2 Local Players In Top Twenty At Combiphar Golf Inventational

Bogor, Indonesia, November 26 - American John Catlin closed with a second consecutive four-under-par 67 to seal his maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) victory at the Combiphar Golf Invitational on Saturday.

John Catlin (2nd left) and Naraajie Ramadhan Putra (3rd right), flanked by Jimmy Masrin (Chairman of Asian Tour, left), Michael Wanand (CEO of Combiphar, 3rd left), Agung Budiman (President Director of Gunung Geulis Golf Resort, 2nd right) and Agus Triyono (Secretary General of the PGA Tour of Indonesia, right)

The 26-year-old Catlin, who started the day with a two-shot lead, sank four birdies against no bogey to claim a three-shot triumph with a 16-under-par 268 total at the Gunung Geulis Country Club situated in Bogor city.

Micah Lauren Shin, also of the United States, fired a 65 to grab a share of second place with Filipino stalwart Antonio Lascuna, who closed with a third straight 68, at the inaugural US$60,000 ADT event.

American Sam Cyr took fourth place on 273 following a 70 while Singapore’s Mitchell Slorach returned with a 71 to settle two shots back in fifth at the Combiphar Golf Invitational, which is the Tour’s second stop in Indonesia this season.

“This win means so much to me. I have been through a lot in my life both personally and as a professional over the last three years so it means a lot to finally win,” said the Bangkok-based Catlin, who turned professional in 2013 and is playing in his second year in Asia.

Catlin continued his overnight lead by nailing two straight birdies on the front to turn in 33. He sank a 20-foot breaking putt for birdie on 15 but was tied for lead with his fast-charging playing partner Lascuna on 15-under with three holes to play.

Catlin, however, kept his cool and regained the outright lead straightaway following a two-shot swing for birdie on 16 as Lascuna stumbled with back-to-back bogeys.

“I just kept it the same as the last three days. I just stayed patient out there. I am glad it paid off,” added Catlin, who took home the winner’s prize purse of US$10,500 and received six Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points courtesy of his win.

Indonesian amateur Naraajie Ramadhan Putra claimed the low amateur title by maintaining his nerves and putting in another solid round to finish in a tie for 16th, together with Danny Masrin who scored a lowest score of the day 65 in his final round.

Leading final round results:

268 - John CATLIN (USA) 70 64 67 67

271 - Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) 69 67 70 65, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 67 68 68 68

273 - Sam CYR (USA) 70 68 65 70

275 - Mitchell SLORACH (SGP) 70 63 71 71

276 - Atthaphon SRIBOONKAEW (THA) 69 75 66 66, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 71 70 66 69, Panuwat MUENLEK (THA) 68 69 68 71

277 - Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA) 72 71 68 66, Chanat SAKULPOLPHAISAN (THA) 73 68 70 66, Victor OSTERBY (DEN) 68 72 70 67, Gavin GREEN (MAS) 73 69 66 69
Indonesian players (A denotes amateur):

279 - Naraajie E. RAMADHAN PUTRA (A) 70 71 70 68, Danny MASRIN 70 75 69 65

283 - Benita KASIADI 72 71 72 68

284 - Ian ANDREW 72 67 73 72, Junaidi IBRAHIM 73 71 71 69

285 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 72 69 72 72

288 - George GANDRANATA 75 67 73 73, Indra HERMAWAN 69 76 70 73, Ramadhan ALWIE 71 73 72 72

290 - Rifqi ALAM (A) 68 73 73 76, Adrian HALIMI 72 71 71 76, Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (A) 73 71 72 74

Local Amateur Ramadhan Putra Looking For A Top 20 Finish At The Combiphar Golf Invitational

Bogor, Indonesia, November 25 - American John Catlin holed a pivotal birdie putt on the last for a four-under-par 67 to lead by two shots in the penultimate round of the Combiphar Golf Invitational on Friday.

Catlin, who started the round with a one-shot deficit, marked his card with five birdies against a lone bogey to sit atop the leaderboard on 12-under-par 201 total at the Gunung Geulis Country Club situated in Bogor city.

His compatriot Sam Cyr posted a solid 65 to share second place with Filipino stalwart Antonio Lascuna, who returned with a second consecutive 68, at the inaugural US$60,000 Asian Development Tour event, which is the Tour’s second stop in Indonesia this season.

Overnight leader Mitchell Slorach of Singapore slipped to fourth place on 204 following a 71 while Thailand’s Panuwat Muenlek, who is chasing for a third win this season, settled a further shot back in fifth after carding a 68.

“It was a grind but I stayed patient and kept it going out there. The conditions were pretty similar to yesterday. I made a nice breaking putt on 18 from 15 feet to finish with a birdie. That was my highlight today,” said Catlin.

“I will keep everything the same tomorrow. I just need to stay patient,” added the Bangkok-based 26-year-old, who is searching for a maiden win on the secondary circuit, which was launched in 2010 as a gateway to the region’s premier Tour.

Cyr credited his solid drives for giving him a fighting chance to challenge for a maiden win. “I played a really solid round. I hit a lot of good shots and I feel like my game is getting sharper each round. I am very happy about that.”

“I was able to hit it close a few times today. I like the way I am striking the ball. I left myself in good places to be aggressive on my putts as well. I made seven-footers on sixth and 16 and sank a 13-footer on 10,” said the 30-year-old Cyr.

Best of the local players is amateur Naraajie Ramadhan Putra, who scored a third successive sub-par round and is currently in a T19 with 5-under-par. He's one shot ahead of Ian Andrew who's in a tie for 26th after carding a 73.

Leading third round results:

201 - John CATLIN (USA) 70 64 67

203 - Sam CYR (USA) 70 68 65, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 67 68 68

204 - Mitchell SLORACH (SGP) 70 63 71

205 - Panuwat MUENLEK (THA) 68 69 68

206 - Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) 69 67 70

207 - John Michael O’TOOLE (USA) 72 70 65, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 71 70 66, Tawan PHONGPHUN (THA) 71 69 67

208 - Gavin GREEN (MAS) 73 69 66

Indonesian players (A denotes amateur):

211 - Naraajie E. RAMADHAN PUTRA (A) 70 71 70

212 - Ian ANDREW 72 67 73

213 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 72 69 72

214 - Rifqi ALAM (A) 68 73 73, Adrian HALIMI 72 71 71, Danny MASRIN 70 75 69

215 - George GANDRANATA 75 67 73, Benita KASIADI 72 71 72, Junaidi IBRAHIM 73 71 71, Indra HERMAWAN 69 76 70

216 - Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (A) 73 71 72, Ramadhan ALWIE 71 73 72

12 Local Players Through To Final Rounds At Combiphar Golf Invitational

Bogor, Indonesia, November 24 - Singapore’s Mitchell Slorach soared into the lead after signing for a superb eight-under-par 63 at the halfway stage of the Combiphar Golf Invitational on Thursday.

Starting the day three shots back, the 29-year-old Singaporean fired 10 birdies against two bogeys to lead by one shot on nine-under-par 133 total at the Gunung Geulis Country Club situated in Bogor city.

American John Catlin returned with a 64 to take second place while Filipino stalwart Antonio Lascuna sits a further shot back in third after posting a 68 at the inaugural US$60,000 Asian Development Tour event, which is the Tour’s second stop in Indonesia this season.

Micah Lauren Shin, also of the United States, signed for a 67 to take fourth place on 136 while Thailand’s Panuwat Muenlek and Raphael De Sousa of Switzerland shared fifth on 137 following identical 69s.

Slorach fired two opening birdies from 10 before dropping a shot on 12. He made it up right away with a birdie on 13 and nailed three straight birdies from 16 to turn in 31. He then added two pairs of birdies against a bogey on his way home for a 32.

“I struck the ball great and I putted very well. I missed only one fairway today and I hit 17 greens in regulation. I hit it close and I was able to give myself chances to make birdies today.

“I played with no expectations. I went out feeling calm and I stayed calm throughout the round. I managed myself well,” said Slorach, who enjoyed his best result on the ADT when he finished runner-up in the last event in Malaysia two months ago.

“The conditions are very wet. It will be a huge bonus if you can get on the fairways, given the preferred lies in play. I played pretty much the same as I did yesterday except that the putts went in today,” added Slorach.

Catlin credited his short game for a commendable round. “I putted very well. I gave myself a lot of birdie putts and my short game was on point as I only missed a few greens. I made a couple of 20-footers and sank most of the putts from five to 15 feet. I was rock solid,” said the Bangkok-based 26-year-old.

“I chipped it in from about 30 feet for eagle on 16. It was an uphill chip. I played aggressively and it went in. I went on the birdie the next hole and it was nice finishing the way I did. I will continue to stay patient. There is still a long way to go,” added Catlin, who traded an eagle and seven birdies against two bogeys.

The halfway cut was set at three-over-par 145 with a total of 59 players, including 12 Indonesian, advancing into the weekend rounds.

Leading second round results:

133 - Mitchell SLORACH (SGP) 70-63

134 - John CATLIN (USA) 70-64

135 - Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 67-68

136 - Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) 69-67

137 - Panuwat MUENLEK (THA) 68-69, Raphael DE SOUSA (SUI) 68-69

138 - Genki OKADA (JPN) 68-70, Natthapong NIYOMCHON (THA) 71-67, Sorachut HANSAPIBAN (THA) 71-67, Sam CYR (USA) 70-68

Indonesian players that made the cut:

139 - Ian ANDREW 72-67

141 - Naraajie E. RAMADHAN PUTRA (A) 70-71, Rifqi ALAM (A) 68-73, Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 72-69

142 - George GANDRANATA 75-67

143 - Adrian HALIMI 72-71, Benita KASIADI 72-71

144 - Junaidi IBRAHIM 73-71, Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (A) 73-71, Ramadhan ALWIE 71-73

145 - Danny MASRIN 70-75, Indra HERMAWAN 69-76

Veerman Leads Strong Cast To Combiphar Golf Invitational At Gunung Geulis

Bogor, Indonesia, November 22 - Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit leader Johannes Veerman of the United States will challenge for a second title at ‘home’ when he steps up to the tee at the Combiphar Golf Invitational on Wednesday.

The 22-year-old Texan, whose mother is Indonesian, will lead a host of up and coming players, including 25 ADT champions, to the inaugural US$60,000 event which will be held from November 23 to 26.

Eight players from top-10 on the current ADT Order of Merit will also be part of the 132-man field from over 20 countries vying for honours at the Royal Tulip Gunung Geulis Golf Resorts in Bogor, a city in the West Java province of Indonesia.

Veerman, who came through the Qualifying School earlier in January, enjoyed his best result on the Asian Tour when he finished tied-second at the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open last week. He will be looking to continue his fine form when he returns to the ADT this week.

Johannes Veerman - Photo Asian Tour

“I have played a lot of tournaments on the ADT and there are a lot of great competition out here. All of that playing experiences and practices on the ADT have been polishing my game,” said Veerman, who claimed his maiden ADT win in Chinese Taipei in July.

“There are a lot of talented players out here. I have been playing great so far this season. Golf is a long and hard road. You need to keep playing well to stay up there. Winning in Chinese Taipei earlier was a confidence booster for me,” he added.

Veerman will feature in the Combiphar Golf Invitational alongside Malaysia’s Gavin Green, Sweden’s Oscar Zetterwall and Itthipat Buranatanyarat of Thailand, placed second, fourth and fifth respectively on the Order of Merit.

George Gandranata, the first and only Indonesian to win on the ADT, will spearhead the home charge alongside Ian Andrew, Jordan Irawan and Danny Masrin, who emerged as the best Indonesian in tied-14th place at the recently-concluded Indonesia Open.

Almay Rayhan Yaqutah, who was the best amateur in tied-27th place at the Indonesia Open, will get another chance to play against the big boys in the Combiphar Golf Invitational, what is the Tour’s second stop in Indonesia this season.

Other notable players in the field include Asian Tour stalwart Antonio Lascuna of the Philippines, Steve Lewton of England, a one-time winner on the region’s premier Tour, as well as American Brett Munson.

All ADT events offer Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. The winner will receive six OWGR points while the top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

The top-five finishers on the final Order of Merit will secure their Asian Tour cards for 2017.

Weather Pushes Climax Of Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open To Monday

Jakarta, November 20 - Gaganjeet Bhullar of India will hold a two-shot advantage when he continues his battle with Jeev Milkha Singh on Monday at the weather-hit BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open.

Bhullar, a six-time Asian Tour winner, was 16-under through 15 holes but Singh continued to pile the pressure on his countryman before a thunderstorm at 1.05pm forced officials to suspend the game. An official announcement was made to stop play for the day at 4.30pm with a total of 19 players returning on Monday at 6.15am to finish the final round.

Thailand’s Danthai Boonma and Panuphol Pittayarat are tied on 13-under with one more hole to play while Dodge Kemmer of the United States fired a 65 to end his campaign on a 276 total at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

Trailing overnight leader Singh by a single shot, Bhullar took control of the tournament by hitting five birdies in seven holes. He slipped back with a bogey on hole 13 but will hold an edge heading into the last three holes.

“When we play in this part of the world, situations like this are expected. I’m going to treat Monday like Sunday. Mentally I have to tell my mind that I’m getting ready for a Sunday instead of a Monday finish!

“It is always good to be under the gun. That’s when you real play comes out. I’m looking forward to the remainder of the round,” said the 28-year-old Bhullar, who won his sixth Asian Tour title in Korea last month.

“This doesn’t change my game plan. As I said, I’ll just try and repeat the same thing over and over. Looking at the situation, I was totally warmed up and in a good momentum. I’m feeling good so I expect to score in the last three holes,” he added.

Singh, a two-time Asian Tour number one, hit a poor tee shot on the 16th hole before the sirens blared and will need to regroup as he searches for a first victory since 2012. A pair of birdies on holes 13 and 14 will give the Indian some hope on Monday.

“My poor drive will give Gaganjeet the edge now because he can relax and think about things. I was putting the heat on him but now he can put things in perspective,” said Singh, who has won 14 titles around the world.

“It is tough to replicate that Sunday feeling because Monday is usually your day off. I started pushing on the back nine. I think it was going in the right way until the rain came and everything was put on hold. At least I have a chance to win so it will be exciting,” said the 44-year-old.

Although the tournament still leaves 19 golfers who have to complete the remaining holes on Monday, the title of Low Amateur at the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open is certain to go to Indonesian golfer Almay Rayhan Yaquta. The 18-year-old golfer is the only amateur players who qualified for the cut.

After playing less well in the third round with a score of 75 (3-over-par) he saw his aggregate score reduced to 4-under par, from an impressive 7-under-par after the first two days. Almay finished the fourth round with an additional 1-under-par score for a total of five-under-par (283).

"On Saturday I was nervous. I lost my feeling at some holes. Finally, I got to finish with a three-over-par. Yes thank God. Today also I play hard. In the first nine holes I was at two-over par. A little disappointed. Then, on the second nine holes, I birdied on hole 12. I had the spirit again, but bogeyed again on hole 13. Then I started thinking about resigning to it. Well I make even par after birdies at holes 17, and added another birdie on hole 18," he said.

Almay Rayhan Yaquta - Picture Asian Tour

With a score of 5-under-par (283), Almay finished in T27 position. This score is the best achievement by an Indonesian amateur golfer in the Indonesia Open since 2005. Almay is proud to achieve this in only his second appearance to play at international level such as the Asian Tour. He gained a lot of experience playing here.

"I was fortunate for a chance like this. Not all players can play in this international event. I can learn also here. Can measure how our capabilities are in the Asian Tour. Our experience and game are still far away," he said.

Meanwhile, other representatives for Indonesia, George Gandranata and Jordan S. Irawan, also completed their final round with less than satisfactory results. George made a score of 1-over-par (73), eventually making a total score of even par (288), while Jordan's game worsened in recent days with a score of 78 (6-over-par), which made his position increasingly slip backwards for a score a total of 4-over-par (292).

"I admit I am physically exhausted after playing 28 holes on Saturday, because I had to complete 11 holes that were pending from the second round on Friday. I'm tired. It's a lesson that I have to improve physically in order to not to have this happen again," said Jordan.

Two other Indonesian golfers, Adrian Halimi and Danny Masrin, still need to continue the rest of the fourth round tomorrow. Adrian only needs to play one more hole with a score today of 1-under par, while Danny who currently is at T14 has still possibilities to raise on the leaderboard. He has three holes left with a score of 9-under par.

Asian Tour Tournament Director Jittisak Tamprasert said: “The decision to extend the tournament to Monday was decided after discussing with sponsors and officials. It was a decision made in the best interest of the tournament as we experienced numerous weather suspensions during the week.”

Leading scores:

Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) -16 through 15 holes

Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) -14 through 15 holes

Danthai BOONMA (THA) -13 through 17 holes

Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) -13 through 17 holes

Scores after round 4 of the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open 2016 being played at the par 72, 7243 Yards Pondok Indah GC course (am – denotes amateur):

276 – Dodge KEMMER (USA) 71-69-71-65

277 – Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA) 69-68-74-66, Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 70-69-70-68

278 – Janne KASKE (FIN) 68-67-75-68

Selected Indonesian players:

-9 - Danny MASRIN 68-72-67-E

283 - Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH 68-69-75-71

288 - George GANDRANATA 70-72-73-73

292 - Jordan IRAWAN 70-71-73-78

+5 - Adrian HALIMI 71-71-80-+5

Masrin On Verge Of Top Three Finish At Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open

Jakarta, November 19 - Jeev Milkh Singh of India fired a flawless six-under-par 66 to lead by one shot in the third round of the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open on Saturday as he aims to end a four-year title drought.

The two-time Asian Tour number one posted six birdies for a 13-under-par 203 total to set-up a nail-biting finale against countryman Gaganjeet Bhullar, who settled for a 68 after he bogeyed the last hole at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

Thailand’s Pannakorn Uthaipas returned with a 70 for a 205 total while local talent Danny Masrin trails by four shots after shooting a 67 as he aims to become the second Indonesian to win his National Open since 1989.

Danny Masrin

The penultimate round of the US$300,000 Asian Tour event was suspended at 5.20pm due to darkness and bad weather.

Lionel Weber of France and Johannes Veerman of the United States have yet to finish their rounds where they are nine-under with one hole to play.

The 44-year-old Singh, who has won 14 titles around the world but not since 2012, was delighted to lead in the tournament after finishing 29 holes after the second round was suspended on Friday.

“I’ve been up since four in the morning and I played 29 holes today. I can’t remember the last time I played so many holes. Honestly, my feet are hurting but I should be ready by tomorrow,” he said.

“I want to give these young boys a run for their money. Mentally I’m 21 but physically I’m not. I want to keep playing this game for 10 years and for as long as I play, I want to make the most out of it,” Singh added.

After struggling with injuries in recent years, Singh played some of his best golf with the help of his coach and caddy Amritinder Singh. His young son also followed him for 18 holes to give him added motivation.

“At the end of the day you have to keep believing in yourself and keep working on the right stuff. I’m happy this week because my family are here with me and my son followed me for 18 holes for the first time in my life. I was focussing more on him and I think that helped!” said Singh.

Bhullar put himself in prime position to win the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open for the second time in his career but he was disappointed to drop a shot on the last hole. He is enjoying a rich vein of form since winning in Korea last month.

“Everything was pretty smooth except the bogey on the last. I’m not pressing the panic button. I’m just trying to recall my memories from winning here before. I know I won this tournament before but it all comes to routine and process,” said the six-time Asian Tour winner.

26-Year-old Pannakorn eagled the sixth hole from 10 yards to give himself a fighting chance at winning his first Asian Tour title as he trails Singh by two shots.

“I’m feeling excited about the final round. I made a lot of good putts this week. I hit some poor shots today but I saved par. I’m feeling confident and I will do my best tomorrow,” said the ever-smiling Thai.

The 24-year-old Masrin, who turned professional last year, reverted to his old putter as he rolled in six birdies to carry the hopes of the nation in the final round. “My new putter felt good but it didn’t feel good in my hand so I decided to use the putter which has worked for me so far. My goal towards the end of the season is to play consistently and I’ve been doing that so hopefully tomorrow I’m holding that trophy,” said Masrin.

Scores after round 3 of the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open 2016 being played at the par 72, 7243 Yards Pondok Indah GC course (am - denotes amateur/Indonesian unless stated):

203 - Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) 71-66-66

204 - Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 71-65-68

205 - Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA) 69-66-70

207 - Danny MASRIN 68-72-67, Akinori TANI (JPN) 72-69-66, Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) 70-69-68

208 - Danthai BOONMA (THA) 69-71-68, Javi COLOMO (ESP) 70-68-70, Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA) 65-71-72

209 - Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 70-70-69, Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 70-70-69, Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 70-69-70, Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 69-67-73

Selected:

212 - Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (am) 68-69-75

214 - Jordan IRAWAN 70-71-73

215 - George GANDRANATA 70-72-73

222 - Adrian HALIMI 71-71-80

Yaquta Nears Top Ten At Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open

Jakarta, November 19 - Local amateur Almay Rahman Yaquta continued to surprise the field by leading a group of five Indonesian players into the weekend at the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesian Open.

After thunderstorms and upcoming darkness had stopped the second round late Friday, the 18 year old amateur had to complete his round early Saturday morning and did so with success. His second round score of 69 combined with a first round score of 68 meant he was the highest ranked Indonesian player to go into the weekend in a tie for 11th place.

Danny Masrin, Adrian Halimi and George Gandranata, who all had completed their rounds on Friday, together with Jordan Irawan, who still had to play a few holes Saturday morning, are joining Almay to battle for local honors in Indonesia's oldest tournament.

Johannes Veerman of the United States shot a six-under-par 66 to take the second round clubhouse lead on Friday as he searches for a first Asian Tour victory. The American, whose mum is half Indonesian, eagled the 14th hole for the second consecutive day to finish the round on 11-under-par 133 at the US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

Johannes Veerman teeing of at Bank BRI-JCB Indonesian Open

Hung Chien-yao from Taiwan joined Veerman at the top of the leaderboard on Saturday morning after completing his second round with a 67.

Frenchman Lionel Weber fired a sparkling 62 for the low round of the day as he finished two shots back of the clubhouse target alongside Janne Kaske (67) of Finland at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

The sweet swinging Veerman made 25 putts in a round of four birdies and one eagle which was his third for the week as he soared into contention at the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open. After spending most of his youth in Asia, Veerman, who is now based in Texas, hopes to continue his impressive form during the weekend where his mother and relatives will come to support him.

“I played some great golf. I’ve made so many eagles this week which is probably the most I’ve done in my life. I made two eagles yesterday and today on the 14th hole. I don’t know what’s happening but I like it,” said Veerman.

“It is difficult when you are travelling around the world but my mum is Indonesian and she is coming up with my family and they will be out here. I’ll be excited and happy to play in front of them,” he added.

Veerman enjoyed a splendid season on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) this year where he won once. He now hopes to follow in the footsteps of ADT graduates Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Poom Saksansin, who both won on the Asian Tour last month.

“All of that practice on the ADT has been polishing my game. You read about success stories of golfers winning but when you play with these guys (Pavit and Poom) and see them winning, then you tell yourself ‘hey if they can do it, so can I’,” he said.

Frenchman Weber, who is playing in his fourth season on the Asian Tour, fired his career’s low round of 62 where he birdied his closing five holes for a superb homeward nine score of 29-under. “During suspension, I went to the restaurant, had good food and was watching the golf on the television. I got back on the course feeling relaxed and enjoyed my round. Making five birdies in a row gives you a good feeling,” smiled Weber.

“I’ve got nothing to lose this week. I will play offensively. I haven’t won on the Asian Tour yet so it will be superb to do it. I think I’ve secured my Asian Tour card so I hope I can get a win now,” he said.

Kaske, a winner on the ADT, missed a par putt on the 16th hole after the weather delay but bounced back brilliantly when he chipped in for birdie from the edge of the 18th green. “We had a three-hour delay and I was imagining making that lag par putt but I burnt the edge on that one. I’ve had a bad year so far but I’m trying to finish the season strongly. A win will be the best case scenario,” said Kaske.

Scores after round 2 of the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open 2016 being played at the par 72, 7243 Yards Pondok Indah GC course (am - denotes amateur):

133 - Johannes VEERMAN (USA) 67-66, HUNG Chien-yao (TPE) 66-67

135 - Janne KASKE (FIN) 68-67, Lionel WEBER (FRA) 73-62, Khalin JOSHI (IND) 65-70, Adam GROOM (AUS) 70-65

136 - Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 69-67, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 71-65, Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA) 65-71
Selected Indonesian players:

137 - Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (A)

140 - Danny MASRIN 68-72

141 - Jordan IRAWAN 70-71

142 - Adrian HALIMI 71-71, George GANDRANATA 70-72.

Amateur Yaqutah Leads Local Charge At Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open

Jakarta, November 17 2016 - Indonesian amateur Almay Rayhan Yaqutah led the local charge by shooting an impressive 68 to tie in ninth place in the first round of the weather-interrupted BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open on Thursday alongside Quincy Quek of Singapore, Ben Leong of Malaysia, Victor Osterby of Denmark and Nicolas Paez of the United States.

Almay Rayhan Yaqutah

Chinnarat Phadungsil of Thailand and Khalin Joshi of India fired identical seven-under-par 65s to share the clubhouse lead at the US$300,000 Asian Tour event that was suspended for over two hours in the afternoon due to lightning threats before play was abandoned at 5.45 pm due to fading light.

Chinnarat, a three-time Asian Tour champion but not since 2009, and Joshi are fighting to retain their playing rights for next year as they currently occupy 73rd and 113th places on the Order of Merit. They must finish inside the top-65 by the end of the season to retain their Tour cards.

A total of 56 players will return on Friday at 6.15 am to complete their rounds at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

Hung Chien-yao of Chinese Taipei, who is searching for a first Asian Tour title, fired a bogey-free 66 while Korea’s Soonsang Hong, Sukree Othman of Malaysia and two-time Asian Tour winner Jazon Knutzon of the United States, who is also fighting to save his Tour card, are a further shot back.

The 28-year-old Chinnarat, who holds the honor of being the youngest winner on the Asian Tour at the age of 17 years and five days, rediscovered some of his best form by staying focused and keeping to a simple game plan. He fired nine birdies but slipped down the leaderboard when he triple bogeyed the par three eighth hole after his tee shot landed in the greenside bunker.

“I hope this will be my lucky week and I can win again to get my Asian Tour card. I lost confidence but I’ve been trying hard to get that win again,” said Chinnarat.

“I played good because I focused on my game and on the shots I want to hit. Previously, I kept thinking about so many different types of shots so it was very confusing. Now the plan is simple, think of one shot and commit to that shot. No more thinking about trying different shots!” he added.

The big-hitting Joshi is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his close friend Shubhankar Sharma, who finished tied fourth in the Philippines on Sunday to retain his Tour card for the new 2017 season. “I’ve been talking to Shubhankar (Sharma) and he has been a huge influence to me. He had a great week last week and I’m so happy for him. He told me to never give up because you never know what will happen until the last moment like what happened to him.

“I hope to follow in his footsteps and have one good week to keep my card. Once you’ve saved your card, it is a fantastic feeling because you are playing to win and trying to move higher in your career,” said the 24-year-old Joshi.

The 24-year-old Hung, who finished tied seventh in Philippines last week, continued his rich vein of form after working with new caddy Chen Ming-chuan, who is also his coach and a professional golfer. “I’m happy with the result. My playing partners told me that I missed a few good birdie putts so the round could have been lower. My caddy has given me a lot of confidence and he gives me good reads on the greens. It is a good partnership between us,” said Hung.

The 18-year-old amateur Yaqutah, a former individual and team gold medalist at the 2014 ASEAN School Games, fired five birdies against one bogey to enjoy a flying start in his first Asian Tour tournament. “I really had fun today. This is a very good experience for me to play in an Asian Tour event. I’m feeling very happy and excited but after I looked at the score, I’m shaking a bit. Shooting a 68 in an Asian Tour event is quite impressive!” said Yaqutah.
Scores after round 1 of the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open 2016 being played at the par 72, 7243 Yards Pondok Indah GC course (am - denotes amateur):

65 - Khalin JOSHI (IND), Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA)

66 - HUNG Chien-yao (TPE)

67 - Soonsang HONG (KOR), Sukree OTHMAN (MAS), Jason KNUTZON (USA)

68 - Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (am), Quincy QUEK (SIN), Ben LEONG (MAS), Nicolas PAEZ (USA), Victor OSTERBY (DEN)

Selected Indonesian players:

70 - Jordan IRAWAN
-2 - Danny Masrin (13), Dede IDRIS (10*)

71 - Alexander VALENTINO (am)
-1 - George GANDRANATA (11*), Alfred RAJA (am, 9)

Masrin And Gandranata Dare To Dream At Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open

Jakarta, November 15 - Local talents George Gandranata and Danny Masrin hope to secure a home victory at the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open which starts on Thursday, and raise the exposure of golf in the country.

Sis Apik Wijayanto, Director of BRI says: “Indonesia Open is one of the most prestigious national tournament in Asia and BRI is honoured to be the main sponsor for this tournament."

“We hope this national tournament will influence Indonesian golfers to play and show their best skill to win BRI-JCB Indonesia open next month. This will be a fantastic achievement in the area of golf development in our country.”

Gandranata, the leading golfer in Indonesia, the highly rated Masrin, Ian Andrew and Jordan Irawan are among 20 local hopefuls contending at the US$300,000 event which returns on the Asian Tour schedule after a one-year hiatus.

They will be joined by former Indonesia Open champion Gaganjeet Bhullar of India and new Asian Tour winners Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand, Thitiphun Chuayprakong and Carlos Pigem of Spain at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

India’s Jeev Milkha Singh, a two-time Asian Tour number one, Akinori Tani of Japan, Thai rising star Phachara Khongwatmai, Casey O’Toole of the United States and Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh will also feature in the showpiece.

Gandranata, a winner on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) which is the secondary circuit of the Asian Tour, is determined to wear his heart on his sleeve as he aims to become the second Indonesian to win his National Open after Kasiadi’s triumph in 1989.

“I’m proud to play in the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open. It is every golfers dream to play in their National Open and try to win it. It is different when you play in your country, there’s pressure but I like having the pressure. It motivates me to do better,” said Gandranata.

Gandranata, who won the silver and bronze medals in the team and individual category respectively at the 2011 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, has his eye on claiming the Golden Trophy which is awarded to the winner of the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open.

“I play to win but it won’t be easy,” said the 30-year-old, who finished tied 15th in the 2014 edition. “I have high hopes in this event and like everybody, I want to win it for my country.

Golf is slowly growing but a local winner will increase the popularity of the sport by a few notches.

The 24-year-old Masrin hopes to use his experience of playing on the ADT to good use. He was among four local golfers to make the halfway cut at the Indonesian Masters in October which was a record in the event.
“The standard of golf in the country is growing. We have more local events now and the players are gaining experience by playing in Asian Tour events. The BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open will be another great addition for golfers to be exposed to an international golf tournament,” said Masrin.

“I’ve been playing well lately and I hope to continue the momentum. It gives me great pride to play in the Indonesia Open. It will be a challenging week with so many great Asian Tour players but I will focus on my own game and hopefully have a chance at the weekend,” he added.

Andrew, a regular on the ADT, believes the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open is a great tournament for him to learn from the best golfers in Asia.

“I’ve learnt a lot playing on the ADT but it is an entirely different level when you play on the Asian Tour. It is challenging on the ADT so the experience will help me when I play in my National Open. I’m really looking forward to the experience this week,” said the 24-year-old.

The BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open is one of the finest golf championships in Asia where top stars such as Thaworn Wiratchant, Thongchai Jaidee and Padraig Harrington have won the tournament in the past.

Bhullar Ready To Challenge For Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open Title

Sentosa, Singapore, November 7 - An in-form Gaganjeet Bhullar of India will headline the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open from November 17 to 20 with the aim of winning the event for a second time in his career.

The 28-year-old won the prestigious showpiece in 2013 for his fifth Asian Tour title but went through a title drought because of a wrist injury. He returned to his best form when he triumphed in Korea last month and will be the top contender in Indonesia.

Bhullar will challenge for the prestigious BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open title against a stellar line-up which includes new Asian Tour winner Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand and veteran Singaporean Mardan Mamat at the US$300,000 event.

Asian Tour winners Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh, Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, Himmat Rai of India and Richard T. Lee of Canada will also feature in the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open.

A total of 20 local players, led by George Gandranata and Danny Masrin, will also aim to become the first Indonesian golfer after Kasiadi to win the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open which is staged at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

Bhullar has a strong affinity with Indonesia, the country where he won his first Asian Tour title in 2009 before going on to sweep five other titles. He was regarded as one of the rising stars in golf before his injury setback.

“It was very important for me to win. I lost my card in Europe and I was struggling and feeling low in life. It was hard and I felt lonely at times because some of my friends continued to play in Europe,” lamented Bhullar.

Like a true champion he bounced back in sensational style when he clinched the Shinhan Donghae Open title by one shot before going on to secure a fifth place finish at the Indonesian Masters in the following week.

“I’m from a sporting family so we have a moto to never say die. I gave it my all when I was playing in tournaments after the injury. At the end of the day, you have to believe in your hard work and I’m proud of myself and it is good to be back in the winners’ circle,” said Bhullar.

The BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open is one of the finest golf championships in Asia where top stars such as Thaworn Wiratchant, Thongchai Jaidee and Padraig Harrington have won the tournament in the past.

Combiphar Golf Invitational Set For ADT Debut In November

Jakarta, October 18 - The Combiphar Golf Invitational will make its Asian Development Tour (ADT) debut at Royal Tulip Gunung Geulis Golf Resorts in Indonesia this November.

The US$60,000 ADT event, which will be the Tour’s second stop in Indonesia this season, is slated to take place from November 23 to 26 in Bogor - West Java, about 60 kilometers south from Jakarta.

A 144-man field, made up of 80 players from the ADT, 50 players from the Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia (PGTI) and 14 invitees, will feature in the inaugural tournament, which will be the 22nd leg of the ADT schedule this season.

Michael Wanandi, CEO of Combiphar, Indonesia’s leading consumer healthcare company and title sponsor of the event, said: “As part of our 45th year anniversary in celebrating health in Indonesia, we are very delighted to announce the inaugural Combiphar Golf Invitational and look forward to a successful tournament by working with the ADT.”

“One of the reasons why we are hosting this new tournament is to showcase emerging talents from our country as well as from across the region and provide them with the platform to escalate their careers onto the Asian Tour,” Michael added. "Another reason is too expand our name recognition in the ASEAN region, as Combiphar products are sold in neighboring countries as well."

The Combiphar Golf Invitational also provides opportunity to all participants and partners to take part in donating to four unique social organizations in Indonesia which support health, education, women empowerment and facility enhancement through: Pink Shimmer Inc, an organization dedicated to helping breast cancer patients and survivors. SabangMerauke, a local student exchange program focused on promoting education, tolerance and Indonesian pride nationwide. Circa HandMade, focusing on empowering and educating a community of women handcrafters in Bandung as well as Jaka Perkasa Citra Cemerlang, for its numerous water infrastructure projects in remote areas throughout Indonesia.


Michael Wanandi, CEO of Combiphar (center), addresses the media accompanied by (l-r) Agus Triyono (Secretary General of the PGA Tour of Indonesia), Irfan Hamid (Associate Director at the Asian Tour), Agung Budiman (President Director of Gunung Geulis Golf Resort) and Merry Kwan (OB Golf)

Agung Budiman, Presiden Director of Gunung Geulis Golf Resort, also expressed his excitement in hosting an ADT event for the very first time.

“We are pleased to support the Combiphar Golf Invitational as host venue. We can’t wait to welcome the region’s rising stars to the event,” said Agung.

Asian Tour Associate Director Irfan Hamid was thrilled to welcome the Combiphar Golf Invitational as the newest tournament on the ADT Schedule.

“On behalf of our talented players, we are honored and privileged to welcome the Combiphar Golf Tournament on the ADT Schedule.

“We have welcomed a host of new winners this year, including George Gandranata who became the first Indonesian to win on the ADT in April. We hope to see more young and exciting talents bursting onto the scene through these new events,” said Irfan.

When asked how many tournaments the ADT would ideally like to hold in Indonesia, Irfan responded "In light of the next Olympics being held in Japan in 4 years, a greater number of tournaments would increase opportunities for Indonesian players to receive Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points that are needed to qualify for the Olympic tournament. The ADT targets that up to 6 tournaments be held annually in Indonesia."

The winner will receive six OWGR points while the top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

Also the top-five finishers on the final Order of Merit will secure their Asian Tour cards for 2017.

Australians Fraser & Richardson Share Clubhouse Lead At BNI Indonesian Masters Present

Jakarta, October 7 2016 - Marcus Fraser of Australia birdied the closing two holes to share the second round clubhouse lead with countryman Kalem Richardson in the weather-interrupted BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich on Friday. Fraser, ranked second on the Order of Merit, finished in the morning session with seven birdies against two bogeys for a five-under-par 67 tie at the top alongside Richardson (68) on eight-under-par 136 at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

The halfway stage of the US$750,000 Asian Tour event was suspended for the day at 5.45 pm due to fading light as a total of 27 players will return to resume their rounds at 6.30am on Saturday.

Play was suspended for an hour due to lightning threats in the afternoon. Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand dropped two shots in near darkness to finish the round on a 69 to trail by one alongside Tirawat Kaewsiribandit (68), S. Chikkarangappa (67) of India and co-overnight leader Masahiro Kawamura (71) of Japan.

Fraser, who needs a victory this week to overtake Scott Hend on the Order of Merit, was delighted to return to form and build on his two-day momentum. After finding 16 greens, the Australian was held back by a cold putter where he made 29 putts.

“My game was pretty steady. I felt like I played pretty similar to what I did yesterday. I just had one poor drive on 17. That was a terrible golf shot and I made a bogey. Other than that it was steady all day. Hopefully I can keep building on the score I’m on and keep playing well. Hopefully I can make some putts,” said Fraser.

After struggling with a knee injury earlier this year, Richardson, aiming for a first Asian Tour victory, stayed in the moment and was rewarded with a share of the lead. “I’ve been struggling a little bit with the game. It was nice to get through a couple of challenges today and stay in the moment. I’ve been getting carried away and that’s been costing me,” said the Australian. “My left knee was inflamed (from cycling) and I’ve been getting a lot of treatment from the staff here and managing it myself. It is feeling a lot better and I’ve not had any dramas in the last few weeks,” added Richardson.

Ranked 44th in the world, Thongchai, the only player to win three Order of Merit crowns, continued his rich vein of form after finishing inside the top-10 in Korea last week. He charged into contention with a solid round and was forced to finish the last hole as nightfall landed over the Royale Jakarta course to avoid an early morning call on Saturday.

“We rushed in the last two holes because we didn’t want to come back early tomorrow. I played very well and I have no complaints with the round. At least now I know I will have some rest and have a chance at the weekend,” said Thongchai.

With two top-10 results on the Asian Tour and a victory on the local circuit, the confident Chikkarangappa charged up the leaderboard with a solid homeward nine which included four birdies. “I’ve been going through positive weeks. It is not only this week. I’ve been following up on my solid performances and I’m really confident with how things are going. Hopefully I can do something this week."

“It feels like a home tour this week. Anirban (Lahiri) is here and we did some work on the range and helping each other. I have positive energy when he is around me because I get the best advice from him,” said the Indian, who is close friends with Lahiri.

Scores after round 2 of the BNI Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course (am - denotes amateur):

136 - Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS) 68-68, Marcus FRASER (AUS) 69-67

137 - Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA) 69-68, Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 66-71, Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 70-67, Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 68-69

138 - Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) 69-69, Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA) 67-71, Casey O'TOOLE (USA) 69-69, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 69-69, Javi COLOMO (ESP) 69-69, LIU Yan-wei (CHN) 68-70, Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 69-69

Selected Indonesian players:

(-2) - Kurnia HERISIANDY 71-14*

(-1) - Danny MASRIN 72-16, Rory HIE 74-15

144 - Nasin SURACHMAN 73-71

145 - George GANDRANATA 72-73

147 - Seandy ALFARABI 72-75 (am)

Trio Lead At BNI Indonesian Masters Presented By Zurich

Jakarta, October 6 - Gaganjeet Bhullar of India continued his fine form when he shared the opening round lead with Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand and Masahiro Kawamura of Japan at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich on Thursday.

Coming off the back of a victory in Korea last week, Bhullar produced a flawless round of six-under-par 66 to tie at the top alongside Kawamura and sponsor’s invite Gunn, who is finding his best form again after returning from a wrist injury.

Arjun Atwal, a former Asian Tour number one and first Indian to win on the PGA Tour, was a further shot back with Thai teenagers Phachara Khongwatmai and Suradit Yongcharoenchai at the US$750,000 event staged at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei, who won on home soil last week and Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, the only player to win three Order of Merit crowns, were among nine players bunched up in seventh place on 68s.

The 28-year-old Bhullar, who started from the 10th tee, overcame early nerves to make the turn in 32 before adding birdies on seven and nine to stay in contention for back-to-back victories. “It was a bogey free round and at the end of the day, that’s the target. I’m trying to repeat what I did last week,” said Bhullar, a six-time Asian Tour winner.

“In the beginning I was a bit nervous. Coming straight after a victory, your mental aspect is slightly different. You try to go for a par and try not to attack the pins. I putted really well today especially on 12, 13 and 14 (birdies) and those were all from 10 or 15 feet which I holed,” he added.

Gunn suffered a wrist injury in 2014 and is slowly finding his form again after winning on the local circuit in Thailand in July and in China in September. He looks to Bhullar for inspiration as he seeks a return to the Asian Tour. “I’m feeling pretty excited to be tied at the top with Gaganjeet (Bhullar). He just came off an injury and won. I think we had the same injury as well (wrist injury). I’m glad that we are both playing well,” said the 24-year-old Gunn.

Japan’s Kawamura, who has one win on the Asian Tour, recovered from an opening bogey to fire seven birdies including one on the last to take his place among the leaders. “It was an easy round,” said Kawamura. “I hit it on the fairway and gave myself chances at birdies which I holed. I’m obviously happy with how I played but it is only the first round. Let’s see what happens in the next three rounds.”

After finishing inside the top-five in the last two Asian Tour events, Phachara played without any pressure to produce another solid round to keep up his chase for a first victory. “My game plan is easy. I don’t think ahead or set a goal for myself. I just want to play my best golf. I’m not worried if I play badly but I play good, then I’m happy. That was the case today,” said the 17-year-old Thai.

Several of the local players put in solid performances and are still in contention for weekend play. Kurnia Herisiandy leads the pack with 1-under in a tie for 51st. Indonesia's top players George Gandranata and Danny Masrin both came round at even par, together with leading amateur Seandy Alfarabi, good for a share of 62nd place.

Said Danny Masrin: "It was a very up-and-down day for me. I made some stupid mistakes out there but I don’t think it is going to affect me going into tomorrow. I have a game plan. I hit the ball pretty well today. Just a couple of mistakes today and if I clean that up tomorrow I will be fine. I get on tees and some people think they are difficult lines but I know the lines and where to be and where to miss.

Play was suspended at 5.55pm (local time) due to darkness. A total of five players will resume their rounds on Friday at 7am.

Scores after round 1 of the BNI Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 yards Royale Jakarta GC course (am - denotes amateur):

66 - Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND), Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA), Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN)

67 - Arjun ATWAL (IND), Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA), Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA)

68 - LU Wei-chih (TPE), Thongchai JAIDEE (THA), Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA), Darren TAN (AUS), Janne KASKE (FIN), Shiv KAPUR (IND), Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS), Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA), Lionel WEBER (FRA)

Selected Indonesian players:

71 - Kurnia HERISIANDY

72 - Danny MASRIN, George GANDRANATA, Seandy ALFARABI (am)

73 - Ditya NOVIANTO, Cahyo ADHITOMO (am), Jordan IRAWAN, Nasin SURACHMAN

Icing On The Cake For Top Golfers At 2016 Indonesian Masters

JAKARTA, 4 October 2016 – Several of the region’s best golfers exchanged golf attire for aprons this morning at the official launch of the 2016 BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich, which tees off at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club this Thursday.

Anirban Lahiri, Marcus Fraser, Thongchai Jaidee, and Jamie Sadlowski, together with local players Danny Masrin and George Gandranata, rolled up their sleeves and took a lesson in cake decoration from celebrity chef and TV personality Farah Quinn.

Held at the JS Luwansa Hotel and Convention Center, the challenge was part of the players’ official welcome to the Indonesian capital, while showcasing that this year’s tournament is set to offer visitors a lot more than just golf.

Speaking about the players’ culinary skills, Farah, who has created her own signature dish as part of the tournament’s culinary offering, said: “I’m impressed! These guys have got the touch! Okay perhaps a bit too early for them to sell the golf clubs and take up life as a pastry-chef, but for professional sportmen, who don’t get to spend too much time in the kitchen, it was pretty good.”

“Actually it was just a lot of fun. There was clearly some healthy competition out there and some good banter among the players as they tried to outdo each other, and I think they enjoyed it,” added the celeb chef.

Right to left: Farah Quinn judging creations of George Gandranata, Danny Masrin, Tongchai Jaidee, Anirban Lahiri, Marcus Fraser and Jamie Sadlowski

Asian Tour veteran Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand said: “It was great. A bit different to what we usually get up to and the boys were all trying to out-do each other with some pretty creations, but it was good fun and nice to be able to show a different side to our personalities than what we can on a golf course.”

Speaking about their welcome to the Indonesian capital, former Long Drive world champion Jamie Sadlowski of Canada added: “It’s great to be here. My first time playing golf in Indonesia and we get to kick it all off by baking some cakes! Great welcome for everyone though and really looking forward to the week ahead and to getting out on course. It should be a good tournament and for a nation that is so proud of it’s food culture, think it’s great to have a food theme running throughout the tournament. I hope I’ll get to try some of the dishes on offer!”

The BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich promises visitors to the Royale Jakarta Golf Club four days of top quality action on course and a feast of entertainment for the whole family off it.

Spectators can look forward to a gastronomic feast complete with food trucks and stalls, offering a range of authentic Indonesian and International cuisine and other culinary delights.

TV personality, host and chef extraordinaire Farah Quinn will be looking to cook up a storm with her signature dish – Rose Tea Pudding with Vanilla Cream dish, made solely using home-grown Indonesian ingredients. Comprising Rose tea with ginger crust and vanilla seeds, it is billed as a ‘tribute to older times’ and will see a traditional long-forgotten recipe given a modern twist.

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.

Kevin Caesario Akbar Victorious In RSGC AmBank Junior Amateur Open

KUALA LUMPUR, 31 March - Indonesia’s Kevin Caesario Akbar had to overcome a shaky start to retain his boys’ Under-18 crown in the RSGC AmBank Junior Amateur Open Golf Championships.

The 18-year-old completed a wire-to-wire victory by nine shots over local hopeful Adam Arif Madzri at the Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC) on Thursday.

Four ahead of the field overnight, Kevin bogeyed his first two holes of the day but recovered strongly to pull away from the chasing pack.

He went on to card six birdies and two bogeys en route to a two-under 70 and an even-par 216 total.

“I’m very happy to win today ... pleased with how I responded to the early blemishes,” said Kevin.

“I’ve been making a lot of birdies, which I think is the key to my win this week. I had six today ... and 15 overall.”

Kevin’s victory makes up for last year’s disappointment when he finished runner-up at the MPI-Saujana Amateur Championship.

It’s also the second victory by an Indonesian golfer in as many weeks after his professional compatriot George Gandranata clinched the Asian Development Tour (ADT) co-sanctioned PGM LADA Langkawi Championship last Sunday.

Samantha Martirez kept the girls’ Under-18 title for the Philippines when she prevailed in a three-way playoff.

Samantha holed a long birdie on the first extra hole to beat Malaysian duo Kelie Kan and Warda Amira Abdul Rawof after the three finished on 223 total.

Gandranata Savours Record Maiden Win On ADT

Langkawi, Malaysia, March 26 - Overnight leader George Gandranata closed with a one-under-par 70 to become the first player from Indonesia to win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) at the PGM LADA Langkawi Championship on Saturday.

The 30-year-old Indonesian, who held a one-shot advantage heading into the round, stumbled with a double-bogey on second but fought back with five birdies against two bogeys to triumph by two shots with a winning total of 14-under-par 270 at the Gunung Raya Golf Resorts.

Malaysia’s Danny Chia came in second after carding a 69 while Australian Jordan Sherratt and Malcolm Kokocinski of Sweden shared third on 274 following rounds of 67 and 73 respectively at the RM200,000 (approximately US$46,600) event.

American John Michael O’Toole returned with the day’s best score of 65 to finish five shots back in fifth place with Korea’s Chan-woo Kim, who posted a 66. Current Order of Merit leader Itthipat Buranatanyarat of Thailand signed for a disappointing 76 to slip to tied-19th on 281.

“It was really special. The win means a lot to me. To win my first international title on my birthday week makes it even more special. I am overwhelmed with joy,” said Gandranata, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Tuesday.

“I got off to a rough start. I hit a bad approach shot on second which resulted in a lost ball and a double-bogey but I told myself to keep calm as there are still a lot of birdie opportunities. I hit a lot of greens today and I made a couple of good par saves. I convinced myself that I can make the putts as I have been playing well all week,” Gandranata added.

Gandranata, who took home a winner’s prize cheque of US$8,693, moved up to sixth place on the Order of Merit and received six Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) courtesy of his win.

The PGM LADA Langkawi Championship, jointly sanctioned with the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour, is the seventh leg of the 2016 ADT season and also the Tour’s sixth stop in Malaysia this season.

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 2017.

Leading final round results:

270 - George GANDRANATA (INA) 65 68 67 70

272 - Danny CHIA (MAS) 67 68 68 69

274 - Jordan SHERRATT (AUS) 67 69 71 67, Malcolm KOKOCINSKI (SWE) 64 69 68 73

275 - John Michael O’TOOLE (USA) 70 70 70 65, Chan-woo KIM (KOR) 67 70 72 66

276 - Ben LEONG (MAS) 67 72 68 69, John JACKSON (USA) 70 66 70 70, James BYRNE (SCO) 66 68 70 72, Ekthumrong LUANGANURUK (THA) 67 73 63 73

Selected:

280 - Danny MASRIN (INA) 70 71 68 71

2016 Season Of The Indonesian Golf Tour To Commence Tomorrow At Sawangan Golf Club

Sawangan, 15 February - The Indonesian Golf Tour. the national professional golf circuit, will start tomorrow its third season with Series I, running from February 16 to 18. For this year OB Golf becomes the presenting sponsor of IGT. This is a sign of care for and commitment to national golf by the company which already operates since 2003.

As in previous years, Indonesia's best professional golfers will compete for a total prize amount of 200 million in each series. This time, Sawangan Golf Club becomes the venue for the 2016 season-opening event.

Welcoming the competition in the new season, some golfers already prepared themselves. For example Benita Yuniarto Kasiadi. The defending champion of Series I, which last year was held at the Matoa Nasional Golf Club, claims to have no special preparation. He just practiced regularly and continues to keep physically trained so that he is fit when plunging in the tournament. "Especially because the current weather conditions can easily change 180 degrees, from heat to rain and vice versa. Therefore, I have to maintain a good physical condition in order to preform better during the tournament," said Benita.

Especially for Sawangan, Benita continued to hone his short game. "The speed ​​on the greens at Sawangan are likely to be slow. This is what keeps me practicing," said the winner of three titles in the 2015 IGT, who this season will be more focused on his second shot and short game.

Not only Benita, Rinaldi Adiyandono also continue to improve the game around the green. "I am increasing the exercise on my short game as the green speed in Sawangan is more slowly, so that I learn the techniques to overcome them," said the Grand Final champion of IGT 2014. The preparation of Rinaldi is more specific when approaching the tournament so that it can reach its peak during the tournament.

Some national players, such as George Gandranata, Ian Andrew, Rory Hie, Danny Masrin, William Sjaichuddin, and Jordan Surya Irawan, were even heating up the temperature of their game with z plunge into international tournaments on the calendar of the Asian Development Tour is early January.

Ian, who already declared his participation in IGT Series I, will be arriving at Sawangan with satisfactory results during his adventure in ADT. The IGT 2015 Grand Final champion is in 16th place on the ADT Order of Merit in 2016 after battling in the PGM UMW Championship from 3-6 February. Ian's success is followed by Rory in 67th and Danny at 87 in the ADT Order of Merit.

Therefore IGT presented by OB Golf Series I is expected to present a fierce battle. Who will break the first egg at the start of this 2016 season?

In addition to accommodate the professional golfer, IGT also presents amateur golfers who want to try out skills in the professional event. A total of 24 men and six women amateur golfers have declared their participation in this event. However, this number will continue to grow because the deadline for registration is until today.

To be sure, they will gain valuable experience and at the same time improve their golfing abilities in this competitive arena

Gandranata Receives Wildcard To Play At Maybank Championship Malaysia

Jakarta, 25 January 2016 - With the inaugural Maybank Championship Malaysia to commence next month, the organizers of the event expect regional players to make the most of the opportunity to challenge the world.

The field will feature 156 players and five of the slots are to be allocated for top professional players from Southeast Asia.

“We will reserve places for top ASEAN [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] players,” Maybank Chairman Tan Sri Dato’ Megat Zaharuddin Megat Mohd Nor told The Jakarta Post in an interview recently.

“So for those ASEAN players who did not automatically qualify through the Order of Merit, then we go to the national associations and ask them for the top-ranked players,” he said. “And the Indonesian association has recommended George Gandranata.”

With no Indonesian players being in the top 67 of the Asian Order of Merit, George will be the only contender from the country at the US$3 million tournament, which will be staged at the Royal Selangor Golf Club from Feb. 18 to 21.

The 30-year-old player, who turned professional in 2012, is fired up to prove he is a worthy wildcard recipient.

“I feel honored to be invited to play in the Maybank Championship Malaysia. I think it’s a really great opportunity for me. Hopefully I can play well and make the event’s promoters feel that they made the right choice,” he said.

The invitation was officially extended by Tan Sri to Indonesia’s Jimmy Masrin, the chairman of the Asian Tour board, at Pondok Indah Golf course on Thursday.

Louis Oosthuizen, currently number 18 on the world rankings, and Martin Kaymer (30) are the highest ranked players in the tournament, and Tan Sri said he was expecting another player ranked higher than 18 to join.

“We have announced top two players [Oosthuizen and Kaymer] and we will be announcing three more in the coming days,” Tan Sri said.

The wildcard reservation for regional players is viewed as a reward to countries that are committed to actively promoting professional golf.

“Obviously, we are focusing on the countries that are active in promoting professional golf,” Tan Sri said.

He noted the significance of the tournament in offering leverage toward qualifying for this year’s Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, where golf will be making its debut at the world’s largest multi-sport event.

“The key goal will be to provide as many playing opportunities for top Malaysian and ASEAN players. Why do we feel it’s important, because through the involvement of European Tour and Asian Tour, there’s a lot of world ranking points at stake. And this is, especially for this year, very important because with adequate ranking points you can qualify for the Olympics in Rio. In this sense, this is tremendous opportunity for a large number of ASEAN players to go after world ranking points,” he said.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will take a pool of 60 players, each in the men’s and women’s division, based on the Olympic Golf Rankings. Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand are currently the only players from the region on the qualification list.

With a view to pushing the region to catch up with the rest of the world, especially Europe and America, in the development of golf, Tan Sri pointed out the need for national associations to be more active in exposing golf to youth.

“What has to be done will be to improve the organizations and infrastructure to enable easy access for players to compete and to ensure the flow of young players to senior ranks,” he said.

“Giving more opportunities for young players to play outside, especially in Europe, will help raise the standard of the game for the pros in the future,” he added.

Meanwhile, Jimmy, while acknowledging underperformance compared to other countries in the region, said that Indonesia had stepped up efforts in promoting the game to its youth in the last three years.

“The more you get exposure for the young, the more they are interested in golf,” he said. “Indonesia in the last three years has developed what we call a local platform, which is the Indonesian Golf Tour.”

The next level for tournaments, according to Jimmy, includes the Asian Development Tour (ADT), the Asian Tour and the co-sanctioned European-Asian Tour events.

The ADT series this year encompasses 19 tournaments, two of which will be hosted in Indonesia in June and August.

Tan Sri said he was keen to extend assistance to help raise Indonesian golf.

“We have provided a slot for Indonesia’s top golfer to come and play in the Maybank Championship. And we’ll continue to discuss with the association here what other roles we can play. A few years ago we sponsored an ADT event,” he said.

Modest Success For George Gandranata In Philippine Open

Tarlac, Philippines, December 20 - Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines fired a superb six-under-par 66 to claim a stylish win at the Philippine Open presented by ICTSI for his first Asian Tour title on Sunday.

The 21-year-old fired six birdies on his homeward nine to seal the deal with a winning total of 14-under-par 202 in the US$300,000 Asian Tour event which was reduced to 54 holes due to bad weather earlier this week.

Scott Barr of Australia missed out on winning his first Asian Tour title following a 68 but his lone second place result ensured that he would retain his Tour card for 2016 after jumping 15 spots to 49th place on the Order of Merit.

India’s Himmat Rai produced the round of the week at the Luisita Golf and Country Club with a sparkling 63 to share third place with Chinnarat Phadungsil (67) of Thailand on 204, two shots from the champion.

Lindsay Renolds of Canada, who held the lead in the opening two rounds, fired a disappointing 73 to finish in tied 10th place in the final Asian Tour event in 2015.

Indonesia's George Gandranata finished at a modest 52nd place at even par for the tournament. But given his failure to get his tour card for the 2015 Asian Tour, as well as to dominate the domestic Indonesian Golf Tour, this result will still give him some confidence that he is on his way back. Hopefully he can maintain this until at least the 2016 Asian Tour Q-school in January to secure his tour card for the upcoming season.

Home favorite Tabuena became the first Filipino to win his National Open since 2008 after making a brave charge at the turn highlighted by three straight birdies from the 12th hole.

“I’m glad the Philippine Open is my first Asian Tour title,” said Tabuena. “I’m really happy that my name will be on this prestigious trophy alongside some of the legends in golf in Asia’s oldest National Open.”

“I gave myself a goal at the start of the day which was to shoot a 66 or lower. There are a lot of birdie chances and people can make a move. I was one-under after the turn and I thought I lost some ground. I knew I needed to go out with all guns blazing,” he said.

The victory was a huge relief for Tabuena who fell short of winning his first Asian Tour title on numerous occasions including in Taipei this year where he settled for runner-up.

“You have to take your defeats as a positive and remind yourself that it is part of the process. It definitely made me a stronger golfer mentally. It helped a lot that I had already saved my Asian Tour card for 2016 earlier this year. I knew I was playing for the win.

“I played really well here before and I won on this course on the local circuit. I’m without words really. I’m happy and glad with the victory,” said Tabuena.

Barr retained his Asian Tour card for the 12th straight season after finishing one-shot behind Tabuena. He was in a good position to pip Tabuena to the title but let the chance slip when he bogeyed 17 after finding water. A birdie on the last earned him his best result since 2006.

“I couldn’t hole any putts for 14 holes. Once I did, it was game on and I holed my share. I did what I needed to do but it is a shame to finish one short. This week is a huge positive. I set very low expectations coming into the week but it is great that I’ve secured my card,” he said.

Rai, who lost in a play-off two weeks ago in Vietnam, continued his good run of form by returning with a flawless card to finish tied third.

“I didn’t have a number in my mind. I was thinking of eliminating my errors in round one and two. I wanted to play percentage golf and hitting it near the hole. I putted aggressively and that made a difference today,” said Rai, a one-time Asian Tour winner.

Chinnarat was delighted to hold on to his Asian Tour card. He was ranked 62nd on the Order of Merit at the start of the week but moved to 56th place thanks to his result at the Philippine Open. The top-63 players on the final Order of Merit secured playing rights on the 2016 season.

“It was an exciting week! There was so much pressure,” he laughed. After 13 holes I knew I had a chance to win but the putts didn’t drop. It is okay because my goal was to make the cut and get my Asian Tour card but this result will give me a better ranking on the Order of Merit!”

Other players who safely retained their Asian Tour cards include Unho Park of Australia (63rd), Chawalit Plaphol of Thailand (62nd), Adam Groom of Australia (61st) and Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei (60th).

There was heart break for 16-year-old Phachara Khongwatmai of Thailand, who ended the season in 64th place on the Merit rankings.

Scores after round 3 of the Philippine Open being played at the par 72, 7042 Yards Luisita Course course

202 – Miguel TABUENA (PHI) 67-69-66

203 – Scott BARR (AUS) 69-66-68

204 – Himmat RAI (IND) 71-70-63, Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA) 67-70-67

206 – Seukhyun BAEK (KOR) 69-71-66, Simon GRIFFITHS (ENG) 70-68-68, Jeunghun WANG (KOR) 67-70-69, Niall TURNER (IRL) 69-68-69, Keith HORNE (RSA) 69-68-69

Selected:

216 - George GANDRANATA (INA) 70-72-74