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.

Second Title For Bhullar At Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open

Jakarta, November 21 - Gaganjeet Bhullar of India won the US$300,000 BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open for the second time in his career after closing with a four-under-par 68 on Monday.

Bhullar, who also won the event in 2013, sealed his seventh Asian Tour victory and a second title this season with a 16-under-par 272 total at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

Gaganjeet Bhullar holding the Indonesia Open trophy, flanked by Minister of State Owned Enterprises Rini Soemarno (left) and Bank BRI President Director Asmawi Syam (right) - Photo Asian Tour

He returned to finish his remaining three holes on Monday morning as play was abandoned due to bad weather on Sunday.

Jeev Milkha Singh of India, a two-time Asian Tour number one, threatened briefly before settling for tied second place, his best result since 2012, after making bogey on the 17th hole to finish on 72.

Thailand’s Danthai Boonma (67), Panuphol Pittayarat (68) and Tour rookie Johannes Veerman (69) of the United States took a share of second alongside Singh on 275s.

The 28-year-old made five birdies in seven holes on Sunday before returning to par his last three holes and clinch his second victory in two months.

With his win at the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open, Bhullar is now the fifth player after Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, Frank Nobilo of New Zealand, Frankie Minoza of the Philippines and Lu Hsi-chuen of Chinese Taipei to win the event twice.

“It is never easy in a Monday finish especially when you only have a two-shot lead. I slept at 7pm last night and woke up at 2am because there was so much adrenaline rush. I just couldn’t focus on anything.

“I was not focused on sleeping. I just could not divert my mind anywhere else apart from the last few holes. At the end of the day I’m proud of myself and I’m glad I pulled it off,” said Bhullar.

“I was full of confidence from tee number one. I told myself that I will play aggressive golf and gave myself a lot of birdie chances. I putted really well and made single putts in the first seven holes,” he added. Bhullar admits that it was a huge test of patience as the weather suspensions made life difficult for the players.

“The week was difficult, it was not easy at all. It was a test of patience but my past experience of winning here before helped. I’ve won before in stop and go week before. The experience really counted this week,” he said.

Singh, who has won 14 titles worldwide but not since 2012, admits it was difficult to chase the dominant Bhullar.

“I played well but Gaganjeet Bhullar started really well yesterday. I tried to push him but I finished second and I’ll take that result as it is my best finish of the year,” said the 44-year-old Singh.

“I think I handled myself really well being in the last group for the first time since 2012! I could have done better but I feel this will give me a lot of confidence heading into the next few weeks. I’m working on a few things which I need to trust more under pressure.”

The young Asian Tour stars have enjoyed huge success in the 2016 season but Singh is determined to return to his best form. “It is great to see the depth of the Asian Tour. It is good to see these young kids hungry and they want to birdie every hole. That’s the way it should be. Gaganjeet is 28 years old and I think sky’s the limit for him,” said Singh.

“It is good to see these young kids doing well. Obviously I want to compete with them. In fact, they push me to do better. They hit good and long drives and I want to keep up with them. Don’t forget age is just a number,” he smiled.

Two Indonesian players also had to complete their round on Monday. Danny Masrin (72) finished T14 with a total of 9-under par, after finishing even par on the last round. With 2 and half hole left to play on Monday he was momentarily at 10-under when birdying the 17th hole, but a bogey on the final hole meant he finished the round even par.
"I intended to make a birdie on these last holes. Since yesterday many balls didn't go in," said Danny.

Participating for the first time in the Indonesia Open was an extraordinary experience for Danny, and he was quite satisfied with his results over the 4 days.

Being on the leaderboard is a good experience. It gives me confidence to compete in upcoming tournaments," he said.

"My game is good. I have no problem with a 9-under result. This is my first time in the Indonesia Open, and also as a professional. At the moment this is a very good result for me," added the 24-year old

Another Indonesian golfer that had to finish his round on Monday, Adrian Halimi, was trying to reduce his over-par result. Closing out in 70, he managed to climb to T65 with a total score of 292 (4-above par).

"I learned a lot here at the Indonesia Open. We should never give up. As amateur there are two outcomes, win or lose. As a pro, every stroke counts. Because what position you end up in will impact many other things. That was advice that fellow pro golfer Mithun Perera gave me during my third round," he explained.

I'm satisfied enough. My main objective was to make the cut, and I achieved that. So my game was according plan, and I will work on improving in the upcoming tournaments", said the former PON XIX athlete from Banten.

Final scores of the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open 2016 being played at the par 72, 7243 Yards Pondok Indah course (am - denotes amateur):

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

275 - Danthai BOONMA (THA) 69-71-68-67, Panuphol PITTAYARAT (THA) 70-69-68-68, Johannes VEERMAN (USA) 67-66-73-69, Jeev Milkha SINGH (IND) 71-66-66-72

276 - Dodge KEMMER (USA) 71-69-71-65, Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA) 65-71-72-68

277 - Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA) 69-68-74-66, Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 70-69-70-68, Akinori TANI (JPN) 72-69-66-70, Lionel WEBER (FRA) 73-62-71-71

278 - Janne KASKE (FIN) 68-67-75-68, Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA) 69-66-70-73

279 - Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 73-70-68-68, Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 70-70-69-70, Danny MASRIN (INA) 68-72-67-72

280 - Nicolas PAEZ (USA) 68-71-71-70, Adam GROOM (AUS) 70-65-74-71, Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 69-67-73-71, HUNG Chien-yao (TPE) 66-67-75-72, Javi COLOMO (ESP) 70-68-70-72.

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.

Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open Makes Welcome Return On Asian Tour

Jakarta, November 1 - The 2016 BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open will make its welcome return onto the Asian Tour Schedule after a one-year absence, officials announced today.

Title sponsored by Indonesia’s oldest bank, Bank BRI and global payments brand based in Japan, JCB, Indonesia’s oldest professional golf tournament will be played at Pondok Indah Golf Course from November 17 to 20, 2016.

The full-field Asian Tour event will offer a US$300,000 prize purse and much attention will be on the local golfers aiming to deliver the first Indonesian champion since 1989.

The late Kasiadi remains the only Indonesian golfer to win the event while the 2014 edition was won by three-time Major winner, Padraig Harrington who defeated Thailand’s Thanyakon Khrongpha by two shots.

Sis Apik Wijayanto, Director of Bank BRI said: “The Indonesian Open is one of the most prestigious national championships in Asia and Bank BRI is truly honored to have the opportunity to become the tournament’s title sponsor."

“We hope the return of our national championship will inspire Indonesian golfers to play their best and win the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open title next month. It would be a fantastic achievement for the development of the game in our country.”

Left to right: Mr. Budi Kosasih, Operational Director of Pondok Indah Golf Course, Mr. Sis Apik Wijayanto, Director of BANK BRI, Mr. Murdaya Widyawimarta Po, Chairman of PGI, Mr. Koichiro Wada, Director of PT. JCB International Indonesia and Mr. Cho Minn Thant, Associate Director of Asian Tour

Mr. Koichiro Wada, Director of JCB International Indonesia said: “We are delighted and proud to be part of the Indonesia Open, which is the oldest golf tournament in the country."

“It is an exciting venture for JCB and we are looking forward to working together with the Asian Tour and Persatuan Golf Indonesia to make this prestigious tournament a huge success.”"
Mr. Murdaya Widyawimarta Po, President of Persatuan Golf Indonesia, the national golf association of Indonesia said: “On behalf of our association, I would like to thank Bank BRI and JCB for its outstanding support. Our national championship is a very important event and we are delighted that the BRI-JCB Indonesia Open will be staged on the Asian Tour this month."

“It is important for us to continue to stage the Indonesia Open as it creates the opportunity for Indonesian golfers, both professionals and amateurs, to compete against the best players from the Asian Tour.”

Cho Minn Thant, Associate Director of the Asian Tour, said, “We are delighted to welcome back the Asian Tour tournament sponsored by BRI after a one-year lapse as it is one of the most popular national Opens in Asia with a rich history."

“As we begin our countdown towards the championship, we are also confident the return of the best players from the Asian Tour will continue to excite and thrill the local galleries next month. On behalf of our players, I would also like to extend our deepest appreciation to Bank BRI for its title sponsorship."

“Earlier this season, the Asian Tour also welcomed back the national Opens of Singapore and Myanmar while the King’s Cup also made a return in Thailand. I believe this is a wonderful sign for the development and growth of professional golf in Asia.”

Budi Kosasih, Director Operational of Pondok Indah Golf Course said the club is looking forward to hosting the top players from the region and Indonesia for the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open.

“It is a privilege for Pondok Indah to be selected to play host to the 2016 Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open. We will endeavour to prepare our championship course to its best condition so that we can identify a worthy champion of our national Open.”

Indonesia Open Postponed Until 2016

SINGAPORE, Sept 25 - Singapore will step in to stage a new $750,000 World Classic Championship on the Asian Tour in November after organizers of the Indonesia Open asked for their event to be postponed.

The new 144-man tournament will be played at the Laguna National Golf and Country Club from Nov. 12-15, the Asian Tour said on Friday.

The $750,000 Indonesia Open, won last year by triple major winner Padraig Harrington of Ireland, was scheduled for the same dates but will now be played sometime in 2016.

"The organisers of the Indonesia Open remain committed to hosting the event on the Asian Tour in the near future and we look forward to working with them for the betterment of the game in Indonesia and around Asia," tournament organisers said in a statement on Friday.

The Indonesia Open, the country's oldest professional golf tournament, was due to celebrate its 35th anniversary this year after returning to the Asian Tour in 2013 following three years on the rival OneAsia circuit.

It joins the Dubai Open, Solaire Open, Philippine Open, King's Cup, Vascory Classic, Chiang Mai Classic and Selangor Masters in falling off the Asian Tour calendar this year.

The circuit, though, has added new events in Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam.

It marks the second time in two years the Laguna Club have stepped into stage an Asian Tour event.

Last year they came in at short notice to host The Championship for the circuit following 'staging issues' in its original South Korea location.

Asian Tour CEO Mike Kerr was appreciative of the support of Laguna, owned by Indonesian-born motoring and property entrepreneur Peter Kwee.

"It's fantastic that our players will have another opportunity to return to Singapore to compete at the World Classic Championship at Laguna National," he said in a statement on Friday.

"We are grateful to our partners IMG and the management at Laguna National Golf and Country Club for their commitment and support towards this event."

Last month, the Singapore-based Asian Tour announced they had entered into "an innovative joint vision for the future of professional golf" with the European Tour, thought to be a merger.

Source: REUTERS, by Patrick Johnston. Editing by Sudipto Ganguly

Fadhli Soetarso Joins Golf Class At University Of Kentucky

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Kentucky's 2015-16 men's golf class is now complete with the addition of Fadhli Soetarso it was announced by head coach Brian Craig on Monday.

"Fadhli brings a wealth of talent and big time amateur experience to our team,” Craig said. “He is technically very sound and has already proven to be a very competitive player at the highest level of amateur golf, including being the low amateur in the Asian Tour's Indonesian Open. Fadhli is also a fine young man and a gentleman in every regard. He will make a tremendous addition to our Wildcat golf family and I can't wait to coach him."

Soetarso joins fall signees Lukas Euler and Jalen Ledger to complete the 2015-16 class.

Soetarso is one of the top amateur players from Indonesia and has a wealth of top-level tournament experience. He is set to compete this summer in the South East Asian Games in Singapore. Soetarso will represent his home country as well as compete as an individual in the event.

No stranger to success, Soetarso won his first major junior tournament in 2012. He claimed the title by eight strokes at the Indonesia's National Junior Championships. Soetarso carded rounds of 71-69-75 en route to his first victory.

Soetarso qualified for the Faldo Series Asia Grand Final held in Mission Hills, China in both 2014 and 2015. During the 2015 competition, he fired scores of 69-72-73 and finished in a tie for eighth overall.

A fifth-place finish at the 80th Singha Thailand Amateur Open is another one of his career highlights. He earned the fifth-place showing with rounds of 73-69-72-70 in the four-round event. Furthermore, he finished as the low amateur at the 2014 Bank BRI Indonesia Open. He finished in a tie for 38th in the Asian Tour event with rounds of 69-73-73-68.

Pondok Indah To Host Indonesia Open 2015

Jakarta, June 11 - Organizers of the 2015 Indonesia Open today announced that this year’s edition will be played at Pondok Indah Golf Course, located in the heart of the country’s capital city, Jakarta.

The tournament, which offers a US$750,000 prize purse, is Indonesia’s oldest professional golf tournament and will take place from November 12-15.

Mr. Murdaya Widyawimarta Po, President of Persatuan Golf Indonesia, the national golf association of Indonesia and organizers of the Indonesia Open, commented, “As this is our national Open we feel that the tournament should move around and be ‘shared’ amongst the top courses in Jakarta. Entry to this year’s event will be free to all spectators which is our way of giving back to the game and further contribute to the overall development of the sport in our country.

Everyone is very excited about the new venue for this year’s tournament. Pondok Indah Golf Course is a magnificent course and I have no doubt they will put on a great show for players and spectators.”

The Pondok Indah Golf Course was established on August 17, 1976, and designed by the renowned course architect, Robert Trent Jones. The course has hosted several professional events, including the 1983 World Cup of Golf.

Kyi Hla Han, Chairman of the Asian Tour, said, “The Indonesia Open is highly regarded as one of the popular national Opens in Asia. With the Indonesia Open celebrating its 35th anniversary this year, we look forward to witnessing more defining moments from the tournament again. The tournament has been growing in stature each year and we are excited to welcome the return of the best players from the Asian Tour to the 2015 Indonesia Open”.

Pak Budi Kosasih, General Manager of Pondok Indah Golf Course, was understandably thrilled with the news. He said, “Everyone at the golf club is honored that we have been chosen to host Indonesia’s most prestigious golf tournament, our national open. We have a wonderful golf course; it is a real test of skill and judgement, and we are all looking forward to welcoming the professionals to our club.”

The 2014 Indonesia Open was won by three-time Major winner, Padraig Harrington. He defeated Thai rookie Thanyakon Khrongpha on the final hole of the tournament, to win by two strokes.

Tamardi Set For Faldo Series Indonesia Championship Defence

Jakarta, January 8 - Highly-rated teenager Tirto Tamardi will be the player to beat when the eighth edition of the Faldo Series Indonesia Championship tees-off this weekend.

Following a succession of outstanding performances alongside the region’s leading professionals in recent months, the 15-year-old from Surabaya is already being touted as a star of the future.

But Tamardi’s immediate focus is simply to retain the Faldo Series Indonesia Championship title he won at a canter last year.

Since his seven-stroke success over Damai Indah Golf’s BSD Course in West Java exactly 12 months ago, Tamardi has enjoyed a memorable sequence.

Among the many highlights were a top-10 finish in September’s PGM MNRB Sarawak Championship, an Asian Development Tour event featuring a host of seasoned Asian professionals.

Tamardi also had the distinction of being one of only two amateurs to make the half-way cut in last month’s Bank BRI Indonesia Open, a fully-fledged Asian Tour event won by Irishman Padraig Harrington over Damai Indah’s PIK Course.

Those experiences are sure to stand Tamardi in good stead as he attempts to secure a return trip to Mission Hills China for the ninth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, to be hosted by Sir Nick Faldo in March.

Tamardi will certainly be drawing on the memory of his brilliant performance last year when an opening nine-under-par 63 set him on course for a runaway victory.

He said: “Winning tournaments will always be the best experience. The one that I won’t forget was when I won the Faldo Series Indonesia last year. I had the lowest scores and that was one of the greatest experiences for me.”

Speaking ahead of the 18th leg of the record-breaking 2014-2015 Faldo Series Asia season, six-time Major championship winner Sir Nick, Britain’s most successful golfer, said: “Tirto is clearly a talented player who has already proved that he has both the game and the temperament to succeed.

“I will be following closely his progress at Damai Indah in what promises to be another exciting tournament.”

Supported by The R&A and Mission Hills and endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the 2014-15 Faldo Series Asia campaign stretches over 11 months and is made up of 19 championships.

Recognised as the only global amateur series for boys and girls, the Faldo Series was established in 1996, expanding to Asia in 2006.

Today, 40 Faldo Series tournaments take place in 30-plus countries worldwide, touching more than 7,000 golfers each year. Past winners include Tseng Ya-ni and Rory McIlroy, who took his tally of professional Major titles to four with his wins at last year’s Open Championship and US PGA Championship.

Rory Hie Storms Into Top Ten At Australian PGA Championship

December 13, Gold Coast - Defending champion Adam Scott, former OneAsia Order of Merit winner Scott Strange and joint-overnight leader Wade Ormsby share a one-shot lead over the rest of the field going into the final day’s play at the Australian PGA Championship after a blustery Saturday at RACV Royal Pines Resort.

Scott hit a second successive round of 69 in the OneAsia event to join Ormsby and Strange – who both completed the third round in 71 strokes – on 10-under par, one shot clear of Jason Scrivener and Boo Weekley.

The world number three birdied all four par-fives on the course as he maintained a consistency that has seen him hit scores under 70 on each of the three rounds while Ormsby sunk a 20-metre putt on the final hole to remain alongside his playing partners at the top of the leaderboard.

“It was good today to make up a couple of shots and at least get in a share of the lead and stay in the final group for tomorrow,” said Scott. “But it’s a really bunched leaderboard and whoever has a good round tomorrow is going to be able to do it.

“It’s a good course to post a number on and the guys behind will certainly have that opportunity. But if I keep playing solid and give myself some chances, hopefully I’ll make a couple more.

“For me, tomorrow I need to go out and get off to a good start. That’s the best thing I can do for so many reasons, to give myself an advantage whether it’s from a crowd cheering perspective and just the rhythm of the tournament perspective.

“Apart from me, you’ve got Boo one back and any of these guys can get off to a good start and there’s no reason why not. They’re all sitting right there and the soft conditions are rewarding good shots, so it’s really important for me to start well tomorrow.”

New Zealand’s Michael Hendry hit the best round of the day when he claimed a 67 to move up to fifth in the standings, just two shots behind the leading trio.

Hendry, winner of the Indonesian Open in 2010 on OneAsia, had a bogey-free round to pull himself into contention for his first title since claiming the Starwood Classic in Fiji in June last year.

“It was pretty tough out there today, especially those last five or six holes where you come back,” he said. “Every shot seems to be off the left or right and that’s where I started to find it tough.

“I made a solid enough start and I managed to make a few birdies through the middle at the easier holes today.

“It’s a nice to be in a position to have a chance. It’s been six or seven months since I’ve been at the very top end of a tournament so I’m just looking forward to the opportunity and hopefully I can play well again tomorrow.”

Indonesia's Rory Hie made a big leap forward with a bogey-free round of 3-under 69. With a total of 5-under he now is in the top ten, and goes into the final round 5 shots from the top of the leaderboard.

Scores after the third round of the Australian PGA Championship (Par 72):

206 - Adam SCOTT (AUS) 68-69-69, Scott STRANGE (AUS) 69-66-71, Wade ORMSBY (AUS) 68-67-71

207 - Jason SCRIVENER (AUS) 73-66-68, Boo WEEKLEY (USA) 66-72-69

208 - Michael HENDRY (NZL) 70-71-67

210 - Scott STALLINGS (USA) 72-70-68, David SMAIL (NZL) 68-71-71

211 - Rory HIE (INA) 71-71-69, David BRANSDON (AUS) 73-70-68, Jarrod LYLE (AUS) 69-72-70

Slow Start For George Gandranata In Thailand Golf Championship

Chonburi, Thailand, December 11 - Thailand’s Thanyakon Khrongpha, Australia’s Marcus Fraser, Canada’s Richard T. Lee and Chinese Taipei’s Lu Wei-chih stole the early limelight by returning with matching three-under-par 69s to share the first round lead at the Thailand Golf Championship on Thursday.

Lee Westwood of England, winner of the Thailand Golf Championship in 2011, trailed by one shot in tied fifth place alongside Scott Hend of Australia and Tirawat Kaewsiribandit of Thailand who had to battle through the blustery conditions at the Amata Spring Country Club.

Title holder Sergio Garcia of Spain and Martin Kaymer of Germany fired identical 71s for tied eighth place alongside Order of Merit leader David Lipsky of the United States and Anirban Lahiri of India at the US$1 million Asian Tour event.

George Gandranata from Indonesia had a slow start, finishing the round at 4-over par, with 2 birdies, 4 bogeys and a double bogey on hole number 13. He is currently in a tie for 69th with amongst others 2-time Masters winner Bubba Watson

The talented Thanyakon was denied his first Asian Tour win at the Bank BRI Indonesia Open in Jakarta last week but he bounced back brilliantly with a morale-boosting 69 to eclipse several of the tournament’s heavyweights.

“I hit good drives and putted very well. I must continue to do that. I wasn’t worried about my score because the conditions were tough. I like the greens here. I know where the slopes are and I don’t find it tough to putt on these greens,” said Thanyakon.

The Thai put aside his disappointment of missing out on his first win on the region’s premier Tour last week where he made a double bogey on the last hole but remains confident of putting on another good show on home soil.

“I’m in a good form and I’ve been playing well for some time now. I’m happy with my result. I have to stick to my game plan because the rough is very long and the wind is very strong.

“Last week was the first time I played with a Major winner so if I can play with another star player this week it will be another good experience,” said Thanyakon.

Having been sidelined by a wrist injury for a large part of the year, Fraser, who is playing on a sponsor’s invitation this week, repaid their faith with a noteworthy performance.

“I’ve been out injured all year. I started playing again in Hong Kong and I’m just trying to get back in the swing of things.

“I’m playing on a sponsors invite this week, so it was nice of them to do that (play well). I enjoyed my time here last year. It’s a great golf course and a great tournament,” said the Australian.

Lee meanwhile rushed straight to the Thailand Golf Championship from Japan and was especially delighted after ending his previous week on a sour note.

“I just finished Japan Qualifying School. I had one bad round in Japan and that kind of put me out of the tournament.

I made one bogey today and it was a dumb bogey. I hit a driver to the fairway and hit my second shot to the rough. But other than that, all my shots were executed pretty well. I’m going to do the same thing and hopefully make more putts,” said Lee.

Lu made light of the testing conditions at the Amata Spring Country Club with a performance he was proud of.

The 35-year-old, who is making his comeback on the Asian Tour after having to undergo a brain surgery in 2012, was pleased to make himself count at the penultimate Asian Tour event for 2014.

“It’s definitely a very inspiring performance considering how tough the conditions were today. The rough’s really thick and the key was to get your shots onto the fairways, which I managed to do so.

I’ve been pacing myself and trying not to overexert. So far so good,” smiled Lu, who is accompanied by his wife this week.

Leading Scores after round 1 of the Thailand Golf Championship (Par 72):

69 – Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA), Marcus FRASER (AUS), Richard T. LEE (CAN), LU Wei-chih (TPE)

70 – Scott HEND (AUS), Lee WESTWOOD (ENG), Tirawat KAEWSIRIBANDIT (THA)

71 – Anirban LAHIRI (IND), Martin KAYMER (GER), Sergio GARCIA (ESP), Kieran PRATT (AUS), Tommy FLEETWOOD (ENG), David LIPSKY (USA), WU Ashun (CHN), Jonathan MOORE (USA), Paul PETERSON (USA), Chris GAUNT (AUS), Nathan HOLMAN (AUS)

Selected scores:

75 – Darren CLARKE (NIR)

76 – Bubba WATSON (USA), George GANDRANATA (INA)

Padraig Harrington Wins Bank BRI Indonesia Open After Dramatic Final Hole Drama

Jakarta, December 7 - Irishman Padraig Harrington secured a thrilling victory at the US$750,000 Bank BRI Indonesia Open after defeating a battling Thanyakon Khrongpha of Thailand by two shots on Sunday.

The three-time Major champion held a four-shot lead at the start of the final round but stumbled at the turn in 37 as Thanyakon birdied three in his opening five holes to lead by two shots after nine holes.

Harrington clawed his way back up after a two-hour rain suspension to tie with Thanyakon heading into the 18th hole where drama ensued at the Damai Indah Golf, Pantai Indah Kapuk Course.

Under immense pressure to win his first Asian Tour title, the 24-year-old Thai hit his second shot into the water for a double bogey as Harrington sealed the win with a 15-foot par putt after taking a penalty drop when his tee shot landed on the edge of the hazard.

Harrington, who signed for an even-par 71 and a winning total of 16-under-par 268 said, “Winning is a good habit to have. It gives you a lot of confidence and I need that confidence. I didn’t start too well but I came through and I got the win. This win brings a lot of confidence to my game and hopefully it will show up next year.”

“I had a bad break on the 18th hole when I hit my tee shot and it rolled to the edge of the hazard. I was about to chip my ball sideways to the fairway but when Thanyakon hit it into the water, there was no point to take a chance. So I went back to the fairway and hit my six iron for my best shot of the week,” said Harrington.

After completing five holes in his third round on Sunday morning, Harrington opened his final round campaign with a bogey before dropping two shots on the par three seventh hole. He admits that the rain delay after nine holes helped him recover.

“I hit a few bad shots earlier on and I hit a careless shot on the seventh hole. The biggest thing for me at that stage was that I was really praying for a rain delay. My momentum was gone but Thanyakon was flying and he didn’t miss a shot,” explained Harrington.

“It was very unlucky for Thanyakon because of that rain delay. It was unfortunate but he can be very proud with how he played all the way through. He is really impressive. He looks like a player to watch for in the future,” added the Irishman, whose last win in a full field tournament was in Johor in 2010.

A dejected Thanyakon rued the missed opportunity to win his first Asian Tour title after struggling to hold his nerve on the 18th hole.

“It was a great final round from me but I was under so much pressure on the last hole. I’m still happy with how I played. The rain delay stopped my momentum. It wasn’t good. The pressure made me scared,” said the young Thai, who posted a 69.

David Lipsky of the United States extended his Order of Merit lead by slightly over US$133,518 after finishing sixth while Merit runner-up Anirban Lahiri of India stumbled to tied 15th place after closing with a triple bogey.

“Looks like I increased my lead and I’m feeling pretty good about that. The goal was to play solid here. Step one done and now I’ll move on to the Thailand Golf Championship and see what I can do there,” said Lipsky, who won the Omega European Masters in Switzerland in September.

Lahiri will have much to play for in the remaining two Asian Tour events. “I got a lot to play for. David has a good lead and I need two solid results in the last two events. I think I’m playing well enough but I got to put it together over four rounds. I haven’t done that in these last two weeks.”

Home hero George Gandranata couldn't maintain his good form, and had to settle for a 2-over par 73, his first round in the 70s this tournament. As a result he dropped back to a tie for 15th on the leaderboard with 278 total. Jordan Irawan finished one shot further back after firing a 70, which meant he completed all rounds in par or better.

The two Indonesian amateurs that made the cut had their own little fight on who would end on top, that was eventually won by Fadhli Rahman Soetarso, who came home in 68 strokes to overtake 15-year old Tirto Tamardi (72) by 3 strokes.

Scores after round 4 of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open (Par 71):

(A denotes amateur)

268 – Padraig HARRINGTON (IRL) 64-66-67-71

270 – Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA) 67-63-71-69

271 – Nathan HOLMAN (AUS) 69-63-70-69

272 – Quincy QUEK (SIN) 71-67-68-66

274 – Sattaya SUPUPRAMAI (THA) 73-67-67-67

275 – David LIPSKY (USA) 72-68-66-69

276 – Jake HIGGINBOTTOM (AUS) 71-69-72-64, Terry PILKADARIS (AUS) 69-70-68-69, Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 71-68-71-66, Sam BRAZEL (AUS) 68-68-69-71, Scott HEND (AUS) 69-64-75-68

Selected:

278 – George GANDRANATA (INA) 69-68-68-73

279 – Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 71-67-71-70

283 - Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A) (INA) 69-73-73-68

286 - Tirto TAMARDI (A) (INA) 70-70-74-72

George Gandranata In Fourth Place After Round 3 Of The Bank BRI Indonesia Open

Jakarta, December 7 - Padraig Harrington of Ireland fired a four-under-par 67 after completing the third round of the US$750,000 Bank BRI Indonesia Open on Sunday.

The multiple Major champion returned this morning to finish five holes for a 16-under-par 197 total to hold a four-shot lead over Thanyakon Khrongpha of Thailand, who birdied his closing two holes for a 71 at the Damai Indah Golf, Pantai Indah Kapuk Course.

Due to bad weather expected on Sunday afternoon, there will not be a redraw for the final round and player start round four in the same group.

Australia’s Nathan Holman registered a 70 to lie in third position while local hope George Gandranata posted a 68 to tie for fourth with Sam Brazel of Australia on 205, eight shots behind Harrington at the Asian Tour event.

Harrington, who is aiming to win his first title in a full field event since 2010, hopes to maintain his strong momentum.

“The last thing I want to do is go out there and be negative because that gives the rest of the field a chance. It is an awkward position to be in. It is never easy to lead. It is always easy to chase,” said Harrington.

Scores after round 3 of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open (Par 71):

197 – Padraig HARRINGTON (IRL) 64-66-67

201 – Thanyakon KHRONGPHA (THA) 67-63-71

202 – Nathan HOLMAN (AUS) 69-63-70

205 – George GANDRANATA (INA) 69-68-68, Sam BRAZEL (AUS) 68-68-69

206 – David LIPSKY (USA) 72-68-66, Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 74-66-66, Quincy QUEK (SIN) 71-67-68, Carlos PIGEM (ESP) 68-69-69, Scott BARR (AUS) 69-67-70

Selected:

209 - Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 71-67-71

214 - Tirto TAMARDI (A) (INA) 70-70-74

216 - Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A) (INA) 69-73-73

George Gandranata Enters Top 5 At Bank BRI Indonesia Open

Jakarta, December 6 - Padraig Harrington of Ireland held a commanding five-shot lead at the weather interrupted Bank BRI Indonesia Open before the third round was abandoned on Saturday.

The three-time Major winner was 16-under through 13 holes before play was called off at the Damai Indah Golf, Pantai Indah Kapuk course. He will return on Sunday at 6.40am alongside 44 other players to complete the round.

Playing in the same group as Harrington, Australia’s Nathan Holman was a distant five shots back while co-overnight leader Thanyakon Khrongpha of Thailand struggled with his driver and was 10-under through 13 holes.

Local hope George Gandranata continued his fine run at the US$750,000 Asian Tour event where he sits on eight-under after playing 16 holes.

His countryman Jordan Irawan is currently at 3-under after 16 holes, while amateurs Tirto Tamardi (74) is at 1-over and Fadhli Rahman Soetarso is at 2-over with one hole to go. Johannes Dermawan retired from the tournament.

Harrington, who is aiming to win his first title since 2012, hopes to stay positive as he prepares for a 23-hole marathon finale on Sunday.

“I was doing nicely. I got a good start and holed a couple of putts at the right time. I didn’t do too many mistakes but it is always difficult when you have the lead. You are a little bit cautious and it is something which I have to deal with.

“The last thing I want to do is go out there and be negative because that gives the rest of the field a chance. It is an awkward position to be in. It is never easy to lead. It is always easy to chase,” said Harrington, who marked his card with four birdies.

Holman struggled to repeat his second round heroics where he posted a brilliant 63. The Australian needs a huge result this week to have a chance of retaining his Asian Tour card for the 2015 season.

“I didn’t have real momentum going. The suspension didn’t really affect anything. Obviously you can learn quite a bit from Padraig Harrington and it has been really nice playing with him. Hope to get a good night’s sleep and see what happens tomorrow,” said Holman, ranked 95th on the Merit list.

Thanyakon, who is chasing for a first Asian Tour win, rued poor tee shots as he stumbled to four bogeys against two birdies. He gave himself a lifeline when he birdied the 13th hole before play was called off for the day.

“I was hitting my driver to the left today. It was very disappointing and I couldn’t recover from that. It really hurt my score. I was also struggling to judge the speed of the greens. Hopefully I can bounce back,” said the 24-year-old Thai.

The third round will resume at 06.40am tomorrow morning.

2 Local Amateurs Make The Cut At Bank BRI Indonesia Open

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Indonesian unless stated, A denotes amateur)

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

132 – Nathan HOLMAN (AUS) 69-63

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

134 – Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS) 63-71

135 – Thitiphun CHUAYPRAKONG (THA) 69-66

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

Selected:

137 – George GANDRANATA 69-68

138 - Jordan IRAWAN 71-67

140 - Tirto TAMARDI (A) 70-70

142 - Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A) 69-73

143 - Johannes DERMAWAN 72-71

Missing the cut:

144 - Jamel ONDO 75-69

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

147 - Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO 77-70

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

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

151 - Calvin ALAN (A) 79-72

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

153 - Zaki AULIYAN (A) 73-80

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

155 - Bramantio ADI 79-76

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

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

158 - Fajar WINURYANTO 80-78

161 - Asep SAEFULLOH 81-80

162 - Ramadhan ALWIE 83-79

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(Indonesian unless stated, A denotes amateur):

63 – Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS)

64 – Padraig HARRINGTON (IRL)

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

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

Selected:

69 – Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A), George GANDRANATA

70 – Tirto TAMARDI (A)

71 - Jordan IRAWAN

72 - Johannes DERMAWAN, Andik MAULUDIN

73 - Zaki AULIYAN (A)

74 - Asep CAPRIE, Junaidi IBRAHIM, Indra HERMAWAN

75 - Benny KASIADI, Jamel ONDO

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

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

78 - I Ketut SUGIARTA, Dominikus GLENN (A)

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

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

81 - Sarmilih, Asep SAEFULLOH

82 - Ilyasyak

83 - Jon CAHYADI (A), Ramadhan ALWIE

85 - Rafa SALMUN (A)