Impression Of The She's Mercedes Ladies Golf Tournament

Usually, in Indonesia, lady golfers play a minor role in amateur golf tournaments. Mostly these tournaments are dominated by men participants. However, this morning, 8 December, 2016, uniquely, and for the very first time, golfing ladies in Indonesia were competing in an "all ladies" golf tournament, and in which men were excluded and thus played no role at all.

Organized by Mercedes Benz Indonesia and promoted by Image Dynamics under the all encompassing title SHE'S MERCEDES LADIES GOLF TOURNAMENT 2016, the tournament was held at the Pondok Indah Golf Club.

It was officially opened by Mercedes-Benz Distribution Indonesia President & CEO, Roelof Lamberts. Every picture attached here tells a unique story, and no one seems to have any doubt that this (rather unique) initiative may well become a yearly fixture on the Indonesia's amateur golf tournament calendar.

Roelof Lamberts, President & CEO Mercedes-Benz Distribution Indonesia, makes the opening tee shot at the She's Mercedes Ladies Golf Tournament

Hari Arifianto, Deputy Director Marketing Communication Mercedes-Benz Indonesia (left), & Roelof Lamberts, President & CEO Mercedes-Benz Distribution Indonesia (right), pose with the participants of the She's Mercedes Ladies Golf Tournament

Roelof Lamberts, President & CEO Mercedes-Benz Distribution Indonesia, poses with some of the participants of the She's Mercedes Ladies Golf Tournament at Pondok Indah Golf Course

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.

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.”

Gandranata Receives Wildcard To Play At Maybank Championship Malaysia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

R&A Helps Refine Development Program In Indonesia

Indonesian golf has gained support from world golf governing body The R&A for its development program in the hopes of bearing more strong golfers in the future.

The Indonesian Golf Association (PGI), under the chairmanship of Murdaya Widyawimarta, known as Po, has brought in professionals from The R&A to assist in refining and developing the country’s golf from an early stage.

“The initiative came from Pak Po. He asked and then we said, ‘How can we help?’” The R&A’s director for Asia-Pacific, Dominic Wall, told reporters over the weekend at the association’s office in the Pondok Indah Golf Course-Golf Gallery Building, Jakarta.

The R&A, which takes its name from The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, is the ruling authority of golf throughout the world except in the US and Mexico, where this responsibility rests with the United States Golf Association (USGA). It works in collaboration with national amateur and professional golf organizations in more than 110 countries.

The R&A cooperates with the USGA in producing and regularly revising the “Rules of Golf”, and the two bodies have issued the rules jointly since 1952. The rules are revised on a four-year cycle and with the latest edition, which became effective on Jan. 1, 2012, for the first time a single common set of rules applied throughout the world.

Dading Soetarso, a PGI official in charge of development affairs for young golfers, said that the program had been launched due to concerns about low growth rates of junior golfers in the country.

“Out of around 250 million people in Indonesia, we only have 250 junior golfers. Therefore, we need to do something to grow the sport — one among many things is by attracting children to reach golf,” he told The Jakarta Post.

Wall said he had learned that Indonesia had an enormous potential in golf.

“Indonesia is like a sleeping giant of golf around the region. You got so many things in place here. It’s just a matter of refining the system and providing maybe some more expertise to help people here to understand how to develop the sport,” said the Australian.

Wall, who took up his current position in 2009 and has since been based in Hong Kong, further said that Indonesia’s success in collecting one bronze and two silver medals in the golf competition at the recent Southeast Asian Games in Singapore in June, which came about after a six-to-nine-month elite program, testified to his conviction about the country’s potential for thriving golf.

At the biennial multisport event featuring athletes from the 11 countries in the region, Indonesian golfers were ranked in the top three after Thailand (four gold, one bronze) and Singapore (two silver, two bronze) in golf.

“I think the potential is there if you have the right system in place. You’ve got wonderful golf courses across the country, you’ve got practice facilities, and I think now you’ve got a supportive PGI through Pak Po […] to build a healthy situation [for the development of Indonesian golf]. The future of Indonesian golf is exciting,” said Wall, who is tournament director for the Asia-Pacific Golf Confederation.

Wall has more than 20 years of experience in national- and international-level sports management, which includes 16 years in a number of roles for the Australian Golf Union (AGU) and Golf Australia (GA). He also spent five years as development manager for the Australian Coaching Council based at the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS).

As an initial step of the development program, the PGI has begun introducing the sport to young students at several schools in Greater Jakarta.

Wall said that he saw positive responses from children following the PGI team’s visits to schools to introduce the sport. “The program is dedicated after school-hour sessions. If the kids are really enjoying it, I think it’s going to be great to have the program on a weekly basis.”

In providing ongoing support to children with potential golf skills, Wall suggested the program could also work hand in hand with local golf clubs. “I think it’s great for the school kids to experience playing on a golf course — not necessarily at cost, but maybe something that a golf club can provide on times that the course isn’t busy.”

In return, he said, golf courses could enjoy benefits as those children might become their members in the future. Clubs are encouraged to grow the sport — starting from the junior players — in order to grow the business.

The R&A and the PGI are currently working closely to refine and develop the program, which is expected to be done by the end of this year. If things go well, the program is set to run within six to 12 months next year, which could then provide the development team with key indicators of performance in order to grow the program across the country.

“We’re very much now focusing on the internal view of The R&A on performance targets, measures and accountability. I think the environment is quite right to do [so],” said Wall.

Dading said that the program was packaged in a fun and exciting activity in order to create excitement among children.

The program has so far reached children at the Global Jaya and Binus private schools in Greater Jakarta. Dading said the PGI may host a school-level competition when more than 10 schools were involved in the program.

Source: The Jakarta Post

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.

Chopra Returns To His Roots At Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia PGA Championship

JAKARTA, March 20 - Daniel Chopra, a two-time winner on the U.S. PGA Tour, returns to his roots next week when he competes in the U.S. $1 million Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia PGA Championship at Emeralda Golf Club.

He is one of a host of big name players competing in the tournament along with Indian Jeev Milkha Singh, Thaworn Wiratchant from Thailand, Englishman Simon Dyson, Japan’s Shingo Katayama and Kim Kyung-tae from Korea.

The OneAsia event tees-off from March 28 to 31 and is fully joint sanctioned with the Japan Golf Tour Organisation for the first time as part of a blossoming relationship between the two major regional circuits.

Much interest will focus on Chopra who has claimed 14 international titles and grew up playing tournaments in Indonesia between the age of 14 and 21. He normally spent a month each season in the country over a seven year period, from 1989 to 1995, as his coach was based there.

He played his golf at Pondok Indah Golf Club and actually finished second in the Indonesia Open at Jagorawi Golf & Country Club in 1995 -- which was the last time he visited Jakarta.

“It will really be a sentimental trip for me. I have so many great memories of playing golf in Indonesia and of course I played there at a time when I just turned professional in 1992,” said Chopra.

“I remember loving the golf courses and the food. I played many great courses but never Emeralda. I am really looking forward to playing Emeralda, especially as the course was designed by Arnold Palmer. He is a good friend of mine and my first win on the U.S. PGA Tour was on a Palmer course.”

His first victory on the US PGA Tour came in the Ginn sur Mer Classic in 2007 and the following season he claimed the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Hawaii.

“I have been putting some good results together recently and I am looking forward to a good season. The Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia PGA Championship is definitely on my radar,” added Chopra, who lives in Orlando, Florida.

In addition, he has triumphed in three Nationwide Tour events -- the most recent being in the 2011 Fresh Express Classic.

Chopra has also won three events in Europe, and six tournaments in Asia (two each in India, Malaysia, and Taiwan).

The talented golfer was born in Sweden but moved to Delhi when he was seven where he was raised by his grandparents.

The young Chopra, whose mother is Swedish and father Indian, excelled at golf and won the All India Junior championships three times.

His early golfing years saw him travel much of Southeast Asia and as well as Indonesia he also trained and played tournaments in Malaysia.

Next week will mark his first appearance on OneAsia.

Also competing are defending champion Andre Stolz from Australia and Indonesian number one Rory Hie, who came second to Stolz when the event was last played in 2011.

The Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia PGA Championship is the second event of the season on OneAsia.

Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng claimed the season-opening U.S. $1 million Thailand Open last week, to become only the third Thai to win the title in the 44 year history of the event.

Constitutional Court Rules Golf A Sport

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday approved a judicial review by the Indonesian Golf Association and several golf companies, stating that entertainment tax levied against the golf industry is unconstitutional.

The Constitutional Court on Wednesday approved a judicial review by the Indonesian Golf Association and several golf companies, stating that entertainment tax levied against the golf industry is unconstitutional.

Golf in Indonesia will now be legally classified as a sport, and subject to a different (and likely lower) realm of taxation.

“The word ‘golf’ in the Law on Regional and Retribution Tax is against the 1945 Constitution, and therefore no longer legally binding,” presiding judge Ahmad Sodiki said, as quoted by Antara.

Under the old law, golf was categorized as entertainment, and subject to similar taxes as karaoke, nightclubs, billiards, bowling, massage parlors and art performances.

The golf association and several companies complained that categorizing golf as entertainment resulted in an unfairly high taxation rate of up to 35 percent, with different regions given the discretion to set the rate at or below that number.

“Tax charges should consider all aspects, including the type of the business or event that could be subject to tax, as well as the justice . . . for tax payers,” judge Akil Mochtar said. He said that the classifying golf as a sport seemed more suitable, given that there were numerous national and international tournaments, and because people played golf for health and recreation purposes.

“Therefore, golf could not be categorized only as entertainment, and cannot be an object of entertainment taxes,” Akil said.

But one of the nine Constitutional Court judges dissented — justice Achmad Sodiki said that golf is indeed entertainment that happens to contain elements of a sport.

“Golf can not be seen as black and white,” Achmad said. “Many people like golf as entertainment for weekend recreation. [Golf] also makes efforts to lift up it’s image and enter certain respected social economic segments. It is also a communication media for friendship and business among elite people.”

Interested companies in the judicial review included Pondok Indah Padang Golf, Sentul Highlands Golf Club, Cengkareng Golf Club, Palm Hill Golf Course, New Kuta Golf and Ocean View, Merapi Golf, Karawang International Golf Course and Damai Indah Golf.

Rory Hie Indonesia PGA Player Of The Year 2011

Jakarta, 26 January 2012 - The Indonesia Professional Golfers' Association / Persatuan Golfers Profesional Indonesia (Indonesia PGA/PGPI) held their annual Appreciation Night at Senayan Driving Range, Jakarta to celebrate the best players of 2011 as well as reward those who supported Indonesia PGA efforts during the 2011 season.

The evening was opened with the announcement and unveiling of a new name and logo, chosen to better reflect the mission and vision of the organization moving forward.

Next up were words of thanks to all who supported professional golf in Indonesia during 2011 and Appreciation Awards where given to key supporters in four categories.

Sponsors

Ancora Sports
Rajawali Sports International
Mercedes-Benz Indonesia
Visi Prima Golf
Toyata Astra Motor
Raharja Sinergi Komunikasi

Golf Courses

Emeralda Golf Club
Karawang International Golf Course
Matoa Nasional Golf Course
Bandung Giri Gahana
Imperial Klub Golf
Royale Jakarta Golf Club
Pondok Indah Padang Golf

Organizations

Badan Olahraga Profesional Indonesia (BOPI)
Sim's Golf Academy

Media

MNC Sports
Golf Digest Indonesia

Left to right: Ade Saepudin, Rory Hie and Indra Hermawan

Highlight of the evening was the announcement of Player of the Year, Most Improved Player and Rookie of the Year for 2011.

Player of the Year 2011	Rory Hie
Rookie of the Year 2011	Ade Saepudin
Most Improved Player 2011	Indra Hermawan

A special note was made here of the fact that Rory's 2011 season was the best ever for an Indonesia PGA professional, including a near-win at the Indonesian Masters, where Lee Westwood eventually took the crown and reclaimed the world no 1 position.

Come on 2012, it promises to get even better.