not stop the participating golfers to showcase their brilliant golf skills. Joshua pushed himself to enable him to lead the pack for the day. Jababeka Golf & Country Club is proving to be a challenge for all the golfers on this edition of the Indonesian Golf Tour.

"Actually, this course is quite difficult. It has many long fairways and some of the greens are slumped. However, it depends on how we can adjust our shots. I didn’t have any specific strategy today. As long as my driver could reach the fairways, I could get a safe second or third shot and reach the green, I was happy as it was then down to my putting. Overall, my game today was good although on hole 13 I scored double-bogey." Said Joshua.

Indonesian Golf Tour 5th series (Padang Golf Modern) runner-up I Ketut Sugiarta is chasing the lead and could well have been leading for the day but fell to second place after a bogey on the Par 5 14th and 16th to tie with William Sjaichudin at two under-par (69).

“My swing was quite good today. On hole 16, my ball went into the water. The course is not my problem, it's the fairways which are proving to be long for me. Its probably due to my age. The strong wind also affected my game, but it's not a big deal. Basically I will play safe for the next two days.” said I Ketut.

Two-times Indonesian Golf Tour series champion, George Gandranata on the other hand was struggling to find his game. A double-bogey on the 15th pulled him back to end his round with a four-over-par 75.

"Like I've said before, golf is a day-by-day game. My ball striking was not really good today. I’ve been practicing my swing for the past few days, but I don't think it came into effect yet. My putting wasn’t good as well. A little windy today. Golf is a shot-by-shot game and each week will be different for sure, but we’ll see," said current Order of Merit leader George Gandranata.

On the amateur scene, 2-times lowest score amateur champion on the Indonesian Golf Tour series, Joeh Se Ik came in 4th place with a par 71, while Renata scored one-over-par at 72 and took the lead in the Indonesian Golf Tour ladies amateur.

The Indonesian Golf Tour at Jababeka Golf & Country Club is the 6th in a series of twelve 3-day events that are being hosted at selected courses in the greater Jakarta area with each boasting Rp200,000,000 prize purses.