Maiden Asian Tour Victory For Poom Saksansin At BNI Indonesian Masters Presented By Zurich

Jakarta, October 9 - Baby-faced Poom Saksansin of Thailand cruised to a comfortable five-shot victory when he closed with a five-under-par 67 to win his first Asian Tour title at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich on Sunday.

The 23-year-old held a two-shot lead at the start of the day and stayed ahead of the chasing pack by shooting six birdies against one bogey to finish on 18-under-par 270 at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Thai teenagers Phachara Khongwatmai (68) and Suradit Yongcharoenchai (68), both aged at 17 years old, and Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura (70) settled for tied second place at the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.

India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, who won his sixth Asian Tour title last week, enjoyed another solid result by finishing in fifth place following a round of 67. He ended his campaign six shots back from the champion.

Poom, who won his first Asian Development Tour (ADT) title in Malaysia last year, showed no signs of nerves when he made the turn in 34 before tightening his grip with three straight birdies on holes 10, 11 and 12.

Dropping only two shots in 72 holes, Poom played solid golf throughout the week and stayed calm under pressure when a host of players briefly threatened his lead early in the round.

Poom Saksansin receiving the trophy from Indonesia's Vice President Jusuf Kalla, witnessed by Achmad Baiquni, President Director of BNI - Photo credit Collin/IMPL
http://indogolfnews.blogspot.co.id/2016/10/maiden-asian-tour-victory-for-poom.html “It feels great to be a champion. I just tried not to make bogeys today. Anything in the red numbers was good enough for me. Honestly, I was only hoping to make enough money to keep my Asian Tour card. This victory exceeded my expectations.

“I didn’t get into trouble in the first place so that’s why I only dropped two shots this week. My putting really saved me as well. My family will be very happy that I won, it also proves that I can play among the best players,” said Poom.

The victory earned him US$135,000, which moved him from 101st to 21st position on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

“This win opens up so many doors and opportunities for me. I get to play in the big events now and I’m really looking forward to it. There’s still a lot of room for improvement for me and before I step up in the big events, I need to work even harder on my game,” added Poom.

Phachara, who secured his third top-five result in three weeks, got off to a fast start, holing four birdies in nine holes before making eight straight pars. He tapped in for birdie on the last to continue his superb form.

“I’m feeling very good but my putting on the back nine is very bad. I hit such good iron shots. I think I hit it near the pin on seven holes. I just couldn’t make my birdie putts until the last hole. I know Poom is playing very well and he is such a good player. I’m not surprised he won. I’m happy he won,” said Phachara.

The talented Suradit was delighted to finish inside the top-five in his debut appearance at the BNI Indonesian Masters as the result earned him a spot in the Venetian Macao Open on the Asian Tour next week. “I was aiming for a top-five finish this week so I can play in Macao next week. I didn’t expect myself to play so well. Being the last man to get in to the tournament, I didn’t have any expectations. This is my first time playing on this course so I am happy with my result,” he said.

28-year-old Bhullar found 14 fairways and 18 greens in regulation but was let down by a cold putter where he negotiated the greens in 31 putts. “A 62 was definitely out there. I’m pretty happy the way I played after winning last week. This course is one of my favorites on the Asian Tour. I’m glad that I was in contention during the week. There’s a lot of positives I can take out from the last two weeks,” said Bhullar.

Of the local players Rory Hie (71) took top honors finishing in a tie for 46th with a final score of 3-under. At one point he was at -5, but successive bogeys on holes 5 and 6 (for him the second nine) saw him drop back in the field.

Danny Masrin put in strong final round 68 to finish T52 at 287, surpassing Kurnia Herisiandy who was at -4 for the day after 11 holes, but then dropped 5 shots in 6 holes. A birdie on the last hole got him back to par for the day and 1 over for the tournament.

Nasin Surachman completed his final round in 74 strokes to finish 67th.

Scores after round 4 of the BNI Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course:

270 - Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 69-69-65-67

275 - Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA) 67-71-69-68, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 67-74-66-68, Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 66-71-68-70

276 - Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 66-73-70-67. 277 - Chikkarangappa S. (IND) 70-67-73-67, LEE Chieh-Po (TPE) 71-70-68-68

278 - Casey O'TOOLE (USA) 69-69-73-67, Marcus FRASER (AUS) 69-67-70-72, Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 68-69-69-72, Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS) 68-68-69-73

Indonesian players:

285 - Rory HIE 74-70-70-71

287 - Danny MASRIN 72-72-75-68

289 - Kurnia HERISIANDY 71-71-75-72

295 - Nasin SURACHMAN 73-71-77-74

Four Local Players In Final Rounds Of The BNI Indonesian Masters Presented By Zurich

Jakarta, October 8 - In a first in the history of the Indonesian Masters, four local players made the cut to challenge for the prize money at hand.

As the second round was suspended due to darkness Friday evening, several players had to finish their rounds Saturday morning. Among them were local hopefuls Rory Hie, Danny Masrin and Nasin Surachman. Closing their rounds in 70, 72 and 71 strokes respectively, all three were at even par 144 after 2 rounds, just enough to make the cut and join Kurnia Herisiandy, who had finished Friday with a total of 142, for weekend play.

Having four local players in the weekend marks a first for this tournament, who before this year had only seen a single local player making the cut, in its first edition.

Third round fortunes for the four were mixed, with Rory (70) slowly climbing the leaderboard, while Kurnia (75), Danny (75) and Nasin (77) were moving in opposite direction.

Rory Hie - photo: Asian Tour

Baby-faced Poom Saksansin of Thailand fired a flawless seven-under-par 65 to seize the third round lead at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich on Saturday. The 23-year-old Poom made a surprise charge up the leaderboard to lead by two shots on 13-under-par 203 from Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura (68) and Kalem Richardson of Australia (69) at the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.

Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, a three-time Asian Tour number one, birdied the closing two holes for a 69 to tie in fourth place on 206 alongside Marcus Fraser (70) of Australia, who needs a victory at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club to overtake Scott Hend on the Order of Merit.

Poom will enter the final round as the leader for only the second time in his career on the Asian Tour after leading in the 2014 Queen’s Cup in Thailand before finishing second. With numerous players breathing down his neck, Poom hopes to put his experience of playing on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) to good use as he chases for a first Asian Tour victory.

“I wanted to shoot under-par and not make any trouble. On the first hole I got into trouble but I saved par from 15 feet. I felt lucky after that. I only tried to make par but if I had a birdie chance, I would go for it and it worked,” said Poom, a one-time winner on the ADT. “After I was five-under, I felt like it would be my day so I started playing more aggressively. This is my second time in the last group on the Asian Tour. I will try not to be nervous on the final day. I just want to give myself a chance on the final day,” said the Thai.

After finishing third in the event last year, Richardson charged into contention again with two birdies and one eagle against one bogey. After almost quitting the game earlier this year, the Australian is now focused on winning his first Asian Tour title.

“Golf is the hardest game in the world really. It is a tough lifestyle but it is great to be playing golf for a living. I tried to remember that and I’m glad to be here playing golf. I feel like I’m playing good now."

“It will be massive if I do win. It will be a big day tomorrow. I’ll just focus on each shot and not get carried away,” said Richardson.

The 23-year-old Kawamura, who won his first Asian Tour title in 2013, traded six birdies against two bogeys as he heads into the final 18 holes, two shots back of Poom. “I am happy with where I stand right now. I am definitely aiming for a win tomorrow. I look forward to playing in the final group again. I will keep things the same tomorrow. Nothing changes,” said Kawamura.

Thongchai double bogeyed the fourth hole but steadied ship with one birdie and one eagle before the turn. He added another birdie on hole 10 and slipped back with a bogey on 15 before charging home with two closing birdies.

“I played really well on the last two holes. I hit two good irons there. I know the conditions are tough but finishing well on the last few holes is key here. I’m three shots behind so I have a chance tomorrow,” said Thongchai, who is aiming for a 14th Asian Tour title.

Scores after round 3 of the BNI Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course:

203 - Poom SAKSANSIN (THA) 69-69-65

205 - Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN) 66-71-68, Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS) 68-68-69. 206 - Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 68-69-69, Marcus FRASER (AUS) 69-67-70

207 - Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 67-74-66, Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA) 68-72-67, Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA) 67-71-69

208 - Tom JOHNSON (USA) 72-68-68, Danthai BOONMA (THA) 70-69-69, LIU Yan-wei (CHN) 68-70-70, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 69-69-70

Indonesian players:

214 - Rory HIE 74-70-70

217 - Kurnia HERISIANDY 71-71-75

219 - Danny MASRIN 72-72-75

221 - Nasin SURACHMAN 73-71-77

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Selected Indonesian players:

(-2) - Kurnia HERISIANDY 71-14*

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

144 - Nasin SURACHMAN 73-71

145 - George GANDRANATA 72-73

147 - Seandy ALFARABI 72-75 (am)

2016 Indonesian Masters Set For October

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Benita Kasiadi Takes Second Title At IGT @ Gading Raya

JAKARTA, July 9 - Do not give up until the last ball is being played. This motto was representative for Benita Y. Kasiadi appearance in the final round of the Indonesian Golf Tour Series IV, which took place from July 7 to 9 at Gading Raya Padang Golf & Klub, Serpong, Tangerang. Starting the final round 3 shots behind leader Rinaldi Adiyandono, he even fell behind as much as six strokes after the first nine holes. He finally caught up pace gradually until it he equaled Rinaldi's score at the final hole. Both accumulated a score of ten-under par (206).

This fight is reminiscent of the duel the duo fought in the Grand Final of the Indonesian Golf Tour presented by Linc Group 2014 at Imperial Klub Golf in December last year. The difference that that time Rinaldi won the final with a one-shot lead over Benita.

This time, the duel was repeated. With the winner being determined through the play-offs. Rinaldi missed a ball from a distance of 2 meters for a birdie putt to clinch victory with his first putt. He also missed his second putt which would have forced a second play-off hole. He had to finish with a three putt making bogey.

In contrary Benita recorded a par to take his second title at the 2015 IGT. It became a memorable victory for Benita when winning in IGT Series I at the Matoa Nasional Golf Club, Ciganjur, mid January. This time, he did not predict he would win, including bringing home the prize money of Rp32 million.

"The target is still to play by managing the course. Play 4-5 under. If not winning so be it. That means the opponent is better," said the son of Indonesian golf legend, Kasiadi.

On the second nine holes, Rinaldi made a bogey on hole 13. That put the difference between the two players at 3 shots, Rinaldi at 11-under and Benita at 8-under. Rinaldi tripped again on hole 16 for another bogey, while he only made par on holes 17 and 18. Benita actually posted two birdies in these hole. That meant play-offs had to be done, which was then won by Benita.

In the finishing shots of the game Rinaldi choked up. "I was shaking when hitting putts of two meters in the play-offs. I do not know why. In fact, I've been focused with my game plan. Did not think about a tie or play-off," said Rinaldi.

Meanwhile, in the amateurs, Tirto Tamardi established himself as the best in IGT 2015 Series IV. The golfer, who just fulfilled the task of representing his country at the 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, posted a total score of one-over par after closing the game on the final day with a two-in under par (70).

"I am quite satisfied with today's game, although my putting shots must be improved again," said the bronze medalist for the SEA Games team in 2015.

Tirto admitted this tournament series is a major influence in his game. "Participating in the IGT can improve you game, and gain knowledge from professionals," he said. He did not target anything when appearing in this professional event. "It becomes a means for self-evaluation," said the golfer born 8 April 1999.

The opportunity to learn from professionals was felt directly by Clement Kurniawan who played for the first time in the IGT and who became second runner up in IGT Series IV. Playing with Rory Hie for three days, Clement learned interesting things.

"A lot of knowledge that can be taken from Rory Hie. He was calmer, and learn how he hits. My first experience in IGT provides many positive lessons before I go back to America today. Hopefully next year I can join IGT again and win the tournament," he said.

Indonesian Golf Tour Series V will be held in Jababeka Golf & Country Club, Cikarang, on August 11 to 13.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

135 - Jake STIRLING (AUS) 68-67

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

138 - Khalin JOSHI (IND) 67-71

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

140 - Gyeongjun LEE (KOR) 65-75

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

Selected:

142 - William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 69-73

143 - Benita YUNIARTO (INA) 72-71

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

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

148 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 71-77

Missed cut:

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

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

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

154 - Mahpudin M (INA) 78-76

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

157 - Sarmilih (INA) 80-77

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

159 - Johannes DERMAWAN (INA) 80-79

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

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

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

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

164 - Nyoman SARJANA (INA) 77-87

167 - Zulharmen TABUSALLA (INA) 85-82

169 - Nyoman SUASTANA (INA) 89-80

172 - Zulkarnaen Tanjung (INA) 86-86

173 - Pudio (INA) 81-92

178 - Yohannes RUDIATO (INA) 85-93

179 - Rudi HARTONO (INA) 88-91

184 - Bambang MUSTARI (INA) 91-93

90 - Warno (INA) 90-RTD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

65 - Gyeongjun LEE (KOR)

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

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

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

Selected:

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

72 - Benita YUNIARTO (INA)

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

74 - Suprapto (INA)

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

76 - Naraajie RAMADHANPUTRA (A) (INA)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

86 - Zulkarnaen TANJUNG (INA)

88 - Rudi HARTONO (INA)

89 - Nyoman SUASTANA (INA)

90 - Warno (INA)

91 - Bambang MUSTARI (INA)

Gandranata Leads Local Challenge At The Bali National Golf Championship

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ADT Champions Getting Ready For Bali National Golf Championship

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jordan Irawan Just Misses Out On Top 10 In PGM Sabah Championship

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, May 9 - Thai youngster Nirun Sae-Ueng claimed his maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) victory at the PGM Sabah Championship on Saturday after defeating reigning Order of Merit champion and countryman Pavit Tangkamolprasert on the first play-off hole.

The 20-year-old Thai, who closed with a stunning seven-under-par 65, edged out Pavit on the 18th hole sudden-death shoot-out with a par after the duo tied on eight-under-par 280 in regulation play at the Sabah Golf and Country Club.

Phachara Khongwatmai, the youngest winner on the ADT, ensured a strong Thai presence on the final leaderboard when he carded a 67 to share third place on 281 with overnight leader Danthai Boonma, who registered a 71, in the RM200,000 (approximately US$55,400) ADT event, which is the 10th leg of the ADT this season.

One-time Asian Tour winner Ben Leong, who hails from Sabah, fired a 66 to emerge as the top Malaysian in fifth place on 284 while two other Thais, Pasamet Pogamnerd (68) and Sutijet Kooratanapisan (72) were a further shot back in a share of sixth place.

In the final round all the Indonesians were able to significantly climb on the leaderboard. Jordan Irawan (69) just missed out on a place in the top 10 with a total of 287, while Rory Hie (68) and William Sjaichudin (70) both finished in the top 30 with total scores of 290 and 291 respectively.

Nirun needed only 25 putts in his round of eight birdies, nine pars and one bogey which would have matched the course record set by compatriot Thammanoon Sriroj in 1997 if not for the preferred lies ruling being in effect.

“I am very happy. I played solid. My putting was good and I hit my tee shots very well. Everything just seemed to be in place for me. The playing conditions were pretty similar to the last few rounds. The course was still playing tough but I just stuck to my game plan and didn’t think much out there,” said Nirun.

He stumbled with his only bogey on the first hole but recovered swiftly with a birdie on the second before charging ahead with four straight birdies from the fourth hole and adding three more birdies on his way home.

“Pavit is a good friend of mine and we played together during our practice rounds earlier this week. I know he is a good player and has won a lot of times on the ADT but I did not to put pressure on myself. No matter what happens, I am happy with how I played and I have enjoyed my game. With this win, I can now aim to finish in top-five on the Merit rankings,” added Nirun.

Nirun earned US$9,730 and six Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points courtesy of his victory at the PGM Sabah Championship, which was his second professional win since joining the play-for-pay ranks in 2014. He won on his domestic circuit earlier this year.

Pavit, who shot a bogey-free 66, was delighted to cap a ‘perfect’ round despite being denied a record fifth victory. “I can’t complain. I played really good and I would say it was a perfect game for me. I managed to keep the bogeys off the card. I am happy to give myself a chance by forcing my way into the play-off,” said the 26-year-old Pavit.

“I knew I had to make the birdie on the last to get into the play-off. I told myself I have to make it and I managed to putt in from 10-feet for birdie. I had earlier saved par from 10-feet on the 17th hole so I was pretty confident that I can do it,” added Pavit.

Since it was inaugurated as a gateway to the Asian Tour in 2010, the ADT has grown from five events in the first year to a record 21 tournaments in both 2014 and 2015.

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

Leading final round scores:

280 – Nirun SAE-UENG (THA) 73-69-73-65, Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 70-69-75-66

281 – Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA) 68-72-74-67, Danthai BOONMA (THA) 72-69-69-71

284 – Ben LEONG (MAS) 75-71-72-66

285 – Pasamet POGAMNERD (THA) 74-71-72-68, Sutijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA) 70-70-73-72

286 – Charles HONG (PHI) 73-73-70-70, Brett MUNSON (USA) 74-71-70-71, Donlaphatchai NIYOMCHON (THA) 72-68-74-72

287 – Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 74-71-73-69, Gyeongjun LEE (KOR) 72-69-75-71, LAM Chih Bing (SIN) 74-71-73-69, Rizal AMIN (MAS) 74-72-70-71, KOH Deng Shan (SIN) 70-71-72-74, Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA) 74-72-66-75, Danny CHIA (MAS) 67-72-72-76

Selected:

290 - Rory HIE (INA) 73-75-74-68

291 - William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 74-66-81-70

Heavy Setback For William Sjaichudin At PGA Sabah Championship

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, May 8 - Thai teenager Danthai Boonma continued his imperious form by carding a second straight three-under-par 69 to take over the lead in the penultimate round of the PGM Sabah Championship on Friday.

The 19-year-old Thai mixed his card with six birdies against three bogeys for a three-day total of six-under-par 210 to stay one shot ahead of Malaysia’s Danny Chia, who signed for a second consecutive 72, at the Sabah Golf and Country Club.

Thailand’s Thammanoon Sriroj returned with a flawless 66 to surge into third place on 212 in the RM200,000 (approximately US$55,400) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event, which is the 10th leg of the schedule this season.

Singapore’s Koh Deng Shan, Thailand’s Sutijet Kooratanapisan and 2013 Order of Merit champion Nicholas Fung of Malaysia stayed a further shot back in fourth place following rounds of 72, 73 and 73 respectively.

Indonesian William Sjaichudin, who started the day in a tie for 4th, dropped back dramatically after carding a lowly 81 in a round with 2 double bogeys and a triple bogey on hole 6, while compatriots Jordan Irawan (71) and Rory Hie (74) lost ground as wellPGM .

Danthai, who started the day with a three-shot deficit, credited his driver for playing a pivotal role in securing the pole position heading into the final round.

“I hit the ball good. My tee shots were good and I hit a lot of fairways today. I have been working on my swing prior to this week. I’m glad the efforts are starting to pay off,” said Danthai, who earned his 2015 Asian Tour card after finishing inside top-40 at the Qualifying School in January.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t putt as well. I missed a few short putts today but overall, I am happy with how I’ve played so far. Hopefully I can hang in there to win tomorrow,” added Danthai, a double South East Asia (SEA) Games gold medalist in 2012.

The 42-year-old Chia, who held the first round lead, conceded that he would need to rediscover some magic in his putter should he wish to take home the winner’s trophy tomorrow.

“My putting hasn’t been good these two days but I’m still hitting the ball well. I’ll stick to the same game plan and hopefully get some putts to drop tomorrow,” said the two-time ADT winner, who traded three birdies against three bogeys.

Leading third round scores:

210 – Danthai BOONMA (THA) 72-69-69

211 – Danny CHIA (MAS) 67-72-72

212 – Thammanoon SRIROJ (THA) 74-72-66

213 – KOH Deng Shan (SIN) 70-71-72, Sutijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA) 70-70-73, Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 73-67-73

214 – Nils FLOREN (SWE) 72-71-71, Tyler EKENBERG (USA) 78-69-67, Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA) 68-72-74, Donlaphatchai NIYOMCHON (THA) 72-68-74, Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 70-69-75, Zen DHARMARATNE (MAS) 70-68-76

Selected:
218 - Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 74-71-73

221 - William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 74-66-81

222 - Rory HIE (INA) 73-75-74

Top 5 For William Sjaichudin At Midpoint Of PGM Sabah Championship

Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, May 7 - Local prospect Zen Dharmaratne took over the reins from compatriot and overnight leader Danny Chia after carding a four-under-par 68 to lead at the halfway stage of the PGM Sabah Championship on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Malaysian, who opened his campaign with a 70, fired five birdies against a lone bogey to grab a slender one-shot lead over Chia on six-under-par 138 total at the Sabah Golf and Country Club.

Chia battled to a 72 to settle for second place with reigning Order of Merit champion Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand, who returned with a 69, in the RM200,000 (approximately US$55,400) Asian Development Tour (ADT) event, which is the 10th leg of the schedule this season.

A total of six players including Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung (67), Thailand’s Phachara Khongwatmai (72) and William Syaichudin (66) of Indonesia - who played lowest round of the day -, shared fourth place on 140s while Order of Merit leader Hsieh Chi-hsien of Chinese Taipei signed for a disappointing 77 to slipped from tied-third to tied-38th position.

Dharmaratne, who is chasing for a first professional win, got off to a strong start, sinking three consecutive birdies from the first hole before dropping a shot on the seventh. He recovered strongly by picking up two more birdies on the 12th and 13th holes on his way home.

“I had a great start to the round. I kept to my routine and hung in there. I was just focused on hitting the greens and fairways out there and I am glad I was able to keep myself in it,” said Dharmaratne, who joined the play-for-pay ranks in 2013.

“I played with no expectations and I didn’t think about the scores. I just played shot by shot. I like this golf course. I always feel good coming here. It’s a golf course that suits my game a lot,” added the young Malaysian, who has not missed a single cut in all three attempts at the PGM Sabah Championship held at the Sabah Golf and Country Club.

Pavit Tangkamolprasert of ThailandPavit, who enjoyed a third-place finish last year, is relishing his prospects of securing a record fifth ADT title as he heads into the weekend rounds in a favorable position on the leaderboard.

The four-time ADT winner currently shares the record of having the most number of victories on the region’s burgeoning Tour with Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang.

“I managed to get up and down in a couple of holes today which gave me a bit of confidence in my game. The greens are very firm and it’s difficult to control the ball. I’ve played well here last year but the conditions are really different now. It was rainy last year but this week, it’s dry and windy,” said the 26-year-old Pavit.

“This is only my third ADT event this year and I feel like it’s getting a lot tougher out here compared to how it was last year. It’s so much more competitive now. I’ve been playing good so far this season so hopefully I can stay consistent in game and get my first win of the season soon,” added Pavit, who mixed his card with four birdies against one bogey.

A total of 50 players, including Indonesians Jordan Irawan (71) and Rory Hie (75), made the halfway cut at the PGM Sabah Championship which was set at four-over-par 148.

Leading second round scores

138 – Zen DHARMARATNE (MAS) 70-68

139 – Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 70-69, Danny CHIA (MAS) 67-72

140 – Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 73-67, Donlaphatchai NIYOMCHON (THA) 72-68, William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 74-66, YE Jian-feng (CHN) 71-69, Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA) 68-72, Sutijet KOORATANAPISAN (THA) 70-70

Selected:

145 - Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 74-71

148 - Rory HIE (INA) 73-75

Indonesia PGA Championship Returns To BSD

Jakarta, May 5 = The Indonesia PGA Championship will showcase the leading players from OneAsia and the Japan Golf Tour Organisation (JGTO) when it returns to the award-winning Damai Indah Golf – Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) this year.

The tournament, which was inaugurated with great success in 2011, will be jointly sanctioned by OneAsia and the JGTO for the third successive year and form part of an exciting swing on both circuits.

Damai Indah Golf – BSD Course, which boasts the first Jack Nicklaus-designed course in Indonesia, will host the tournament from July 30 to August 2.

Japan’s Michio Matsumura birdied the last three holes to win the Indonesia PGA Championship March last year. The 31-year-old posted rounds of 65, 67, 67 and 68 to finish 21-under-par and claim the US$180,000 first prize.

“This will be the fourth staging of the Indonesia PGA Championship under the OneAsia banner and we have seen it grow in stature during that time,” said Johannes Dermawan, Chairman of the PGA Tour of Indonesia.

“We witnessed a thrilling finish last year involving players from Japan, Australia, the Philippines and China reflecting the cosmopolitan makeup of the field. The Indonesia PGA Championship also affords several local players the opportunity to test themselves against Australasia’s finest and gives fans the chance to see top-quality golf.”

OneAsia Commissioner and Chairman Sung Y. Chun said that the partnership with the JGTO had borne fruit at the Indonesia PGA Championship.

“The presence of leading players from the JGTO at the Indonesia PGA Championship has taken the tournament to a new level and bred a healthy rivalry with our members,” he said.

“I am confident that the Indonesia PGA Championship will once again play an important role in the OneAsia season.”

Damai Indah Golf, the brainchild of well-known Indonesian real estate developer and business baron, Ir. Ciputra, consists of two international championship courses in completely different and challenging surroundings: BSD Course, located in the West Java satellite city of BSD; and PIK Course, located along the Java Sea in North Jakarta.

Among Jakarta golfers the BSD Course is commonly referred to as BSD. It is situated alongside the impressive Cisadane River that is back-dropped by the up-market housing estates of Bumi Serpong Damai.

Korean Choi Ho-sung drained an eight-foot birdie putt on the final hole for a two-stroke victory in the Indonesian PGA Championship at Emeralda Golf Club in 2013.

And in 2011, Australian Andre Stolz beat Indonesian number one Rory Hie by one shot at Imperial Klub Golf.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

140 – Unho PARK (AUS) 67-73

141 – CHAN Shih-chang (TPE) 66-75

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

143 – Lee WESTWOOD (ENG) 69-74

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

Selected:

151 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 72-79

CUT

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

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

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

158 - Andik MAULUDIN (INA) 80 78

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

160 - Benita YUNIARTO (INA) 79-81

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

162 - I Ketut SUGIARTA (INA) 78-84

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

165 - Bramantio ADI (INA) 77-88

166 - Asep SAEFULLOH (INA) 75-91

167 - Jordan IRAWAN (INA) 81-86

170 - Andrew WIRAWAN (INA) 84-86

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

173 - Fajar WINURYANTO (INA) 87-86

83 - Sarmilih (INA) 83-WDN

77 - Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA) 77-RTD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Selected:

72 - Ian ANDREW (INA)

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

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

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

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

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

80 - Andik MAULUDIN (INA)

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

82 - Rizchy SUBEKTI (A) (INA)

83 - Sarmilih (INA)

84 - Andrew WIRAWAN (INA)

87 - Fajar WINURYANTO (INA)

Rory Hie Fails To Capitalize On Stellar First Round At PGM Terangganu Championship

Terengganu, Malaysia, March 14 - Thailand’s Panuwat Muenlek secured his maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) victory after closing with a three-under-par 68 to win by three shots at the PGM Terengganu Championship on Saturday.

The 29-year-old Thai, who held a share of the overnight lead, fired six birdies against three bogeys to claim his first professional victory outside of Thailand on 11-under-par 273 total at the RM200,000 (approximately US$55,400) event.

Overnight co-leader Atthaphon Sriboonkaew, also of Thailand, battled to a 71 to share second place with countryman Itthipat Buranatanyarat, who carded a 68, at the Resorts World Kijal.

Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing (67) and Finland’s Janne Kaske (68) shared fourth place on 277 while American Shane Smith and Masaru Takahashi of Japan took sixth and seventh place respectively after returning with matching 71s at the RM200,000 (approximately US$55,400) event.

Defending champion Pavit Tangkamolprasert of Thailand settled for a share of 31st place on 289 after closing with a 71.

Indonesia's Rory Hie, who lead the field after the first round with a stunning 66, slipped back after not breaking par in the subsequent rounds. He finished at 2-over-par in a tie for 20th place, which must be a disappointment after starting so well.

Panuwat endured a slow start to the round but bounced back with a sensational back nine where he picked up a birdie on the 12th and nailed four more birdies in his last five holes.

“I’m thrilled. I didn’t play well on my front nine. I had a few misses and I felt uncomfortable but I told myself to move on and not think too much out there. My putting got better on the back nine and I was able to score,” said the slightly-built Thai, who pocketed US$9,459 and received six Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points courtesy of his win.

“I only started to feel nervous heading into the last few holes. Atthaphon is like a brother to me and we practise a lot together. I was very happy to be playing in the last group with him. I am sure this win will give me more confidence in my game. I will try and aim for a few more wins this season to finish top-five on the Merit rankings,” added Panuwat.

Despite being left to rue a missed chance for a maiden ADT victory, Athaphon tipped his hat to Panuwat for being a deserving winner.

“I didn’t putt as well today, compared to the first three rounds but overall, I’m still happy with how I played this week. This is my best finish on the ADT so far. I’m sure I will take home a lot of positives from this week. Panuwat played very well and I’m happy that he won,” said the 36-year-old Atthaphon, who mixed his card with three birdies and three bogeys.

Panuwat moved to third place on the ADT Order of Merit led by local talent Arie Irawan, who won the season-opening event on the burgeoning Tour this season.

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

With the Olympic Games looming in 2016 where golf will be reintroduced as a medal sport, players in the region could earn their spots in Rio de Janeiro by earning Official World Golf Ranking points through the Asian Tour and ADT.

Leading final round scores:

273 – Panuwat MUENLEK (THA) 70-68-67-68

276 – Itthipat BURANATANYARAT (THA) 68-72-68-68, Atthaphon SRIBOONKAEW (THA) 68-71-66-71

277 – LAM Chih Bing (SIN) 72-69-69-67, Janne KASKE (FIN) 72-67-69-69

278 – Shane SMITH (USA) 68-70-69-71

280 – Masaru TAKAHASHI (JPN) 71-67-71-71

281 – Casey O’TOOLE (USA) 76-69-68-68, Akhmal TARMIZEE (MAS) 74-69-70-68, Lindsay RENOLDS (CAN) 67-73-72-69, Jordan SHERRATT (AUS) 72-68-70-71

Selected:

286 - Rory HIE (INA) 66-75-72-73

Ian Andrew Wins Second Series Of The Indonesian Golf Tour At Modern

Tangerang, 26 September 2015 - It's without doubt that the competition in Indonesian golf is getting tougher. After sharing first place alongside Kurnia Herisiandy, Johannes Dermawan, and Rory Hie after the second day, Ian Andrew scored his first victory in the Indonesian Golf Tour series at Padang Golf Modern.

With 3 holes remaining, Ian Andrew, Kelly Herisiandy and George Gandranata were equal with a score of seven-under-par. George almost holed a birdie on hole 18, but failed and finished his game with a total score of 209 to tie with Kurnia Herisiandy.

"I played well today. My iron play today was better than the first 2 days, and my short game was quite supportive, as I also did three chip-ins and had 6 birdies", said George Gandranata.

"The competition is very tight. You have to really score a lot of birdies to win", added the Order of Merit champion of the Indonesian Golf Tour 2014.

Ian Andrew sealed his victory on the last two holes. On hole 17 Ian scored a birdie and followed up with a birdie on hole 18 as well. He finished the tournament with a spectacular total score of nine-under-par 207 (72-68-67).

Who would have thought that training on his putting after the first round would bring Ian the championship.

"I'd been trying to find improvement on putting on youtube till night. The next day I arrived early and tried out the different putting technique that I found and it turned out fantastic! I used it on the second day and the results are good."

"Today was tense. On the 18th hole I aimed the ball to the middle of the fairway. Only when Heri (Kurnia Herisiandy) shot his ball slightly outside the fairway I began to feel calm. And all went smoothly after that", said Ian Andrew.

Naraaji finished as Lowest Amateur in this edition of the Indonesian Golf Tour. With a total score of two-over-par 218 (74-71-71), Naraajie overtook Faraby Ali, who had been the leading amateur on the first and second day. Finishing in second position in the amateur class was Rizky, with a total score of three-over-par, 72-74-73 (219).

The tight competition proves that the presence of Indonesian Golf Tour tournament series pushes the ability of the Indonesian professional and amateur golfers to a new level. The consistent support from sponsors and the PGA Tour of Indonesia (PGTI) in the organization of the Indonesian Golf Tour becomes evidence of a strong commitment to the advancement of golf in Indonesia.

Thanks goes to Padang Golf Modern, Nuanza, OB Golf & Lifestyle magazine, as well as the PGA Tour of Indonesia. Once more, the tournament was executed fantastically and ended in a great success.

Leading scores after the final round of the Indonesian Golf Tour at PG Modern:

(Indonesian unless stated)

207 - Ian ANDREW 72-68-67

209 - George GANDRANATA 71-72-66, Kurnia HERISIANDY 70-70-69

212 - Junaidi IBRAHIM 72-71-69, Rory HIE 68-72-72

213 - Johannes DERMAWAN 68-72-73

214 - Benita Y. KASIADI 74-70-70

215 - I Ketut SUGIARTA 69-73-73

216 - James BOWEN (USA) 72-73-71

217 - HARJITO 71-74-72, ILYASSAK 71-72-74

Four Players Vie For Honor After Second Round Of Indonesia Golf Tour At Modern

Tangerang, 25 February 2015 - Kurnia Herisiandy, Ian Andrew, and first round leaders Johannes Dermawan and Rory Hie are in a battle for the lead, when all are in a tie for first with a total score of 140 (-4) after the second round of the second leg of the Indonesian Golf Tour 2015. Both Johannes and Rory failed to repeat the results of yesterday because some shots failed.

"My approach shots were very bad, but I was still able to get par," said Johannes Dermawan.

Johannes Dermawan hopes his game from the first can be repeated on the third and final day, especially his approach shot.

After completing his round on the first day, Ian Andrew took time to improve his game at Padang Golf Modern. This was not in vain, as Ian Andrew played the second round well and he made most of his putts.

"All my putts from a distance of two to three meters went in," said Ian Andrew.

"The opportunity to become champion is still wide open, I will play my best," added the golfer from Bali.

Seven amateur players survived the cut on the second day of the second series of the Indonesian Golf Tour at Modern. Faraby Ali is still the lead amateur with a total of 145 shots (+1), one shot ahead of Rizky who recorded a total of 146.

Johannes Dermawan And Rory Hie Take Early Lead In Indonesia Golf Tour At Modern

Tangerang, 24 February 2015 - The Indonesian Golf Tour saw two of its best golfers sitting in first place after the first round of the Indonesian Golf Tour series held at Padang Golf Modern.

Johannes Dermawan and Rory Hie both recorded a score of four-under-par (68). The increasingly fierce competition among professional golfers turns the Indonesian Golf Tour into a proving ground for golf champions in Indonesia.

I Ketut Sugiarta came home in third position with a score of three-under-par, with Kurnia Herisiandy one shot further back with a round of 70.

Faraby Ali became the new name to watch in the amateur class of the Indonesian Golf Tour, scoring a one-under-par 71. He shares fifth place with Harjito, George Gandranata and Ilyassak.