2016 Indonesian Masters Set For October

Jakarta, April 27 - The Asian Tour and PGA Tour of Indonesia (PGATI) today announced that the 2016 Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich will return to the impressive surroundings of the Royale Jakarta Golf Club from October 6 to 9, 2016.

Buoyed by the addition of a new presenting partner, in leading global insurance provider Zurich, the four-day event will once again welcome the best golfers from Asia as they vie for a share of the US$750,000 prize purse.

Already the country’s preeminent golf tournament, the Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich is fast building a reputation for delivering intense competition and grandstand finishes at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club, as the top international players go head to head with the best of Asia.

Anirban Lahiri of India won the 2014 tournament in spectacular style, when he sank an eagle putt on the last hole to defeat Seukhun Baek of Korea and young Australian, Cameron Smith.

In 2015 it was recent Masters Tournament runner-up Lee Westwood’s turn to deliver a spectacular finale, surviving a play-off with Chapchai Nirat of Thailand who chased down the Englishman’s five-shot lead in the final round.

Westwood’s win made it a tournament hat trick, having won in 2011 and 2012. Other top players to have competed include four-time Major Champion Ernie Els, three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit Winner Thongchai Jaidee, 2011 Open Champion Darren Clarke, 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and Ryder Cup star Victor Dubuisson of France.

The tournament has also welcomed some of Indonesia’s brightest professionals and amateurs over the years, including George Gandranata, Rory Hie, Jordan Irawan, Andik Mauludin and Tirto Tamardi.

Jimmy Masrin, Co-Founder of the Indonesian Masters and Chairman of the Asian Tour said: ‘We’re pleased to announce the 2016 edition of the Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich. Over the last five years, the tournament has clearly established itself as Indonesia’s preeminent golf tournament, and one of the most highly regarded events on the Asian Tour.

“We welcome Zurich on board as a presenting sponsor for the tournament. The combination of the company’s global profile and reputation within the international golf community, together with its local market understanding will undoubtedly help the tournament in fulfilling its objectives of creating top quality entertainment both on and off the golf course.”

Speaking about its new partnership with the tournament, Peter Huber, President Director of Zurich Topas Life and representing Zurich in Indonesia, said: “Zurich has been involved with golf for many years through key sponsorship engagements worldwide and we are very proud to now be presenting the 2016 Indonesian Masters.

“Golf is a game that many of our customers truly love. But our involvement in this sport means more to us than just supporting one of our customers’ passions, and associating our brand with highly positive, emotionally charged moments. It is a true partnership we feel with all of our customers and the community who truly love golf.

“Golf is one of the few sports that does not require a standardized playing area. While the basic rules apply regardless of the terrain, each course is different and players need to adapt their game accordingly if they wish to succeed. They need to be focused and disciplined while maintaining the flexibility to respond to unexpected challenges. This is something that we as insurance professionals have in common with golfers, which explains why Zurich is so engaged in the game worldwide.

“As the government aims to turn Indonesia into a major golfing destination in Asia, Zurich also sees the importance of developing elite local golf talent for the benefit of the sport and Indonesia as a whole. We invite Indonesian golfers to be involved in this prestigious tournament.”

The tournament will be broadcast live across the Asian Tour TV platform, potentially reaching 740 million households in over 180 countries thereby showcasing Indonesia to a global audience.

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGATI, the Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich will feature 150 players; consisting of 96 players from the Asian Tour; the top 20 professionals from the PGA Tour of Indonesia; the top four Indonesian Amateurs; 15 eligible/available players from the top-50 of the Official World Golf Ranking and 15 sponsor exemption places.

8 Local Players Into The Weekend At The Bali National Golf Championship

Bali, Indonesia, June 26 - Jake Stirling of Australia stayed patient in the windy conditions to snatch the halfway stage lead with a five-under-par 67 at The Bali National Golf Championship on Friday.

The 26-year-old holed a 40 feet chip-in eagle on the 16th hole to lead by two shots on a nine-under-par 135 total at the US$76,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event staged at the scenic Bali National Golf Club.

Current Order of Merit leader Hsieh Chi-hsien of Chinese Taipei and Matthew Giles of Australia posted a 70 and 69 respectively to share second place while Khalin Joshi of India was a further shot back.

Overnight leader Gyeongjun Lee of Korea slipped down the leaderboard following a 75.

Despite none of the Indonesian players being in the top 10, with 5 top 30 players and another 3 making the cut, this shows that they're overall playing very well. William Sjaichudin (73) is best in class and is currently in 12th position at 2-under=par. One shot further back is Benita Yuniarto (71).

George Gandranata (70), Andrew Wirawan (74) and Rinaldi Adiyandono (74) are in a tie for 29th at 1-over-par 145. Asep Saefulloh (73), Ramadhan Alwie (78) and Ian Andrew (77) also made the cut that was set at 148.

Stirling, who won his first ADT title earlier in June, kept things simple and was rewarded with four birdies and one eagle.

“I can understand why the scores are a little bit high but I managed to keep the ball low and stay patient on the greens. I started to hit it a bit lower and that kind of game suits this golf course. That’s one of the reasons why I’m right up there,” said Stirling.

“If you are frustrated, you tend to swing harder. A lot of good golfers go the other way. I’m still trying to work it out. Stay patient, relaxed and keeping it really basic seem to help my game,” he added.

Hsieh endured a mix round highlighted by an eagle three on the 13th hole which kept him in the hunt for a third ADT title.

“I feel that my game wasn’t good today but I tried to slow my tempo down on every hole and focus on my shots. I saw that the afternoon scores are not good so I’m very happy with a two-under,” said Hsieh.

After struggling with a cold putter, the 22-year-old Joshi had something to smile about when he chipped in for birdie on the challenging 17th hole par three island green.

“I’m disappointed with my round. I didn’t putt or hit the ball good. Overall it was a bad day but I’m happy with my birdie on 17. That birdie sort of gave me some positives when I ended my round,” said Joshi.

Scores after the second round of the Bali National Golf Championship:

135 - Jake STIRLING (AUS) 68-67

137 - HSIEH Chi-hsien (TWN) 67-70, Matthew GILES (AUS) 68-69

138 - Khalin JOSHI (IND) 67-71

139 - Jordan SHERRATT (AUS) 70-69, Poosit SUPUPRAMAI (THA) 69-70, Nirun SAE-UENG (THA) 67-72, Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN) 69-70

140 - Gyeongjun LEE (KOR) 65-75

141 - Sean RIORDAN (NZL) 67-74, Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) 69-72

Selected:

142 - William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 69-73

143 - Benita YUNIARTO (INA) 72-71

145 - George GANDRANATA (INA) 75-70, Andrew WIRAWAN (INA) 71-74, Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA) 71-74

146 - Asep SAEFULLOH (INA) 73-73, Ramadhan ALWIE (INA) 68-78

148 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 71-77

Missed cut:

149 - Danny MASRIN (INA) 79-70, Suprapto (INA) 74-75, Rory HIE (INA) 73-76

150 - Clement KURNIAWAN (A) (INA) 75-75, Maan NASIM (INA) 77-73

151 - Suwarno (INA) 75-76, Naraajie RAMADHANPUTRA (A) (INA) 76-75, Andik MAULUDIN (INA)80-71

154 - Mahpudin M (INA) 78-76

156 - Komang DARMAWAN (INA) 75-81, Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 80-76, I Nengah DHARMA (INA) 79-77

157 - Sarmilih (INA) 80-77

158 - Bramantio ADI (INA) 78-80, Abhinawa (INA) 79-79, Iwan SUWANTONO (INA) 78-80, Fajar WINURYANTO (INA) 84-74, Dede IDRIS (INA) 82-76

159 - Johannes DERMAWAN (INA) 80-79

160 - Andi SOEYATMO (INA) 82-78, Ketut SANDIARTA (INA) 82-78, Bonyamin ASHARI (INA) 81-79

161 - Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA) 80-81, Supriyatna (INA) 78-83

162 - Aria KAMSURI (INA) 77-85, Sujarwo S (INA) 79-83

163 - Hamzah RACHMADI (INA) 82-81, Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA) 84-79

164 - Nyoman SARJANA (INA) 77-87

167 - Zulharmen TABUSALLA (INA) 85-82

169 - Nyoman SUASTANA (INA) 89-80

172 - Zulkarnaen Tanjung (INA) 86-86

173 - Pudio (INA) 81-92

178 - Yohannes RUDIATO (INA) 85-93

179 - Rudi HARTONO (INA) 88-91

184 - Bambang MUSTARI (INA) 91-93

90 - Warno (INA) 90-RTD

Ramadhan Alwie And William Sjaichuddin In Top Ten After First Round Of The Bali National Golf Championship

Bali, Indonesia, June 25 - Gyeongjun Lee of Korea took advantage of his early preparation as he fired a seven-under-par 65 to lead by two shots at The Bali National Golf Championship on Thursday.

The 19-year-old teenager arrived a week earlier to prepare for the US$76,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event and his efforts was rewarded with a blemish free round at the Bali National Golf Club.

ADT winners Sean Riordan of New Zealand, Nirun Sae-Ueng of Thailand and Hsieh Chi-hsien of Chinese Taipei, the currently ADT Order of Merit leader were bunched in second place alongside India’s Khalin Joshi.

Ramadhan Alwie was the best placed local player in tied sixth place with Australians Matthew Giles and Jake Stirling, who returned on matching 68s.

Aided by his father who was on his bag, Lee, who is searching for a first ADT win, enjoyed a solid round where he did not miss a single fairway.

“I’m very happy with how I played. I hit it so well off the tees. I also missed only three greens so I would call my round an almost ‘perfect’ round,” smiled Lee, who turned professional two years ago.

“I came here one week earlier so I had the opportunity to play three to four practice rounds. I usually stay back or go earlier for events. That’s my style. My father caddies for me and we are a good team. I pity my dad because he is old and he gets tired but whenever he doesn’t caddy for me, I don’t play well,” he laughed.

Gym-buff Hsieh, who is a two-time ADT winner, got off to a flying start as he was five-under at the turn. He picked up another birdie on hole four before dropping his only shot of the day on the seventh hole.

“I’m lucky to have a good score. This is my first time in Bali and I’m enjoying myself here. I finished badly on the last three holes. I played very well on the front nine where I was five-under. I hit it very nice there and my putts dropped,” said the 24-year-old.

The 22-year-old Joshi produced six birdies against one bogey after hitting a poor drive and seeing his par putt lip out on the fifth hole. The Indian is enjoying a good run of form as he missed only one cut in six appearances and finished tied second in Bangladesh on the Asian Tour last month.

“This is a good start to the tournament. I’m feeling good about my game and my scores prove it. I came here with a relaxed mind because I’ve heard a lot about Bali. It is beautiful around here. I’m happy and fortunate to be here,” said Joshi.

The 20-year-old Nirun, who won on the ADT in May, was disappointed not to return with a lower score when he three putted the last hole for bogey. “My approach and putting were very good but I’m slightly disappointed because I three putted on the last hole. It is only the first day so we have a long way more to go. This is a very nice golf course and it suits my game. I look forward to the challenge,” said Nirun.

The Bali National Golf Resort Championship will be the 15th leg of the 2015 ADT season and also the first of the three stops in Indonesia. Admission to The Bali National Golf Championship is free.

Leading scores after first round of the Bali National Golf Championship:

65 - Gyeongjun LEE (KOR)

67 - Khalin JOSHI (IND), HSIEH Chi-hsien (TWN), Sean RIORDAN (NZL), Nirun SAE-UENG

68 - Ramadhan ALWIE (INA), Jake STIRLING (AUS) ,Matthew GILES (AUS)

69 - William SJAICHUDIN (INA), Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN), Micah Lauren SHIN (USA), Poosit SUPUPRAMAI (THA)

Selected:

71 - Andrew WIRAWAN (INA), Ian ANDREW (INA), Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA)

72 - Benita YUNIARTO (INA)

73 - Rory HIE (INA), Asep SAEFULLOH (INA)

74 - Suprapto (INA)

75 - Komang DARMAWAN (INA), Suwarno (INA), Clement KURNIAWAN (A) (INA), George GANDRANATA (INA)

76 - Naraajie RAMADHANPUTRA (A) (INA)

77 - Maan NASIM (INA), Aria KAMSURI (INA), Nyoman SARJANA (INA)

78 - Iwan SUWANTONO (INA), Elki KOW (A) (INA), Mahpudin M (INA), Bramantio ADI (INA), Supriyatna (INA)

79 - I Nengah DHARMA (INA), Danny MASRIN (INA), Abhinawa (INA), Sujarwo S (INA)

80 - Johannes DERMAWAN (INA), Andik MAULUDIN (INA), Jordan IRAWAN (INA), Sarmilih (INA), Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA)

81 - Bonyamin ASHARI (INA), Pudio (INA)

82 - Hamzah RACHMADI (INA), Dede IDRIS (INA), Andi SOEYATMO (INA), Ketut SANDIARTA (INA)

84 - Fajar WINURYANTO (INA), Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA)

85 - Zulharmen TABUSALLA (INA), Yohannes RUDIATO (INA)

86 - Zulkarnaen TANJUNG (INA)

88 - Rudi HARTONO (INA)

89 - Nyoman SUASTANA (INA)

90 - Warno (INA)

91 - Bambang MUSTARI (INA)

Gandranata Leads Local Challenge At The Bali National Golf Championship

Bali, Indonesia, June 24 - George Gandranata hopes to become the first Indonesian to win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) at The Bali National Golf Championship which starts on Thursday.

The talented Gandranata, who won four titles on the local circuit last year, will spearhead the local challenge at the US$76,000 ADT event staged at picturesque Bali National Golf Club.

The current top five on the Order of Merit including Hsieh Chi-hsien of Chinese Taipei, Sean Riordan of New Zealand, Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei, Nirun Sae-Ung of Thailand and Malaysia’s Arie Irawan will headline the event.

Nicholas Fung of Malaysia, the 2013 ADT Order of Merit winner, teen titan Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand, Masaru Takahashi of Japan and Niall Turner of Ireland will also challenge for honors in Bali.

The 29-year-old Gandranata predicts that the local golfers are inching closer towards a first win on the ADT after gaining confidence and experience of playing in more Asian Tour and ADT events on home soil and around the region.

“We’ve seen a lot more guys playing on the ADT and some of us have led on the ADT before. We just need to get four rounds to click and win. When we have more Indonesians playing on the ADT then we will stand a better change to have a local winner,” said Gandranata.

He will be among 45 Indonesian golfers including Rory Hie, Ian Andrew, Jordan Irawan and Andik Mauludin who will aim to etch a small slice of history in the ADT event which will be played on the holiday island of Bali.

“The golf course is beautiful. It is in good shape. It is scenic and the design is really good. The greens are really challenging so if you consider all these, in my opinion this is one of the best golf courses in Indonesia,” said Gandranata.

“It is good for golf for Indonesia and Bali to welcome the international players who will see a different outlook in Indonesia. There is no better spot than here. This week will be a good week for the players to enjoy golf and time outside the course,” he smiled.

Gandranata has not missed a single cut in five appearances on the ADT and he hopes to continue his form and challenge for the title this week.

“I’ve been working hard but the results have not come yet. I need to be more patient because I’ve just made some swing changes. My game is coming along nicely and hopefully it will come together this week,” he explained.

ADT Champions Getting Ready For Bali National Golf Championship

Bali, Indonesia, June 19 - Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit leader Hsieh Chi-hsien of Chinese Taipei will spearhead an immensely talented field at The Bali National Golf Championship next week.

Hsieh, a two-time ADT winner, will be among 16 ADT champions who will challenge for the title at the picturesque Bali National Golf Club from June 25 to 28.

Jake Stirling of Australia, who won his first ADT title last week, Nicholas Fung of Malaysia, the 2013 ADT Order of Merit winner, teen titan Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand, Sean Riordan of New Zealand and Niall Turner of Ireland will also feature in the US$76,000 event.

George Gandranata, Rory Hie, Andik Mauludin, and Ian Andrew will lead the local charge with the aim of becoming the first Indonesian winner on the ADT.

The 2015 ADT season has welcomed numerous new champions this season including Stirling, who romped to a two-shot victory in Malaysia last week.

The win moved him to third place on the Order of Merit, a position which he will aim to hold on to until the end of the season to earn an Asian Tour card for 2016.

“I have been playing on the ADT for a couple of years now and I am very happy to win. Playing on the ADT hasn’t been easy but it’s been a great experience. It took me awhile to get used to the different greens out here in Asia,” said Stirling.

The Australian makes up a truly cosmopolitan field at The Bali National Golf Championship which has attracted players from over 20 countries.

Among those countries, Erwan Vieilledent is the sole representative from France and he hopes to make The Bali National Golf Championship a truly memorable event as he takes aim at a first professional win.

Vieilledent was persuaded by Asian Tour regular Lionel Weber to play at the Qualifying School earlier this year where he missed the grade. He hopes to fight his way onto the region’s premier Tour through the ADT.

“Lionel told me I should go over and try qualifying school because the Asian Tour is growing bigger and bigger. You get to travel to interesting places and my father told me it will be a good opportunity to play here because it is different than Europe,” said Vieilledent.

“This is my first year in Asia and I love it. The ambiance is very good and the players are helpful. It is a nice tour to be on. People help each other a lot,” added the former French national team player.

The Bali National Golf Resort Championship will be the 15th leg of the 2015 ADT season and also the first of the three stops in Indonesia. Admission to The Bali National Golf Championship is free.

Since it was inaugurated in 2010, the ADT has grown from five events in the first year to a record 22 tournaments in 2015.

The ADT will continue to reward the top-five finishers on the Order of Merit at the end of this season with Asian Tour cards for 2016.

Ian Andrew Only Indonesian Making Cut At CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf

Jakarta, April 24 - Singapore-based Australian Unho Park battled the gusty conditions before signing for a second round one-over-par 73 to stake his place atop the leaderboard at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf on Friday.

On a windy day where only four players broke par at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club, Park continued to put himself in contention for his maiden Asian Tour win at the US$750,000 Asian Tour event with his two-day total of four-under-par 140.

Overnight co-leader Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei eagled his closing ninth hole to haul himself back into contention, taking the outright second place with a 75 after struggling for most part of the day.

Thailand’s Namchok Tantipokhakul and Chapchai Nirat signed for matching 142 total to share third place with Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn and Japan’s Yosuke Tsukada while birthday boy Lee Westwood of England returned with a 74 to stay in touch with the leaders in seventh place.

Starting the day tied for second, Park stumbled early with a bogey on the first hole.

He recovered briefly with two birdies on 14 and 16 but dropped three more shots in his inward-nine.

“It was a tough day in the office today. I actually felt the winds were blowing harder today. I didn’t hit it as good as yesterday but I still managed to hit some decent shots,” said Park.

The 41-year-old, who has surprised even himself by holding the lead, is upbeat of his chances this week.

“I always surprise myself when I play well. Today, I just hung in there as it was really a grind today. But overall, it’s still a good position heading into the weekends,” said Park.

Chan meanwhile produced a spectacular masterclass on his last hole by chipping in from the edge of the green for an eagle-three.

That brought out the cheers for the 28-year-old who was staring at a five-over-par score before his last hole heroics changed the equation.

“I needed that eagle on the last hole to get me back into the game. It was definitely a big relief as I was four-over at the turn and needed something special like that to bring me back into contention.

“I’m used to such windy conditions as that’s what it’s like back home too but I struggle with the distance as this is a fairly long course and I’ve to hit it really long,” said Chan.

Westwood also conceded the gusty winds made play tough but remained confident of securing a hat-trick of titles at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

“It was tough and one of the toughest I’ve ever seen in Asia. Conditions were really extreme. We didn’t get a break with the weather. Normally it’s quite calm in the morning but it was blowing from the get-go this morning.

“I feel like under-par will still get you into contention and I’m still in there. I think it’s going to be bunched up and a scramble on the Sunday. So it’s just the case of being within a few shots of the leaders,” said Westwood, winner of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters in 2011 and 2012.

Ian Andrew was the only Indonesian golfer who managed to make the cut. In the first edition of the Indonesian Masters it was only Rory Hie who went through. Similarly, two years later it was Andik Mauludin left to play the weekend. This year it was Ian going through after posting a total of 151 strokes after two days of play.

"Today there was exceptional wind. I lost it at the par 3 hole 4. The ball landed in the water and I made seven shots (quadruple bogey). I immediately started to play safe, go for par, but made bogey instead. On the eighth hole I saved par and hole 9 I made birdie, so it motivated me again. Until hole 15 I made pars and was still 7 over and I just maintained the game", he said.

Ian claimed that not only the wind became an obstacle for him on this day, but also a slick green. Especially when he reached the 18th hole and it was already getting dark, he was just trying to land the ball closer to the pin. He also successfully recorded a par to keep the score for the day.

For all the other Indonesian players the wind was too much of a challenge and they all failed to make the cut. Best of the rest was amateur Kevin C Akbar, who missed playing the cut by only 1 shot.

Leading scores after round 2 of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters (A – denotes amateur):

140 – Unho PARK (AUS) 67-73

141 – CHAN Shih-chang (TPE) 66-75

142 – Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA) 69-73, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 68-74, Thomas BJORN (DEN) 66-76, Yosuke TSUKADA (JPN) 71-71

143 – Lee WESTWOOD (ENG) 69-74

144 – Paul PETERSON (USA) 71-73, Y.E. YANG (KOR) 73-71, Shaun NORRIS (RSA) 69-75, Paul SPARGO (AUS) 70-74

Selected:

151 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 72-79

CUT

152 - Kevin C. AKBAR (A) (INA) 77 75

156 - Denny A. WIJAYA (INA) 75 81, Johannes DERMAWAN (INA) 76 80

157 - Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA) 76 81, Rory HIE (INA) 76 81, Tirto TAMARDI (A) (INA) 76-81

158 - Andik MAULUDIN (INA) 80 78

159 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA) 81-78, George GANDRANATA (INA) 79 80, William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 79-80

160 - Benita YUNIARTO (INA) 79-81

161 - Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A) (INA) 77-84, Almay RAYHAN (A) (INA) 81-80

162 - I Ketut SUGIARTA (INA) 78-84

164 - Rizchy SUBEKTI (A) (INA) 82-82

165 - Bramantio ADI (INA) 77-88

166 - Asep SAEFULLOH (INA) 75-91

167 - Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 81-86

170 - Andrew WIRAWAN (INA) 84-86

171 - Daniel WIRAWAN (A) (INA) 79-92

173 - Fajar WINURYANTO (INA) 87-86

83 - Sarmilih (INA) 83-WDN

77 - Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA) 77-RTD

Team Indonesia Fails To Impress At CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters Presented By Enjoy Jakarta Golf

Jakarta, April 23 - Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang showed his mettle as he opened his account with a six-under-par 66 to share the first round lead with Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn at the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf on Thursday.

Bjorn, who is seeking his first win in Asia, overcame the hot and humid conditions at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club by trading seven birdies against one bogey to tie for the lead in his debut appearance in the Asian Tour event.

Singapore-based Australian Unho Park rediscovered his putting touch by posting a 67 to share third place with India’s Abhijit Chadha, who had the honor of holing the first hole-in-one at the par-three 15 this week.

Former world number one Lee Westwood of England returned with a 69 to share seventh place with six other players that also featured Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant, India’s Rashid Khan and Philippines’ Miguel Tabuena.

One of the most successful players on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) with four wins, Chan showed his class and composure in his first start on the Asian Tour this year.

Chan came off the blocks quickly by reaching the turn in 32 after four birdies in the morning.

The 28-year-old continued his birdie sprint on 12 and 14 before dropping his only shot of the day on 16. However, he redeemed himself quickly with a closing birdie.

“I’ve won four times on the ADT and I’m really serious about winning on the Asian Tour now,” said Chan.

“I hope to bring my wealth of experience, playing and winning on the ADT to the Asian Tour. It’s definitely a big step up for me and I’m looking forward to my breakthrough,” he added.

Bjorn, who boasts 21 professional victories worldwide including 15 on the European Tour, is also upbeat of landing his first win in Asia after overcoming the early morning humidity.

“I played pretty solid and I got onto a nice run in my back-nine which kind of brought the round to a really good score.

“It was humid but nice in the morning especially the first 10 to 11 holes. You’ve got to focus really hard and not let your guard down here,” said the big Dane.

Having missed the cut in all of his previous three starts on the Asian Tour this season, Park’s superb round brought back that vital self-belief required to jump start his season.

“I always surprise myself when I play this well. It was really tough out there in the afternoon as it was extremely windy. But I managed to hit my irons well and hole the putts when I needed to for a change.

“I actually played well in my first two events where I just missed the cut by one as my putting was really bad. But I worked on it and the big difference today came down to my putting,” said Park, who is chasing his first win on the Asian Tour this week.

Chadha, who secured his Tour card at Qualifying School earlier this year in Thailand, also received a timely confidence boost when he aced the 15th hole with his six-iron.

The hole-in-one set the Indian on his way to a promising start when he would go on to mark his card with four birdies and one bogey.

“It was good today. I started off well by getting a hole-in-one on the 15th and that really kept myself in it. I hit a six-iron, aimed straight at the flag and it went right into the hole.

“I’ve made a hole-in-one in my career but this is really special as I’ve made it on the Asian Tour. That gave me lots of confidence not only for the rest of the round but the entire week ahead,” said Chadha.

Meanwhile the Indonesian team failed to impress, with only one player in the top 70 after round 1. Ian Andrew leads the squad in a tie for 24th after scoring a par 72, three shots ahead of the trio of Asep Saefulloh, Denny A. Wijaya and Kurnia Herisiandy Santoso who are in a 19-way tie for 74th. Leading amateur is Tirto Tamardi who is one shot further back together with among others Rory Hie.

George Gandranata (79), who finished highest of the local players in last years edition, has to work extremely hard tomorrow to make the cut. Currently only in 129th position, he has to make up some 5 shots to get to the top 50, a difficult task indeed.

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour of Indonesia, the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters Presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf will feature 24 Indonesian golfers, 20 professionals from the PGA Tour of Indonesia and four of Indonesia’s top amateurs who will compete in the 150 player field over 72 holes of individual stroke play.

Leading scores after round 1 of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course (A - denotes amateur):

66 - CHAN Shih-chang (TPE), Thomas BJORN (DEN)

67 - Abhijit CHADHA (IND), Unho PARK (AUS)

68 - Simon GRIFFITHS (ENG), Chapchai NIRAT (THA)

69 - Rashid KHAN (IND), Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA), Shaun NORRIS (RSA), Kalle SAMOOJA (FIN), Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA), Lee WESTWOOD (ENG), Miguel TABUENA (PHI)

Selected:

72 - Ian ANDREW (INA)

75 - Asep SAEFULLOH (INA), Denny A. WIJAYA (INA), Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA)

76 - Johannes DERMAWAN (INA), Rory HIE (INA), Tirto TAMARDI (A) (INA)

77 - Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA), Bramantio ADI (INA), Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A), Kevin C. AKBAR (A) (INA)

78 - I Ketut SUGIARTA (INA), Almay RAYHAN (A) (INA)

79 - Benita YUNIARTO (INA), William SJAICHUDIN (INA), George GANDRANATA (INA), Daniel WIRAWAN (A) (INA)

80 - Andik MAULUDIN (INA)

81 - Jordan IRAWAN (INA), Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA)

82 - Rizchy SUBEKTI (A) (INA)

83 - Sarmilih (INA)

84 - Andrew WIRAWAN (INA)

87 - Fajar WINURYANTO (INA)

2015 Indonesian Masters Set For 23-26 April

Jakarta, December 18 - PT Bank CIMB Niaga Tbk (CIMB Niaga) as the title sponsor, Asian Tour and Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia (PGTI) today announced that the 2015 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters will return to the magnificent Royale Jakarta Golf Club from April 23-26, 2015.

The fifth edition of the Asian Tour-sanctioned event will welcome top players from across the region as they vie for a share of the US$750,000 prize purse.

President Director of CIMB Niaga Arwin Rasyid said: “We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters which will be held from April 23-26, 2015. In its five years, we’ve had some fantastic winners in the past with Lee Westwood, Bernd Wiesberger and Anirban Lahiri in April this year. We’re all eagerly looking forward to seeing who will come out on top at the 2015 tournament.

“As one the leading banks here in Indonesia, we are committed to growing our ties with the local community through our youth development and amateur league programs in the country. The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters has been a fantastic opportunity for the bank to give back to the community in the past three years. We look forward to working with the organizers on another fantastic event in 2015.

Chairman of Professional Golf Tour Indonesia Johannes Dermawan thanked CIMB Niaga for their continued support of the tournament. “We’re extremely fortunate to have such an active and supportive partner as CIMB Niaga. Our partnership has enabled the tournament to grow, attracting some of the biggest names in world golf to play alongside our own golfers from Indonesia. CIMB Niaga’s youth programme has also been hugely successful in developing the sport and it is wonderful to have a sponsor who is so committed to the junior game.”

The tournament will be broadcast live across the Asian Tour TV platform, reaching 625 million households in over 180 countries thereby showcasing Indonesia to a global audience.

Asian Tour Chairman Kyi Hla Han said: “On behalf of our players, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to CIMB Niaga for its wonderful support. Since its launch, the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters has developed into a truly top-class international golf tournament that the country can be proud of. Our players are looking forward to returning in 2015 and entertaining golf fans and television viewers once again.”

Manager of International Promotion for Enjoy Jakarta Hari Wibowo, commented: “Major sporting and cultural events are a wonderful way to promote our beautiful country worldwide. The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters is one such event. The broadcast of the tournament enables us to reach golfers and non-golfers alike, encouraging them to come and visit Indonesia.”

Hari added: “Golf tourism is extremely important for Indonesia’s growing tourism industry. Events like the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters play a very important role in driving this traffic and the associated revenue so we will work very closely with the tournament to ensure maximum impact across the region. We look forward to welcoming all visitors to the event next year.”

Sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGTI, the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters will feature 24 Indonesian golfers; 20 professionals from the PGTI and four of Indonesia’s top amateurs. Previous editions have welcomed Indonesia’s brightest professionals and amateurs such as George Gandranata, Rory Hie, Jordan Irawan, Andik Mauludin and Tirto Tamardi.

Besides fostering local talents, the tournament also has a tradition of hosting many of the world’s top golfers including the winner of the 2011 and 2012 tournament, Lee Westwood of England, four-time Major Champion Ernie Els, three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit Winner Thonghchai Jaidee of Thailand, 2011 Open Champion Darren Clarke, 2010 Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen and Ryder Cup star Victor Dubuisson of France.

The 2014 tournament was won in spectacular style by Anirban Lahiri of India when he holed an eagle putt on the last hole to defeat Baek Seuk-hyun of Korea and young Australian Cameron Smith. The victory was Lahiri’s first win outside India and his fourth on the Asian Tour.

Rinaldi Adiyandono Takes Lead In Second Round Of The Indonesian Golf Tour Grand Final

Tangerang, December 10, 2014 - Panasonic Open Indonesia 2014 Champion, Rinaldi Adiyandono, managed to make three birdies and an eagle on hole 18 to complete the second round with a score of two-under-par for a total of 142, overtaking Kurnia Heri Siandy who led after the first round of the Indonesian Golf Tour Grand Final, presented by Linc Group, at Imperial Klub Golf Karawaci.

"GIR (Green In Regulations) is pretty good today, yesterday I made only 7, but today I managed to increase this to 11. My driver shots where more on the fairway, as well as I was putting better than yesterday. The area where I still have to concentrate on tomorrow is my wedge shots that I should do better and not miss, because it is one of the factors to better my score" Rinaldi smiled with confidence.

Asep Saefulloh produced three birdie to climb today to 2nd in the second round, with a total score of one-under-par, for a total 143. He is followed by Benita Y Kasiadi who managed to make a jump to third after scoring 3-under today, two shots from the lead.

Scores after the first round of the Grand Final of the Indonesian Golf Tour (Par 72):

(A denotes amateur)

142 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 71-71

143 - Asep SAEFULLOH 72-71

144 - Benita Y. KASIADI 75-69

146 - Jordan IRAWAN 76-70, I Ketut SUGIARTA 73-73, Ramadhan ALWIE 73-73

147 - William SJAICHUDIN 73-74, Hendry NASIM 73-74, Kurnia Heri SIANDY 70-77

148 - Jamel ONDO 75-73, Aditya NOVIANTO (A) 72-76, SARMILIH 71-77, Indra HERMAWAN 71-77

149 - Maan MASIM 73-76, Joshua Andrew WIRAWAN 73-76

150 - Rudi ANTO 74-76, Denny A. WIJAYA 71-79

151 - Junaidi IBRAHIM 79-72, HARJITO 78-73, Fahmi REZA 77-74, Ian ANDREW 76-75, Joeh SEIK (A) 75-76

152 - Fajar WINURYANTO 78-74

153 - Bramantio ADI 76-77, ILYASSYAK 74-79

155 - Johannes DERMAWAN 73-82

158 - SIM Min Sub (A) 81-77, Andik MAULUDIN 79-79, SANUSI 76-82

2 Local Amateurs Make The Cut At Bank BRI Indonesia Open

Jakarta, December 6 - Padraig Harrington of Ireland struggled to take advantage of the calm morning conditions on Saturday as he tied for the second round lead with Thanyakon Khrongpha at the Bank BRI Indonesia Open.

The three-time Major winner was five-under through 12-holes on Friday which included an opening eagle before the halfway stage of the US$750,000 Asian Tour event was suspended due to inclement weather.

With a 4.50am morning call, Harrington returned to the Damai Indah Golf, Pantai Indah Kapuk Course to finish with six straight pars for a 12-under-par 130 total which matched Thanyakon’s efforts yesterday.

“It was nice conditions and obviously I would like to make a few birdies this morning. But that happens and thankfully it was only six holes. Hopefully I will hit it a bit closer and make a few putts in the afternoon,” said Harrington.

Nathan Holman of Australia was a further two shots back following an impressive 63 while Jarin Todd after matching Thanyakon’s efforts of 63, while Scott Hend and Jarin Todd of the United States shot identical 64s for a 133 total.

The Indonesian squad was able to fight back when Johannes Dermawan (71) as well as amateurs tirto Tamardi (70) and Fadhli Rahman Soetarso (73) where able to score enough birdies to make it into the weekend, together with George Gandranata (68) and Jordan Irawan (67) who already finished their round on Friday.

The halfway cut was set at one-over-par 143 with a total of 72 players qualifying for the weekend rounds. Title holder Gaganjeet Bhullar crashed out from the event after finishing two shots over the mark.

Scores after round 2 of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open (Par 71):

(Indonesian unless stated, A denotes amateur)

130 – Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA) 67-63, Padraig HARRINGTON (IRL) 64-66

132 – Nathan HOLMAN (AUS) 69-63

133 – Jarin TODD (USA) 69-64, Scott HEND (AUS) 69-64

134 – Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS) 63-71

135 – Thitiphun CHUAYPRAKONG (THA) 69-66

136 – WANG Jeung-hun (KOR) 70-66, Sam BRAZEL (AUS) 68-68, Bryce EASTON (RSA) 67-69, Scott BARR (AUS) 69-67

Selected:

137 – George GANDRANATA 69-68

138 - Jordan IRAWAN 71-67

140 - Tirto TAMARDI (A) 70-70

142 - Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A) 69-73

143 - Johannes DERMAWAN 72-71

Missing the cut:

144 - Jamel ONDO 75-69

146 - William SJAICHUDIN 77-69, Andik MAULUDIN 72-74

147 - Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO 77-70

149 - Ian ANDREW 76-73, Junaidi IBRAHIM 74-75

150 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 76-74, Fahmi REZA 76-74

151 - Calvin ALAN (A) 79-72

152 - Indra HERMAWAN 74-78, I Ketut SUGIARTA 78-74

153 - Zaki AULIYAN (A) 73-80

154 - Joshua Andrew WIRAWAN 79-75, Dominikus GLENN (A) 78-76

155 - Bramantio ADI 79-76

156 - Cahyo ADHITOMO (A) 76-80, Kevin C. AKBAR (A) 80-76

157 - Anugerah BAGINDA (A) 79-78, Rizchy SUBEKTI (A) 77-80, Asep CAPRIE 74-83

158 - Fajar WINURYANTO 80-78

161 - Asep SAEFULLOH 81-80

162 - Ramadhan ALWIE 83-79

168 - Jon CAHYADI (A) 83-85, Rafa SALMUN (A) 85-83

George Gandranata Enters Top Ten At Bank BRI Indonesia Open

Jakarta, December 5 - In-form Thanyakon Khrongpha of Thailand fired a superb eight-under-par 63 to seize the clubhouse lead as Padraig Harrington’s charge was stopped by bad weather at the BANK BRI Indonesia Open on Friday.

The slightly-built Thai produced a near perfect card in the calm morning conditions which included nine birdies before stumbling to a lone bogey on his last hole to settle for a 12-under-par 130 total at the Damai Indah Golf, Pantai Indah Kapuk Course.

Multiple Major winner Harrington negotiated his way in 12-under through 12 holes before the US$750,000 halfway stage was called off for the day due to inclement weather. The Irishman and 66 other players will resume play at 6.30am on Saturday.

Among the players who finished their rounds include Asian Tour rookie Nathan Holman of Australia, who was two shots back after matching Thanyakon’s efforts of 63, while Scott Hend and Jarin Todd of the United States shot identical 64s for a 133 total.

George Gandranata (68) continued his good form and provisionally entered the top ten, and is being challenged for top Indonesian player by Jordan Irawan, who fired a 67 and is now one shot behind George. However the rest of the home field will likely not make the cut that currently is projected at +1 (143).

The slightly built Thanyakon continued his rich vein of form after securing two top-five results in Japan and Chiangmai in the last three weeks. He is beginning to reap the rewards of working with his coach Andrew Knott since 2013.

“Everything in my game was good especially my ball striking. I hit a lot of shots for close range birdies. The longest birdie of the day was on the seventh hole from 30 feet,” said the 24-year-old Thanyakon.

“I enjoyed a good run after turning professional in 2010 but after that I didn’t do too well because I had no confidence in my swing. Mentally I was not strong enough. Then last year, I worked with Andrew and I’ve really improved since then,” he explained.

Harrington, a three-time Major winner, was five-under at the turn courtesy of an opening eagle which he holed from 15 feet. He marked his card with another bogey and birdie before play was abandoned.

“I had a nice start. I hit a nice drive and a five iron to about 15 feet for eagle. I birdied the next two as well. It was nice to be four-under after three holes. I didn’t play quite solid after that but we’ll have to see if I can finish strongly tomorrow,” said Harrington.

“The course is playing nicely. There was a bit of wind in the afternoon which made it trickier. As I play more rounds I get to know the course a little better. I have an early wake-up call tomorrow so hopefully I can continue to do well,” he explained.

Tour rookie Holman took advantage of the ideal scoring conditions without shooting a single bogey. Currently ranked 95th on the Order of Merit, the Australian is spurred on by the thought of saving his card for next year.

“I’m looking to play on the Asian Tour until the end of the year and try to keep my card. Keeping my card is definitely on my mind and it is spurring me on a little bit. Anytime you shoot in the low 60s when you got something on the line is always good,” said Holman.

Big-hitting Hend, who won his first Asian Tour title on this course in 2008, eagled the 13th hole from eight feet to charge into contention.

“I had some loose shots coming in and I’m a bit lucky to make some par putts and saves. I hit it good on the first nine and not so good on the back so it even out. Now I’m in a nice position,” said Hend, a six-time Asian Tour winner.

Scores after round 2 of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open (Par 71):

(Indonesian unless stated, A denotes amateur)

130 – Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA) 67-63

132 – Nathan HOLMAN (AUS) 69-63

133 – Jarin TODD (USA) 69-64, Scott HEND (AUS) 69-64

137 – Poosit SUPUPRAMAI (THA) 70-67, Chris RODGERS (ENG) 69-68, George GANDRANATA 69-68, Blair WILSON (AUS) 68-69

138 – Jordan IRAWAN 71-67, Quincy QUEK (SIN) 71-67

Selected:

144 - Jamel ONDO 75-69

146 - William SJAICHUDIN 77-69, Andik MAULUDIN 72-74

147 - Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO 77-70

149 - Ian ANDREW 76-73

150 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 76-74

152 - Indra HERMAWAN 74-78, I Ketut SUGIARTA 78-74

154 - Joshua Andrew WIRAWAN 79-75, Dominikus GLENN (A) 78-76

155 - Bramantio ADI 79-76

156 - Cahyo ADHITOMO (A) 76-80, Kevin C. AKBAR (A) 80-76

157 - Anugerah BAGINDA (A) 79-78

158 - Fajar WINURYANTO 80-78

161 - Asep SAEFULLOH 81-80

162 - Ramadhan ALWIE (INA)

Still to complete the second round:

-12 - Padraig HARRINGTON (IRL) 64 -5 (12)

-7 - Sam BRAZEL (AUS) 68 -4 (12), Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS) 63 +1 (11)

-6 - Danny CHIA (MAS) 68 -3 (13)

-5 - Bryce EASTON (RSA) 67 -1 (10)

+2 - Johannes DERMAWAN 72 +1 (15)

+3 - Junaidi IBRAHIM 74 Par (9)

+5 - Benny KASIADI 75 +1(16)

+7 - Fahmi REZA 76 +2(8)

+8 - Calvin ALAN (A) 79 Par (9)

+10 - Rizchy SUBEKTI (A) 77 +4 (16), Zaki AULIYAN (A) 73 +8 (16)

+11 - Asep CAPRIE 74 +8 (12), Ilyasyak 82 Par (9)

+16 - Jon CAHYADI (A) 83 +4 (8)

+20 - Rafa SALMUN (A) 85 +6 (8)

George Gandranata Leads Local Field In First Round Of Bank BRI Indonesia Open

Jakarta, December 4 - Kalem Richardson of Australia fired a superb eight-under-par 63 to lead by one shot over Padraig Harrington of Ireland after the first round of the BANK BRI Indonesia Open on Thursday.

Richardson, who has two top-five results in his last three events, rolled in eight birdies, including a 20-footer on the last hole to steal the limelight from Harrington, who is making his debut at the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.

The three-time Major champion, produced his best score in 2014 with a 64 after birdieing his first two holes from close range at the Damai Indah Golf – Pantai Indah Kapuk course.

Australia’s Adam Groom battled through a leg infection to return with a 67 to tie for third place alongside India’s Arjun Atwal, Thanyakon Khrongpha of Thailand and Bryce Easton of South Africa.

The local field was led by it's current number 1 player, George Gandranata, and amateur Fadhli Soetarso. Both players played 2-under par and are in a 15-way tie for 14th place. Another amateur, Tirto Tamardi, is one shot further back, with Jordan Irawan (71) as well as Johannes Dermawan and Andik Mauludin (both 72) all still in the top 54.

Starting from the 10th tee, Richardson stayed sharp on his first nine holes, as he did not play the stretch during the practice round, and was rewarded with four straight birdies before turning in 31.

“I guess when you haven’t played the back nine, you concentrate more because you don’t know where you are going. You really need to rely on the yardage book and good advice from your caddy,” said the 26-year-old Richardson.

He is playing without any pressure this week after securing his full Asian Tour card for the 2015 season after finishing tied fourth in Thailand last week.

“I secured my Asian Tour card last week so I’m going to try and enjoy the week and see what happens. I got no pressure on me now so I’ll just try and finish as high as I can on the Order of Merit. Obviously I want to try to get a win before the season ends,” said the Australian, who is ranked 47th on the Merit list.

Harrington took advantage of his early morning start and birdied his opening two holes before going on to add six more birdies which included a 15-footer birdie on the par three seventh hole.

“I could have picked a few spots to make more birdies. I made a nice 15-footer on the seventh hole and it is always nice to hole a nice putt when you are already six-under for the day,” said the Irishman.

“Overall I’m happy with the round. Obviously it is still a long way to go. It was very nice early on and the greens are a little bit softer. When the wind came up after nine holes, it wasn’t really a problem for me because I had a few birdies in the bank at that stage,” smiled Harrington.

Atwal, the 2003 Asian Tour number one and first Indian to win on the PGA Tour, got off to a slow start when he turned in 35 but bounced back with three birdies on his way home.

“I didn’t take advantage of the early start. I didn’t make a birdie after six holes but I stayed patient and tried to hole some putts which happened on my back nine. My game is getting better every week and I’m happy with today’s efforts,” said Atwal.

Thailand’s Thanyakon holed his greenside bunker shot on the first hole for eagle and chipped-in from 125 yards on the par four fifth hole for his second eagle of the day.

The slightly built Thai hopes to continue his hot form after finishing tied third in Japan last week and securing a share of second place in Chiangmai on the Asian Tour two weeks ago.

“It was a good day even though I bogeyed the last. I’m playing with a lot of confidence. I missed the cut here last year but now I’m playing much better,” said the 24-year-old Thanyakon.

Scores after round 1 of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open (Par 71:

(Indonesian unless stated, A denotes amateur):

63 – Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS)

64 – Padraig HARRINGTON (IRL)

67 – Adam GROOM (AUS), Bryce EASTON (RSA), Arjun ATWAL (IND), Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA)

68 – Danny CHIA (MAS), Rahil GANGJEE (IND), Sam BRAZEL (AUS), S.S.P CHOWRASIA (IND), Daniel CHOPRA (SWE), Carlos PIGEM (ESP), Blair WILSON (AUS)

Selected:

69 – Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A), George GANDRANATA

70 – Tirto TAMARDI (A)

71 - Jordan IRAWAN

72 - Johannes DERMAWAN, Andik MAULUDIN

73 - Zaki AULIYAN (A)

74 - Asep CAPRIE, Junaidi IBRAHIM, Indra HERMAWAN

75 - Benny KASIADI, Jamel ONDO

76 - Fahmi REZA, Ian ANDREW, Cahyo ADHITOMO (A), Rinaldi ADIYANDONO

77 - Rizchy SUBEKTI (A), William SJAICHUDIN, Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO

78 - I Ketut SUGIARTA, Dominikus GLENN (A)

79 - Calvin ALAN (A), Anugerah BAGINDA (A), Joshua Andrew WIRAWAN, Bramantio ADI

80 - Fajar WINURYANTO, Kevin C. AKBAR (A)

81 - Sarmilih, Asep SAEFULLOH

82 - Ilyasyak

83 - Jon CAHYADI (A), Ramadhan ALWIE

85 - Rafa SALMUN (A)

Supravee Phatam Wins First Borobudur Golf Classic

Magelang, November 21: Thailand’s Supravee Phatam capitalized on good karma in the shadow of the world famous Borobudur Temple and sauntered to a convincing victory in the US$60,000 Borobudur Classic today.

Supravee completed an impressive wire-to-wire win after closing with a one-under-par 71 at Borobudur International Golf & Country Club – located just 20 minutes from the world’s largest Buddhist temple.

He ended the ASEAN PGA Tour event on 11-under-par 277 and finished two strokes ahead of compatriot Pijit Petchkasem, who fired a 69.

Thailand’s Wisut Artjanawat returned a 67 finishing a stroke further behind.

Supravee fired a course record 65 on the opening and never looked back with ensuing rounds of 72, 69 and 71.

“I am pleased to get my first win as a professional. I have been working very hard since I turned professional three years ago,” said Supravee, who earned a cheque for US$9,750.

“It was a tough battle as Pijit pushed me all the way. I had a feeling he might come through. I had a couple of three putts on the back and made some poor approach shots.”

Supravee had a four-shot lead at the start of the day. He began well by going out in two under before giving the chasing pack some hope by making bogey on 13 and 14.

Pijit fired four birdies and dropped one shot on the homeward stretch to put the pressure on the leader but had to settle for second place.

“It is one of my best finishes on the ASEAN PGA Tour. I just ran out of holes,” said Pijit.

Wisut, a five-time winner on the ASEAN PGA Tour, made his expected final day charge and after dropping a shot on the fourth he shifted gear and accelerated up the leaderboard with birdies on seven, eight and nine and then 11, 13 and 18.

Andik Mauluddin shot a 72 to finish as the leading Indonesian in joint fourth place along with Thailand’s Tanatchan Puaktes, who carded a 73.

Indonesian Jo Seik, whose Korean parents raised him from birth in Jakarta, finished as the leading amateur in a tie for eighth position following a 73.

Earlier this year he claimed the Indonesian Amateur Championship.

The next event on the ASEAN PGA Tour is the season-ending US$75,000 Sabah Masters at Sutera Harbour Golf Club from January 14 to 17.

Leading final round scores (Par 72):

277 – Supravee PHATAM (THA) 65 72 69 71

279 – Pijit PETCHKASEM (THA) 74 67 69 69

280 – Wisut ARTJANAWAT (THA) 74 66 73 67

284 – Andik MAULUDDIN 71 70 71 72, Tanatchan PUAKTES (THA) 73 68 70 73

286 – GOH Kun Yang (SIN) 71 76 68 71, Annop TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 72 69 72 73

287 – Jo SEIK (am) 71 70 73 73, Pasamet POGAMNERD (THA) 68 75 70 74

289 – Kurnia HERISHANDY 75 72 72 70

Selected:

295 – Fahmi REZA 74 72 76 73, Jordan IRAWAN 73 73 71 78, Rinaldi ADIANDONO 73 72 71 79

296 – Indra HERMAWAN 75 75 74 72, ADE Sebul 73 75 74 74

298 - JUNAIDI Ibrahim73 75 74 76

299 - JAMEL Ondo 299 75 72 75 77

300 - Fajar WIN NURYANTO 72 74 76 78

302 - Alwie RAMADHAN 77 75 78 72, SARMILIH 76 75 76 75

303 - Asep SAEFULLOH 78 79 74 72, RUDIANTO 80 74 74 75

304 - Andi SOEYATMO 74 78 78 74

305 - SUPRIYATNA 78 77 74 76

306 - ILYASSAK 77 74 77 78

307 - MAHPUDIN 76 73 81 77

308 - Ismail HAMZAH 81 74 76 77
, ASNAN 75 74 78 81

310 - SOEWARNO K. 82 82 72 74, Yonathan CHRISTYAWAN (am) 80 79 76 75, HAMZAH Rachmadi 78 81 76 75, Adi BRAMANTIO 80 78 76 76

313 - Iwan SUWANTONO 77 81 79 76

315 - SUMARNO 75 76 87 77, Haryono MIN 78 78 78 81

316 - BENNY (am) 82 76 79 79, Zulharmen TABUSALLA 79 81 77 79

318 - Min Sub SIM (am) 78 78 83 79

320 - SUJARWO 86 79 76 79, Joko SETIABUDI 79 81 79 81

321 - SUJAI 81 82 81 77, Rudi HARTONO 77 80 78 86

338 - PUDYO 87 82 84 85

339 - Johanes RUDIANTO 86 81 82 90

Thais Take The Lead At Borobudur Classic

Magelang, November 18 - Thailand’s Supravee Phatam produced inspirational golf in harmony with his surrounds after firing a seven-under-par 65 on the opening day of the US$60,000 Borobudur Classic.

His performance broke the course record at Borobudur International Golf & Country Club, which is a short 20-minute drive from the world’s largest Buddhist temple, Borobudur.

Supravee finished the day with a healthy three-stroke lead over compatriot Pasamet Pogamnerd, in the penultimate event of the 2014/2015 season on the ASEAN PGA Tour.

Thailand’s Pasavee Lertvilai, Indonesia’s Andik Mauluddin and amateur Jo Seik , Goh Kun Yang from Singapore ended the day tied for third after returning 71s.

In stark contrast to the rest of the field Supravee did not drop any shots. He went out in three under with birdies on the first, third and ninth. Another birdie on the 10th put him in a strong position before he saved the best for last with birdies on the last three holes.

“It is a short course but narrow so you can get into trouble very easily with a big score on one hole,” said Supravee.

“I managed to stay out of trouble with a bit of luck. It will be hard to stay out of trouble all week but I will stick to the same game plan and try and repeat today’s round.”

Thailand’s Wisut Artjanawat, the winner of a record five titles on the ASEAN PGA Tour, was in the hunt for much of the day but made back-to-back double bogey sixes on 13 and 14 to slip to a 74.

This year marks the first Borobudur Classic and the tournament has been set up to assist the local golf tourism industry.

Borobudur temple, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, plays a major role in tourism and is Indonesia’s single most visited tourist attraction.

Leading first round scores (Par-72):

(Indonesian unless stated)

65 - Supravee Phatam (THA)

68 - Pasamet Pogamnerd (THA)

71 -Pasavee Lertvilai (THA), Andik Mauluddin, Goh Kun Yang (SIN), Jo Seik

72 - Fajar Win Nuryanto, Annop Tangkamolprasert (THA), Rinaldi Adiandono, Junaidi Ibrahim, Jordan Irawan, Tanatchan Puaktes (THA), Ade Sebul

74 - Wisut Artjanawat (THA), Andi Soeyatmo, Pijit Petchkasem (THA), Fahmi Rezai, Ak Wira (BRU), Tony Blacker (AUS)
Selected:

75 - Asnan, Indra Hermawan, Jamel Ondo, Kurnia Herishandy, Sumarno

76 - Sarmilih, S. Mahfudin

77 - Rudi Hartono, Ilyassak, Iwan Suwantono, Alwis Ramadhan, Tjia Eddy Susanto

78 - Asep Saefulloh, Sim Min Sub, Haryono Min, Supriyatna, Rachmadi Hamzah

79 - Zulharmen Tabusalla, Joko Setiabudi

80 - Adi Bramntio, Rudianto, Yonathan Christyawan

81 - Ismail Hamzah, Agus Sumartono, Sujai

82 - K. Soewarno, Sendy Susanto, Benny

85 - Warsito, Mahmud Dana

86 - Sujarwo, Johanes Rudianto

87 - Diyono DarmanDARMAN, Pudyo

88 - Zulkarnaen Tanjung

90 - Warno, Wahyudi Sucahyo

96 - Hendra Atmaja

ADT Hopefuls Line Up For Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament

Jakarta, August 11 - Talented ADT stars from over 22 countries will battle for honors at the US$100,000 Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament which makes its debut on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) from August 21 to 24.

The inaugural event, which will be played at the BSD course by Damai Indah Golf, will raise this season’s events to a record total of 20 on the burgeoning Tour. The Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament will be the 13th stop on the ADT schedule and the second tournament to be held in Jakarta this season.

Local talents George Gandranata, who won three titles on the domestic circuit this year, Rory Hie and Andik Mauludin will spearhead the home charge against a strong international field which includes ADT winners Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand, England’s Grant Jackson, American James Bowen and 2012 Order of Merit champion Jay Bayron of the Philippines.

Gandranata, who claimed his first top-10 result on the ADT in Chinese Taipei last week, is excited with the new event, where he hopes to challenge for his first ADT victory.

“Having a new ADT tournament in Indonesia is definitely good for local players like me because we get more exposure from playing in international events. It was a great experience playing with established golfers in Chinese Taipei two weeks ago. Hopefully I can bring forward the good momentum to the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament,” said the 28-year-old.

Ir. Ciputra, founder and chairman of Ciputra Business Group as well as sponsor of the inaugural Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, said: “We are excited with the launch of the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament and we are honoured to be involved with the ADT for the first time.

“The ADT is the gateway to the Asian Tour and we hope this tournament will provide the opportunity for Indonesian players to fast-track their careers. We look forward to a very successful tournament,” added Ir. Ciputra.

Irfan Hamid, Asian Tour’s Associate Director of Business Development, was thrilled to welcome the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament as the newest tournament on the ADT Schedule.

“On behalf of our talented players, I would like to express our fullest appreciation to Mr. Ciputra and the PGTI for their support of professional golf in Asia. We are privileged to welcome the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament on the ADT Schedule and we hope to unearth many more rising stars of the game through this new and exciting event,” said Irfan.

Johannes Irwan Dermawan, President of the newly established Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia (PGTI), also hailed the establishment of the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament on the ADT.

“We’re very delighted to partner with Ir. Ciputra as well as the ADT for this inaugural Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament which I am sure will play a key role in shaping the growth of the sport in the country,” said Dermawan.

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.

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

Maan Nasim Leads After First Round Of Indonesian Golf Tour At Padang Golf Modern

Tangerang, 10th June 2014 - Maan Nasim sealed round one of the Indonesian Golf Tour at Padang Golf Modern with five-under-par (67) putting him at the head of the pack for the day.

With a record clean score on the front nine, Maan successfully signed-in 4 birdies. A bogey on the 13th did not stop him with a quick recovery on 14th when he sank his birdie putt with and another birdie secured on the 16th.

Tailing Maan in second place is Andik Mauludin with three-under-par (69) followed by I Ketut Sugiarta who scored two-under-par (68) and sits in third place. Despite playing in rainy conditions, the current Order of Merit leader, George Gandranata was still able to sign-in at one-under-par (71) tied in 4th place with Indra Hermawan.

"The Fairways were firm before it rained on the 14th hole. The greens are not like I remember 2 years ago either if am not mistaken but overall the course is in great condition," said George.

In this edition of Indonesian Golf Tour at Padang Golf Modern, 40 male and 11 female amateur golfers are participating in the tournament. Scoring three-under-par (69), Ida Ayu Indira Melati Putri leads round one for the female amateurs while Elki Kow leads the male amateurs with 1-over-par.

The Indonesian Golf Tour at Padang Golf Modern is the 5th 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.

Modest George Gandranata Takes The Throne At The Indonesian Golf Tour At LotusLakes Golf Club

Karawang, May 9th, 2014 - George Gandranata put on a great game of golf and became the Champion of Indonesian Golf Tour at LotusLakes Golf Club. Not expecting to win, he played confidently and to his best ability, which is what George believes is the key to his success today.

George Gandranata with trophy and winner's cheque after winning the Indonesia Golf Tour at LotusLakes Golf Club. Picture: Fadil/OB Golf

“Golf is a ‘day by day’ game. One day you’re good, another day you play bad. I don’t have expectations for each of the tournaments I have played. All I need to do is make sure that I play well and produce a good score with every opportunity,” Said George.

“I want to thank PGTI and Jimmy Masrin who have created the opportunity for the local professional golfers to play more. I am sure that the more we play, we will be able to score better in the future. Of course thanks to all the sponsors such as Linc Group, and the host venue, LotusLakes Golf Club who prepared the course in superb condition, especially the greens that successfully caused headaches for us professional golfers. All was great and gave us more experience,” added George.

Kevin C. Akbar holds his trophy for Lowest Male Amateur at LotusLakes Golf Club. Picture: Fadil/OB Golf

George wins the tournament with a total score of even-par, 216 (70-73-73). Tailing him was amateur golfer, Kevin C. Akbar, who finished in second place and came in as the Lowest Male Amateur, with a total score of one-over-par, 217.

The tournament was another success for the Indonesian Golf Tour, thanks to Linc Group as the presenting partner, LotusLakes Golf Club as the host venue, PGTI as the sanctioning body and also OB Golf & Lifestyle Magazine as the promoter.

The next series of the Indonesian Golf Tour will be held at Padang Golf Modern, from June 10th – 12th June 2014. Be sure to mark your calendars and watch your favorite local professional golf player in action.

Leading scores after the final round of the Indonesian Golf Tour at LotusLakes Golf Club (A - denotes amateur):

216 - George Gandranata 70-73-73

217 - Kevin C Akbar (A) 74-71-72

218 - Bramantio Adi 77-72-69, Ian Andrew 75-72-71

221 - Rinaldi Adiyandono 78-71-72, Ilyassak 72-74-75

222 - Ari Safari (A) 78-73-71, Andik Mauludin 73-76-73

223 - Benita Y. Kasiadi 76-73-74

224 - Johannes Dermawan 77-75-72, Indra Hermawan 77-74-73, Abhi Sahari 72-77-75

Gandranata Stays On Top At Indonesian Golf Tour At LotusLakes Golf Club

Karawang, May 8th, 2014 - George Gandranata continues to lead the pack on the 2nd round of Indonesian Golf Tour played at LotusLakes Golf Club. Scoring a total of one-under-par (143), George managed to stay on the top of the leaderboard.

“My irons and chipping was not working well today. Thanks to my wedges I can save on my score. But overall my game is okay for today. My strategy for tomorrow will be the same. More fairways, more greens, and to score birdies on the par 5's. It is not an easy course. It’s hard to read the greens but we will see tomorrow”, said Gandranata.

“This is my first time playing at LotusLakes Golf Club. It’s a championship course. Its tricky, but there are several holes where you can attack. I enjoy playing here and really appreciate LotusLakes Golf Club for hosting the Indonesian Golf Tour,” added George.

Second place also continued to be occupied by an amateur player, Kevin C. Akbar, who successfully signed-in a total of one-over-par (145), whilst being chased by Ilyassak who sits in third place with a total of two-over-par (146).

With the cut at 17-over-par, it leaves 50 participants entering into the final round tomorrow. 10 out of 14 male amateurs who participated in the Indonesian Golf Tour have managed to survive the cut.

Leading scores after the second round of the Indonesia Golf Tour at LotusLakes Golf Club (A - denotes amateur):

143 - George Gandranata 70-73

145 - Kevin C Akbar (A) 74-71

146 - Ilyassak 72-74

147 - Ian Andrew 75-72, Maan Nasim 75-72

149 - Bramantio Adi 77-72, Rinaldi Adiyandono 78-71, Andik Mauludin 73-76, , Benny Kasiadi 76-73, Abhi Sahari 72 77

Gandranata Plays With Confidence At Indonesian Golf Tour At LotusLakes Golf Club

Karawang, May 7th, 2014 - George Gandranata, current Order of Merit leader of the Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia, scored a two-under-par on the first day of Indonesian Golf Tour series played at Lotus Lakes Golf Club.

George Gandranata teeing off at hole 10 at LotusLakes Golf Club - Picture: Fadil/OB Golf

George, who was the only Indonesian professional golf player that survived the cut in the recent CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters felt confident with his game and managed to take the lead at the Rp. 200,000,000 event.

Meanwhile, amateur golfer, Joeh Seik tied second place with Putra Abhinawa Sahari and Ilyassak who signed in an even-par.

The launch of the Indonesian Golf Tour presented by Linc Group is an ambitious new professional golf circuit aimed at speeding the development of Indonesia’s up and coming golfers.

The playing field comprises of 80 Indonesian Golf Professionals, 30 Male Amateurs, 20 Female Amateurs and 14 special invites marking the first time Indonesia has seen such a tour that allows for a playing field offering opportunities to both Amateurs and Golf Professionals at the same time.

A total of thirteen 3-day events are being hosted at selected courses in the greater Jakarta area with each boasting Rp200,000,000 prize purses. All 13 events earn ranking points for the participating golf professionals, setting the stage for the Road to the Indonesian Golf Championship to be hosted at Rawamangun Golf Club from December 10th – 13th this year.

The top 30 golf professionals and top 10 amateurs will play for the grand prize purse of Rp500,000,000 with all golf professionals guaranteed winnings in the 4-day tournament as well as the three top professional securing themselves a country exemption spot on the Asian Development Tour for the 2015 season.

Leading scores after the first round of the Indonesian Golf Tour Series at LotusLakes Golf Club (A - denotes amateur):

70 - George Gandranata

72 - Ilyassak, Abhi Sahari, Joeh Seik (A)

73 - Andik Mauludin

74 - Kevin C Akbar (A), Sarmilih

75 - Ian Andrew, Irmansyah, Jordan Surya Irawan, Denni Hermawan

Talented Gandranata Outshines Top Stars At CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 25 - Rising star George Gandranata of Indonesia outshone many of the tournament’s biggest names including Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and France’s Victor Dubuisson by carding a two-under-par 70 in the second round of the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Friday.

The 28-year-old compiled a two-day total of three-under-par 141 to emerge as the highest-ranked Indonesian in tied-23rd place, two shots ahead of Thongchai and Dubuisson, who took a share of 38th place after returning with rounds of 72 and 69 respectively at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Gandranata is feeling upbeat about his chances at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters as he managed to make cut for the first time in two appearances.

“It’s the first time I made cut here at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. I did not do well last year. I’m glad I rewrote history today. I came into the tournament hoping to make the cut. Now that I’ve achieved that, I really hope to see myself in contention tomorrow!” said Gandranata, who marked his card with five birdies against three bogeys.

Despite playing on home soil, Gandranata does not feel the pressure of having to play well in front of home crowd this week.

“I think playing on home soil actually helps my game. We don’t have lots of big tournaments here and I treasure every opportunity I get to play here. Playing at home makes me feel like there are a lot of people supporting me,” added Gandranata, who has been a regular player on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) since turning professional in 2012.

The second round of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters was suspended at 5pm local time due to lightning threats on Friday.

Local amateur Fadhli Rahman Soetarso will be one of the 19 players to resume their second rounds at 6.45am on Saturday. Soetarso is currently the second-placed Indonesian on tied-47th. He is even-par through 11 holes.

Indonesia's top-ranked player Rory Hie had to retire at hole 16 because of a wrist injury.

Round three will not start before 8am tomorrow.

Scores of the Indonesian players after day 2 of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course (a - denotes amateur, leader at -10):

141 - George GANDRANATA 71-70

(Par) - Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A) 72 Par (11)

148 - Ramadhan ALWIE 76-72

149 - Fahmi REZA 77-72

150 - William SJAICHUDIN 76-74, Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO 75-75

(+6) - Jamel ONDO 78 Par (11)

151 - Denny A. WIJAYA 77-74, Jordan IRAWAN 74-77, Sarmilih 73-78

152 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 78-74

(+8) - Andik MAULUDIN 77 +3 (12)

153 - Tirto TAMARDI (A) 77-76

(+9) - Benny KASIADI 78 +3 (14)

(+10) - Johannes DERMAWAN 75 +7 (14), Bramantio ADI 81 +1 (13), Ilyasyak 79 +3 (10)

155 - Ian ANDREW 77-78

156 - Asep SAEFULLOH 81-75, Ade SEBUL 80-76

157 - Kevin C. AKBAR (A) 77-80, Junaidi IBRAHIM 81-76

167 - Naraajie RAMADHANPUTRA (A) 79-88

168 - Abhi SAHARI 84-84

         Rory HIE 76 RTD (16)