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.

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.

Jordan Irawan Collects His First Professional Title At Sawangan GC

Sawangan, February 18th - Series I of the Indonesian Golf Tour (IGT) always has produced a new face in the list of champions. This time, Jordan Surya Irawan carved his name as a champion in Series I of the Indonesian Golf Tour 2016 co-presented by OB Sports Golf and Ancora.

Jordan scored his first professional title after ending the game in the last round with a score of 71 (one-under par), thus accumulating a total score of 212 (four-under par). The 20-year-old golfer played only one shot less than Rifqi Alam, who nudged into second position.

"This is a positive result of what I have already applied for three days. Control my emotions, befriend the pressure. I have achieved the best results without being burdened with a variety of things that would damage my game," said Jordan. The mental fight was then won by Jordan who collected Rp34 million as prize money for his success in winning the Indonesian Golf Tour Series I 2016, which was held at Sawangan Golf Club.

In addition to mental pressure from within, Jordan, who made three birdies and two bogeys in the final round, also had to deal with the persistence of Rinaldi Adiyandono, Benita Y. Kasiadi, and Ian Andrew who were in pursuit. Rinaldi was at the 13th hole level with Jordan, who was two groups behind him, at the top of the leaderboard with a total score of 4 under. Unfortunately, a double bogey on hole 14 directly dropped Rinaldi to a tie for third until the last hole.

Benita, who played just in front of the group with Rinaldi, was sticking closely to the top of the leaderboard with a score of 3-under total until the 15th hole. However, he was not able to gain ground on the last three holes and even had to concede a bogey on hole 18. Eventually he had to be satisfied with a T-3 position with Rinaldi and Kurnia Herisiandy.

"Today my shots were not good. Many opportunities were wasted," said the winner of three IDT titles in 2015.

Ian played like crazy for 17 holes without a single bogey with a total score of 3-under, while taking the fight for top spot to a very tight battle. But just like Benita, Ian made a costly mistake on the final hole and ended up with a double bogey.

Rifqi Alam actually had a surprise showing. After successfully maintaining a consistent game for two days with a total score of 1-under, the amateur athlete from Jakarta slowly climbed towards the top of the leaderboard.

After completing the first nine holes with a total score of two under by making three birdies and two bogeys, Rifqi went to 3 under at hole 10, only to be back to 2 under in hole 11. The 18-year-old finally locked his score to 3-under on hole 17, which put him in second place overall while winning "the Low Amateur".

"My game was starting to feel comfortable after hole 5. This result is my best achievement in IGT. My participation in this event is to improve my skills and score more rounds under par," said the Junior National Championship winner in 2015, who participated a couple of times in IGT 2015.

Meanwhile, Juriah had confirmed herself as the Low Ladies Amateur. The athlete from Jakarta finished the third round with a score of 72 (even par) and a total score of 220 (four above par).

"Because I was already certain to be champion, at the end I focused more on improving my score. My target was to play under par, but clearly I missed this target. Besides this, it was a test for my stamina to play three days in a row."

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

Ian Andrew Claims Victory After Playoff At The Grand Final Of The Indonesian Golf Tour

Karawaci, 10 December - The final round of the Grand Final of the 2015 Indonesian Golf Tour (IGT) presented by LINC Group really presented a fight that could be considered the "peak" of the IGT journey during the year. The Grand Final champion could only be determined after extended drama (play-off). The actors being Benita Y. Kasiadi, Ian Andrew, and 2014 champion Rinaldi Adiyandono. All three had an equal score of 208 (eight-under par) after completing the final round, therefore a play-off was unavoidable.

Ian Andrew eventually established himself as the champion of the Grand Final of the Indonesian Golf Tour presented by LINC Group in 2015, held at Imperial Klub Golf, Karawaci Tangerang. A birdie from a distance of about two meters established the 27-year-old golfer as Indonesia's best golfer this season, while Benita and Rinaldi were only able to make par.

"I intentionally attacked the pin at the third shot, because I could Benita's ball was just half a meter from the pin. But, as it turned out my ball fell in front of the pin. Therefore, I was forced to attempt to make a birdie, and it worked!" said Ian, who was determined to win this Grand Final.

Ian completed the last round with a score of 70 (two-under par), maintaining his position atop the leaderboard that he shared with Rinaldi in the second round. However, Ian admitted he was worried to see Benita's game during the final round.

"At 17 I already lost hope, when I made bogey and Rinaldi scored birdie, leaving me behind by one stroke of Benita and Rinaldi who both were at eight-under par. They had a chance (to win) at hole 18, I was just determined to make birdie on the final hole. Fortunately, they failed to birdie the hole," said Ian, who took home a cash prize of Rp 48.000.000. "But Benita was remarkable today. He should have scored at least 10-under par. Unfortunately for him some of his short putts did not go in."

It looked like Benita played flawless. Without scoring a single bogey, the winner of three titles at the IGT 2015 series could match the total score of Ian and Rinaldi after carding a round of 66 (six-under par).

"My goal today was to finish at eight-under par. Therefore my target was reached. I didn't think of becoming champion as the second day I played very poorly. That's why I did not set that target. When I could compete for the play-offs, I thought this to be my best achievement after successfully reaching my target of eight-under par," said Benita.

Rinaldi, who failed to defend his title in the Grand Final, was not too disappointed with the final result at the play-offs, although he had a great opportunity to win. He considered the Grand Final as a try out for himself before plunging to the level of the Asian Tour next season.

"This becomes my stepping stone, because my main target is the Asian Tour Q-School in Thailand. This tournament can forge me mentally as well as my game, so that I can reach my peak at the time of Q-School," said Rinaldi.

He therefore was happy that Ian could win the Grand Final. For him, this indicates that the ability of several national professional golfers started to become more evenly, so that winners are not limited to one or two people. He saw his and other golfers overall score has improved in the past year.

"In my opinion, the implementation of IGT last season started a process of which we can see the results in improvements this season. As golfer we become more mature, and our competitive spirit becomes more visible," he added.

In addition to the announcement of the winner, during the Grand Final of the 2015 Indonesian Golf Tour (IGT) presented by LINC Group awards were also to the sponsors and golf courses that have supported the smooth implementation of the IGT season 2015. Some media also received attention and awards for their coverage of IGT 2015,

In the amateur category, Cahyo Adhitomo finally won the low amateur. The excellent play Cahyo displayed the day before did not make him waste this opportunity. On the final day Bobby, as he is usually called, completed his round with a score of 71 (one-under par), for an accumulated score of 215 (one-under par). Cahyo outperformed runner-up Dicky Prionggo by seven shots.

While for the ladies amateurs, Putri Aisha Amani won the battle with Michela Tjan through count back, and won the Low Amateur for ladies. Putri, who posted a score of 79 (seven over par) and Michela who today played with a score of 80 equally accumulated a total score of 239 (23-over par). The winner was decided by count back, based on final day scores made by both players over a number of predetermined holes.

Junaidi Ibrahim Seals Vistory At IGT @ LotusLakes

KARAWANG, September 11th - Junaidi Ibrahim finally was able to realize his desire to become champion again. This year, the Indonesian Golf Tour presented by Linc Group Series VI title, held at the LotusLakes Golf Club in Karawang. is going to the man from Aceh. With great determination and remarkable patience, Junaidi could surpass defending champion George Gandranata, who kept a close fight during the 18 holes to loose by a margin of one stroke.

Junaidi and George started with the same score of one-under par, playing in the last group. "Honestly at the beginning of the game today, I actually think Mr. Maan (Maan Nasim, who was 2 strokes behind) will win," said Junaidi. Playing in a group with defending champion George also provided its own pressure for Junaidi. "I also saw George play very thorough and it was very difficult to find a gap to attack. Therefore, I tried to stay calm today and play relaxed," he added.

Junaidi's confidence began to rise after scoring a long birdie putt on hole 5. From there his game began to change, more daring. Junaidi and George both posted even par on the first nine holes. Their scores were both still at one-under par, where they were joined by Ditya Novianto who enlivened the competition by carding the same score.

Junaidi success began with a birdie on hole 12, followed by birdies on the next two holes. With three birdies in a row. Junaidi was still on top of the leaderboard with a total score while a four-under par, while George was still at one-under par. Ditya dropped out of the competition after posting three consecutive bogeys on holes 14, 15, and 16,

Then Junaidi tripped on hole 16 with a bogey and with a par at 17, he is at three-under-under before the final hole, while George reduced the difference with a birdie at holes 17, going to two-under par. Both players were determined at hole 18. The spectators who were present at the final round predicted a playoff would happen.

However, when George's ball entered the water on the par 5 hole 18, that prediction was dispersed. Unfortunately, Junaidi did not utilize this opportunity properly. Although successfully crowned champion, the 36-year-old man closed the game with a bogey, which resulted in a score of 71 (total score of 214). George had to settle for second place with a score of 215 after finishing the game with a score of 72.

"During the whole round I held strong. On hole 18 when the ball from George entered the water, I felt relaxed at that time. However, when I tried to approach the 18th green I shot it over and into the bunker. From there I began to stress. I was lucky to win. This is proof that I am still a champion," said Junaidi. For the winner of the Matoa Pro Championship in 2004, the Pro-Am Jagorawi 2004, and Mercedes-Benz Emeralda Golf Tournament 2010, the IGT Series VI title turned into a birthday present for his beloved child on September 9 and wife on September 10.

For the second time, George failed to win the title, and only managed second place. While at IGT Series II losing to Ian Andrew, this time George had to recognize the excellence of seniors. Nevertheless, the 29-year-old man was not disappointed with the result today.

"I've tried hard today. I played better and my game has been according to plan. Pak June (Junaidi Ibrahim) played well, and deserved this victory. My game started to change when he (Junaidi) birdied with a ;ong putt," said George.

With two more IGT events, Series VII and the Grand Finale, George is optimistic he can win at least one championship. Even if he is ultimately unsuccessful, he's taking many positive lessons during this 2015 season. "Although this is a down year for me, the positive is that I can still compete to be in the top 10, even top 5. And it calms my mind," said the winner of the PGA Tour Order of Merit of Indonesia in 2014.

The third position is occupied Ian Andrew who collected a total score of 216 (even par), while Ditya Novianto finished fourth with 217 (one-over par)

William Sjaichudin And George Gandranata Finish Top Ten At Bali National Golf Championship

Bali, Indonesia, June 28 - Matthew Giles of Australia sank a clutch birdie putt on the last hole to win the US$76,000 Bali National Golf Championship by one-shot on Sunday.

The 25-year-old was tied with Lindsay Renolds of Canada before holing a 30-feet birdie to win his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title with a closing three-under-par 69 at the Bali National Golf Club.

Renolds, who led by two shots early in the round, shot a 68 to settle for his fourth runner-up finish on the ADT while Sutijet Kooratanapisan of Thailand and current Order of Merit leader Hsieh Chi-hsien of Chinese Taipei finished third and fourth respectively.

There was local success with 2 Indonesian players finishing in the top 10. William Sjaichudin started with all pars on the front nine, then got momentum with an eagle on hole 10 followed by a birdie on hole 11 to go to 7 under, but bogeys on holes 12 and 16 saw him fall back to 5 under, good for a tie for 6th place.

Meanwhile George Gandranata had a flawless round with birdies on holes 2 and 13 to finish in a tie for 9th place at 2-under for the tournament.

“It is always nice to make a putt on the 18th hole to win an event. It feels fantastic. It has been a great week,” said Giles, who totaled 12-under-par 276 to win US$13,300 and earn six valuable Official World Golf Ranking points.

Giles got off to a slow start when he turned in one-over-par 36 but bounced back on his homeward nine with five birdies against one bogey.

“This is a demanding course. There are holes where you can make birdies or eagles but if you hit a bad shot then you will be punished. Every hole has its own little challenge. I just stayed in the moment and thankfully it worked out.

“The front nine is more challenging. I grinded out on the front and was lucky enough to birdie 10, 11, 13 and 15. I think I probably played 10 or nine-under on the back nine for the tournament,” he smiled.

It was a case of so close but yet so far for Renolds, who holed seven birdies against three bogeys to charge in contention before being defeated by Giles’ brilliant birdie finish.

“I had a lot of demons in the past with how I finished events but I didn’t give the tournament away because Matthew Giles made a really good putt on the last to win. It is not a good way of losing but it is the way a tournament should be won,” said Phuket-based Renolds.

After earning an Asian Tour card at Qualifying School earlier this year, Renolds hopes to carry this momentum heading into the second half of the season on the region’s premier Tour.

“The more you give yourself opportunities, the closer you come to a win. This is a good confidence booster heading into the Asian Tour. There are a lot of positives this week. I didn’t really make any mistakes. I had a few bad shots but that happens in golf,” he explained.

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.

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

276 - Matthew GILES (AUS) 68-69-70-69

277 - Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN) 69-70-70-68

279 - Sutijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA) 71-73-69-66

280 - HSIEH Chi-hsien (TWN) 67-70-71-72

281 - Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) 69-72-69-71

283 - Khalin JOSHI (IND) 67-71-74-71, William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 69-73-70-71

285 - Arie Irawan (MAS) 71-71-69-74

286 - George GANDRANATA (INA) 75-70-71-70, Mitsuhiko HASHIZUME (JPN) 70-72-72-72, Jordan SHERRATT (AUS) 70-69-74-73, Himmat RAI (IND) 73-69-70-74, Sean RIORDAN (NZL) 67-74-70-75, Jake STIRLING (AUS) 68-67-73-78

Selected:

291 - Benita YUNIARTO (INA) 72-71-77-71

292 - Ramadhan ALWIE (INA) 68-78-72-74

296 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA) 71-74-77-73

301 - Asep SAEFULLOH (INA) 73-73-81-74

302 - Andrew WIRAWAN (INA) 71-74-76-81

304 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 71-77-77-79

William Sjaichudin Back In Top Ten After Third Round Of The Bali National Golf Championship

Bali, Indonesia, June 27 - Matthew Giles of Australia shot a two-under-par 70 to seize the third round lead at The Bali National Golf Championship after Hsieh Chi-hsien of Chinese Taipei struggled in the closing three holes on Saturday.

The 25-year-old Giles produced three birdies and one eagle against three bogeys to lead by one shot on nine-under-par 207 at the challenging Bali National Golf Club.

Current Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit leader Hsieh was cruising on 11-under through 15 holes before making two disappointing double bogeys on holes 16 and 17.

He birdied 18 for a 71 to share second place with overnight leader Jake Stirling of Australia, who returned with a 73 at the US$76,000 ADT event.

Lindsay Renolds of Canada was a further shot back following a 70 while Micah Lauren Shin of the United States registered a 69 to trail the leader by three shots.

Local player William Sjaichudin got himself back in the top ten with a round of 70. He's now in a tie for 8th at 4-under-par. Meanwhile George Gandranata (71) moved up to a tie for 20th at even par.

“I missed the cut last week in Koh Samui on the Asian Tour but I’m hitting the ball well. This is a course that suits me. It is wide off the tees and you need to control your ball in the wind. It is a lot similar we play back home,” said Giles.

Playing in his first ADT event, the Australian will not take his slim lead for granted in the windy conditions at Bali National.

“Everyone here is trying to win and the level of play on the ADT is really good. I’ll just take one hole as it comes and focus on my own game. Tomorrow is a new day. The wind has been blowing in the same direction but you never know what will happen tomorrow,” he said.

Hsieh, a two-time ADT winner, was disappointed not to build on his performance through 15 holes after losing his ball on 16 and finding the water hazard on the par three island green 17th hole.

“I played awesome for 15 holes. It was a terrible last three holes but I still have a chance because I’m trailing by only one shot. I don’t want to think too much about my round today. Tomorrow is a new round,” said the 24-year-old.

Stirling, who is aiming for a second straight win on the ADT, saw his overnight two-shot lead erased after a wayward tee shot on the tricky first hole forced him to take an unplayable. He battled back with four birdies against two bogeys to stay in the hunt.

“I just tried to hang in there. I’m surprised that I’m still in contention. Hsieh had it going early. He made a couple of mistakes coming in. With three holes to go, I was out of it because he was running away with it but he dropped a few shots and that kind of helps everybody,” said Stirling.

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

207 - Matthew GILES (AUS) 68-69-70

208 - HSIEH Chi-hsien (TWN) 67-70-71, Jake STIRLING (AUS) 68-67-73

209 - Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN) 69-70-70

210 - Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) 69-72-69

211 - Arie Irawan (MAS) 71-71-69, Sean RIORDAN (NZL) 67-74-70

212 - Chiragh KUMAR (IND) 74-69-69, CHAN Shih-chang (TPE) 72-71-69, William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 69-73-70, Himmat RAI (IND) 73-69-70, Gyeongjun LEE (KOR) 65-75-72, Nirun SAE-UENG (THA) 67 72 73, Khalin JOSHI (IND) 67-71-74

Selected:

216 - George GANDRANATA (INA) 75-70-71

218 - Ramadhan ALWIE (INA) 68-78-72

220 - Benita YUNIARTO (INA) 72-71-77

221 - Andrew WIRAWAN (INA) 71-74-76

222 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA) 71-74-77

225 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 71-77-77

227 - Asep SAEFULLOH (INA) 73-73-81

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.

Rudianto Takes Surprise Win In IGT @ PG Halim II

JAKARTA, 29 May 2015 - The third leg of the Indonesian Golf Tour, which took place from 27-29 May at Padang Golf Halim II in Jakarta, ended with a big surprise. Rudianto emerged as the champion with a total score of 213 (3 under par). The golfer who the day before was in in a tie for 7th was thrusted into the top position after posting four birdies on the last day without a single bogey. In addition, the success of the golfer from Pekanbaru in Riau province, was inseparable from the failure of Maan Nasim to take advantage of opportunities.

After completing 18 holes, Rudi Anto shared the spot at the top of the leaderboard with Maan with three under (under par). Maan himself still had five holes to play with a great opportunity to become champion of the third leg of the 2015 IGT season. However, he actually stumbled on the last hole when forced to make a three-putt bogey.

"I actually would have been quite satisfied with the second position. Moreover, Bang Maan was more likely to win because he still had some holes to go. However, after Friday prayers, I was actually surprised when told that I had won. Thank God ..., " said the golfer who had played for the Riau team in PON 2008 and 2012. Rudi Anto took home the prize money amounting to Rp 32 million.

Meanwhile, Maan who was actually more favored to carve his first title since 2010 had to settle for a tie for second with a total score of 212 (two under par). Although disappointed, he viewed his failure positively.

"I have not been lucky. On the green of the final hole my ball was too far away from the pin, so I made a three putt. Today my putting was not too good," said Maan, who today posted three birdies and two bogeys.

Amateur golfer Elky Kow scored his best achievement to date in this third leg of IGT 2015. In addition to being the only amateur golfer who made the cut, the 21-year-old golfer finished in a tie for second, sharing the place with veteran golfer Maan. This is the first appearance of the former PON DKI athlete in an IGT event this season.

"Looking at the total score of today, I am actually satisfied. I could make a better score, especially in the final round. My putting was not working well," said Elky, who made three birdies and two bogeys.

Leading final scores of the IGT @ PG Halim II

213 - Rudianto 73-72-68

214 - Elky Kow (A) 71-72-71, Maan Nasim 74-69-71

215 - Dede Idris 73-73-69, Agusnam 71-73-71

216 - Rinaldi Adiyandono 74-70-72

217 - Ramadhan Alwie 74-72-71, Ian Andrew 69-74-74

218 - Benita 74-73-71, Indra Hermawan 68-78-72

Four Lead After Second Day of IGT @ PG Halim II

JAKARTA, 28 May 2015 - The fight for the top spot got tighter on the second day of the third round of the Indonesian Golf Tour at Padang Golf Halim II. Four players, representing different generations, all lead with an accumulated score of 143 (1 under par). They are Maan Nasim, Asep Saefulloh, Ian Andrew, and amateur golfer Elky Kow.

Maan, born 4 February 1960, played brilliantly on the second day. By scoring 69 he managed to improve his game from the first day when he scored of 74. Remarkably, the veteran golfer scored three birdies without a bogey.

"My putting today is not good. There were three holes in which I failed to score a birdie with a putt as far as only one meter distance. But, this time I play to win," he said.

However, he had to work hard to realize that ambition. The former Indonesia's number one golfer acknowledges that his physical condition was not as fit as before. "The only obstacle for me is just stamina. It's quite tiring for me to walk as far as 18 holes," he explained.

Although managing to stay atop the standings, two of the top three on the leaderboard the day before, Ian Andrew and Asep Saefulloh, struggled to maintain their performance today. Ian, who yesterday played 69, close the game with a 74, while Asep posted 73.

Ian admitted he played poorly on the second day, especially his iron shots. "Fortunately my chipping helped my game today," said the golfer who was born 24 July 1992.

Ian is still optimistic that he can get away from the pressure, even with more competitors for the top spot. "I'm in a tied position with three other golfers. It provides pressure for me. But I usually just play well when there is pressure," said the only Indonesian golfer who made the cut in the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters presented by Enjoy Jakarta last April.

Meanwhile, Asep was quite satisfied with today's game. "However, my putting was very poor today with an average of two putts per hole," said the golfer who was born 8 July 1982. Despite being in a condition of not physically fit, Asep motivated himself by the game shown by his opponents. "Looking at the scoreboard, I got immediately excited. Playing with great players put pressure on me. However, this just makes me more spirited," he added.

Elky was able to keep his game level on the second day. Scoring even par was enough to for the amateur golfer to rise to the top position, along with three professional golfers. "I started badly today. The first four holes I scored five-over-par and it's very disturbing. I was emotional with my game. However, I am aware of this and try to get my game back," said the golfer born 8 September 1994.

After evaluating the game for two days, Elky will change his strategy. "For tomorrow's game, the strategy must change. I will try to play as best as possible," he added.

The position of the four golfers who are in T-1 position is far from secure. Rinaldi Adiyandono and Agusnam are one shot back in a tie for 5th with a score of 144, followed closely by Rudi Anto with a score of 145.

Leading scores after the second round of IGT @ Padang Golf Halim II

143 - Maan Nasim 74-69, Elky Kow 71-72, Asep Saefulloh 70-73, Ian Andrew 69-74

144 - Rinaldi Adiyandono 74-70, Agusnam 71-73

145 - Rudi Anto 73-72

146 - Kurnia Herisiandy 76-70, Andi Soeyatmo 75-71, Ditya Novianto 75-71, Ramadhan Alwie 74-72, Sahabudin 74-72, Effendi 74-72, Dede Idris 73-73, Indra Hermawan 68-78

Indra Hermawan Leads After First Day At Halim II

Jakarta, 27 May 2015 - The 3rd round of the 2015 season of the Indonesian Golf Tour (IGT) is on at Padang Golf Halim II, with a total purse of 200 million. The tournament, held from May 27 to 29, sees a total of 102 golfers, 20 of whom have amateur golfer status, participate in this national professional golf series, that goes into its second year in 2015.

Indra Hermawan was the surprise leader at the end of the first day, after posting six birdies combined with two bogeys for a total score of 68 (4 under par). "My A game was starting to show at the last seven holes. Because there was encouragement to play fast from the marshal, I got into a fast tempo game with no time no doubt," he said.

Indra admitted that his score today was supported by everything from his long- to his short game. "My drives are nice and straight, my irons pretty good, and my putting was nice," said Indra. For the second day, Indra asserted that he had to aim for a low score in order to strengthen its position at the top. "Preparing for tomorrow, I have to play my best and score many birdies," he added.

But Indra's position is far from secure., as Ian Andrew is only one stroke (stroke) behind Indra. Though the golfer from Bali acknowledged that the condition of the pitch is good enough, his game on the green was messy. "The greens are becoming a problem for me," said the winner of the second round of the 2015 IGT.

The small difference in scores makes Ian optimistic he can chase Indra. He's ambitious to score consecutive titles after winning the IGT second eound in February. "My target this time is to become champion. I hope this could provide a boost for me to be able to play well in the Asian Development Tour tournament in Bali in June," he explained.

Threatening Indra's position is also Asep Saefulloh. The golfer from Bandung posted a score of 2 under par (70). He said that this is pay off for his hard work after his poor performances at CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. "After the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters I realized that my iron game is bad. Back in Bandung I immediately worked on improving my long iron shots. Today I was very confident with my game," said the champion of the 2010 West Java Governor Cup Amateur Golf Tournament.

Elky Kow, one of 20 amateur golfers in the tournament, was able to nestle himself in the top five of the standings. With a score of 71 (1 under par) Elky is in a tie for fourth, sharing this place with two professional golfers, Maman Suherman and Agusnam. "My game today is quite good. Only the last ten hole went not so well. At yesterday's practice round I felt that I had to play brave in my short games," he said.

Looking forward to the match tomorrow, Elky does not prepare a special strategy. "I will rest as much as possible for tomorrow. I will do the same as today and we'll see what happens later," he added.

Leading scores after the first round:

68 - Indra Hermawan

69 - Ian Andrew

70 - Asep Saefulloh

71 - Elky Kow (A), Maman Suherman, Agusnam

72 - Mahpudin, Fajar Win Nuryanto

Westwood Takes His Third Crown After Playoff At CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters Presented By Enjoy Jakarta Golf 2015

Jakarta, April 26 2015 - England’s Lee Westwood fended off the spirited challenge from Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat by defeating him at the first play-off hole to clinch his third CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf 2015 title on Sunday.

The former world number one’s bid to claim his hat-trick of titles at the US$750,000 Asian Tour event was secured when he birdied the play-off 18th hole as Chapchai, a four-time Asian Tour winner, could only make par.

“There are a lot of good players on the Asian Tour now and the standard is getting higher on this Tour and it’s harder to come over here and win, especially today.

“It’s nice to come back and play with them on their own Tour where they get to show everybody in Asia how good they are. To come to this tournament this week and win it three times is obviously extra special,” said Westwood.

The Englishman appeared to be cruising towards an emphatic victory until two successive bogeys on 16 and 17 blew the title race wide open.

He had the opportunity to win with a birdie at the last but misread the green and was forced to settle for a par and a four-day total of seven-under-par 281.

But after returning to the 18th hole for extra-time, Westwood made no mistake from the exact spot again.

“It was a tough putt coming into the hill over on 18. I misread it slightly and hit it to about five-feet and missed it. But fortunately in the play-off, I hit it to the exact same spot, I knew the line and it was a nice straight putt for the win.

“I’ve never been beaten around this golf course which is great and this win will give me the confidence for the year ahead,” said Westwood.

Despite falling short in his bid for the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters title, Chapchai remained upbeat about his season ahead.

The Thai, who holds the world 72-hole scoring record, surmounted a late charge by storming up the leaderboard with seven birdies and one bogey to force Westwood into a play-off.

The 31-year-old found trouble when his second shot landed in the bunker during the play-off.

After hitting out from the bunker where his ball would land about 10-feet away from the pin, Chapchai could also make par, handing the advantage over to Westwood, who would go on to sink his decisive birdie putt.

“When I started out, I told myself a top-three finish would be fantastic, considering how good Lee has played this week. Getting into the play-off was a bonus and I’m very proud of myself despite the defeat.

“I managed to sort out my putting this week. And that’s important as it’ll help in the long season ahead,” said Chapchai.

Ian Andrew, the only surviving Indonesian player in the field, was able to recover somewhat from the previous rounds. Making the turn in 2-over, he managed to maintain par in the last 9 holes with 2 birdies and a single double bogey for a total of 302 for the tournament.

Leading scores after round 4 of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf 2015 being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course:

281 - Lee WESTWOOD (ENG) 69-74-65-73, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 68-74-73-66
*Westwood defeated Chapchai at the first play-off hole with a birdie

282 - Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS) 75-70-70-67

283 - Thomas BJORN (DEN) 66-76-71-70

284 - Thitiphun CHUAYPRAKONG (THA) 71-77-67-69, Y.E. YANG (KOR) 73-71-69-71

285 - Angelo QUE (PHI) 72-75-72-66

286 - Paul PETERSON (USA) 71-73-73-69, Prayad MARKSAENG (THA) 73-72-72-69, Berry HENSON (USA) 75-72-69-70

Selected:

302 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 72-79-77-74

Westwood Takes Charge Going Into The Final Round Of The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters Presented By Enjoy Jakarta Golf

Jakarta, April 25 - England’s Lee Westwood’s superb ability of staying patient was rewarded when he stormed ahead to snatch the third round lead with a seven-under-par 65 at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf on Saturday.

The former world number one cut a frustrated figure in his front-nine but an astonishing back-nine 29 saw Westwood compile a three-day total of eight-under-par 208 to establish a five-shot lead going into the final round at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Thailand’s Namchok Tantipokhakul carded a 71 to tie for second with Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn and Korea’s Y.E. Yang on matching 213 total at the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.

It was a tale of two different nines for Westwood, the double CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters champion, who had started the day in seventh place.

The Englishman turned in 36 after mixing one birdie and one bogey.

However a stunning eagle-three on 12 lifted the world number 33 to the top of the leaderboard.

“I was struggling for a bit of momentum around the front-nine as I found it hard to read the greens. That eagle from about 25 ft really got me going and I went on to birdie the next five holes,” said Westwood.

Five successive birdies from 13 then saw him sprint away from the chasing pack, giving him a commanding advantage before the final round beckons.

“Nobody was really doing anything around the front-nine. I was sort of plodding along and even-par till 11 and only two behind then. But I managed to have a good run after that and stamp a bit of authority when nobody was doing it,” said Westwood.

With a hat-trick of titles in sight, Westwood is determined to make his visit to Jakarta another enjoyable one.

“I’ve been here twice and I won both times so I like to keep that going. I’ve never been beaten before so I’m going in with a big chance tomorrow,” said Westwood.

Despite Westwood’s healthy lead, Bjorn believes he still has a chance to dent the Englishman’s title aspirations.

“I haven’t been playing particularly well. But I managed to scramble my way around. It’s very much in his hands but I’ll still give a go and see how it goes.

“I got to putt well and shoot really low tomorrow as I can’t let anything slip early,” said the Dane.

Namchok is also determined to stop Westwood in his tracks by going on a birdie sprint early.

“I’ve got to start applying the pressure early and see how it goes. There’s still a chance and I’m going to do my best and try to make a charge early tomorrow,” said the Thai.

Ian Andrew, the only Indonesian left in the tournament, carded a 77. Still at par after his first nine holes, he finished his round with 5 birdies on the second nine.

Leading scores after round 3 of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course:

208 – Lee WESTWOOD (ENG) 69-74-65

213 – Y.E. YANG (KOR) 73-71-69, Thomas BJORN (DEN) 66-76-71, Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA) 69-73-71

214 – Kalle SAMOOJA (FIN) 69-76-69

215 – Thitiphun CHUAYPRAKONG (THA) 71-77-67, Khalin JOSHI (IND) 71-76-68, Bryce EASTON (RSA) 73-77-65, Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS) 75-70-70, Jeunghun WANG (KOR) 74-71-70, Yosuke TSUKADA (JPN) 71-71-73, Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 68-74-73, CHAN Shih-chang (TPE) 66-75-74

Selected:

228 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 72-79-77