Indonesia's Top Ten Golf Courses Announced

In the upcoming edition of Golf Digest's Planet Golf, the best courses from 205 individual countries are selected to come up with a list of the best courses in the world by country.

From the around 140 courses in Indonesia the courses that 'made the cut' are:

1. Nirwana Bali GC, Tabanan, Bali ★
2. Taman Dayu GC & Resort, Surabaya, East Java
3. Rancamaya G&CC, Jakarta, West Java
4. Royale Jakarta GC, (West/South), Jakarta, West Java
5. Damai Indah Golf (Pantai Indah Kapuk), Jakarta, West Java
6. Ria Bintan GC (Ocean Course), Lagoi, Bintan
7. Damai Indah Golf (Bumi Serpong Damai), Tangerang, West Java
8. Jagorawi G&CC (New Course), Bogor, West Java
9. Gunung Geulis CC, Bogor, West Java
10. Jagorawi G&CC (Old Course), Bogor, West Java

★ Nirwana Bali GC is the only Indonesian course ranked in Golf Digest's World 100 Greatest Courses in 52nd place.

To know which courses from other countries are among the world's best, follow the link here.

Change Of Venue For Junior Golf Community of Surabaya Anniversary Tournament

Due to uncertainty of course facilities, the Junior Golf Community of Surabaya (JGCS) has decided to name BUKIT DARMO GOLF, located in Jalan Bukit Darmo Raya, Surabaya, as the new host facility for their 2nd Anniversary Tournament on 19-20 June. Taman Dayu Golf & Resort will no longer be used for this year’s event.

For tournament details see here.

Junior Golf Community Of Surabaya 2nd Anniversary Tournament

Saturday/Sunday 19-20 June 2013 the Junior Golf Community of Surabaya (JGCS) will celebrate their second anniversary with a tournament to be held at at Taman Dayu Golf Club & Resort in Pandaan, East Java.

The tournament is open to all juniors under the age of 18 years old.

Age Divisions For Boys & Girls

A: 15-17 years

B: 13-14 years

C: 11-12 years

D: 9-10 years

E: 8 & under

Tournament details

Entry Fee

Rp. 1,000,000 for Division ABCD and Rp. 900,000 for Division E
Early Bird Discount of Rp 100,000 for those registering and pay before 16 April 2013.

Trophies

JGCS Trophies will be awarded to:
Overall Best Gross
Winners and 4 Runner-ups in Boys Division
Winners and 2 Runner-ups in Girls Division
Team: Top 3 Best

HOLE-IN-ONE Prizes:
Apple MacBook Pro
Scholarship Fund of Rp 20,000,000

Registration

For further tournament information and Entry Form, please contact
Indarso Tjandra: 087 8545 88899
David Suryadinata: 081 132 5319
Winarto Wijono: 081 2303 4630
Email: jgcs27@yahoo.com

Jack Nicklaus B’day Golf Tournament At Taman Dayu

Taman Dayu Golf & Resort invites you to join their January 2013 Monthly Medal – Jack Nicklaus Birthday Golf Tournament on Sunday, 20 January 2013 (shot gun at 07:00am).

Tournament fees are IDR 550,000 for members and IDR 1,100,000 for guests.

Grand Prizes:

2 (two) Return Tickets Surabaya – Singapore by Garuda Indonesia

2 (two) return tickets Surabaya – Bangkok by Garuda Indonesia

2 (two) return tickets by Surabaya – Hongkong by Garuda Indonesia

For regsitration and information contact Taman Dayu at (0343) 633 411/412 or marcom@tamandayu.com.

GWI Portfolio Extends To Yogyakarta And Surabaya

Surabaya, 23 Oct. 2012 - Five golf courses and three hotels have joined the Golf Wonderful Indonesia cooperative, signaling the momentum and appeal of this new destination-marketing initiative and delivering on the promise of organizers to offer international golf holiday-makers premium stay-and-play options across the Archipelago.

Golf Wonderful Indonesia, a consortium of premium courses, hotels and lifestyle outlets, has gathered these tourism partners in order to assemble series of custom golf travel packages that leverage the country's unique standing as a golf destination. Those packages are available via the branded web portal, www.golfwonderfulindonesia.com, which also serves as a clearinghouse of information centered on golf and tourism activities in country.

In August, Golf Wonderful Indonesia launched the site and an initial set of packages, with Jakarta as a hub and starting point. Today it adds courses and hotels in and around the ancient city of Yogyakarta and the country's second city, Surabaya.

New golf course partners include:

* Taman Dayu Golf Club & Resort, in Surabaya, a stunning Jack Nicklaus design laid out at the foot of Mt. Welirang.

* Finna Golf, in Surabaya, designed by Australian legend Peter Thompson amid the lush, tropical highlands of East Java.

* Bukit Darmo Golf, another sterling Nicklaus effort, located just 10 minutes from Surabaya's city center.

* Merapi Golf & Mountain Resort, in Yogyakarta, designed by Thompson some 800 meters above sea level and ringed by volcanic peaks.

* Borobudur International Golf & Country Club, in Yogyakarta, laid out by Douglas Duncanson next door to the famed 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist monument for which the club is named.

New Golf Wonderful hotel partners include:

* The Majapahit Hotel Surabaya, an historic 5-star property founded in 1910 by the Sarkies family, whose collection of grand hotels included Raffles in Singapore, The Strand in Rangoon, and The Eastern & Oriental in Penang.

* The Hyatt Regency Yogyakarta, an elegant 5-star property set amid 24 hectares of beautifully landscaped gardens on the outskirts of the city, the cultural heart of Java.

* The JW Marriott Surabaya, a gleamingly modern, 5-star high-rise whose 25 floors look out upon the city's most fashionable shopping district.

Golf tour packages to Surabaya and Yogyakarta, incorporating the new Golf Wonderful properties above, will be released by the end of October and posted at www.golfwonderfulindonesia.com, according to Harmony Le Riche, president director of PT Panorama Wisata Nusantara, the tour operator managing all in-bound traffic for Golf Wonderful Indonesia.

"Our efforts here differ from those of typical destination marketing and golf tour-packaging efforts in that the golf courses are already here -- some 170 of them -- and golf aficionados acknowledge the cream of the crop to be among the best resort tracks in Asia-Pacific," said Le Riche.

"Golf Wonderful is determined to bring in the pick of that litter as course partners, and this new group of courses in Yogyakarta and Surabaya certainly meet that high standard. Interest from top courses and hotels -- in the 4- and 5-star categories -- has been exceptionally high. We expect to announce partnerships by the start of 2013 that enable golfers to choose and customize itineraries from combinations of courses and hotels in Jakarta, Bogor, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bandung and Bali."

Le Riche noted the Golf Wonderful Indonesia (GWI) brand clearly displays the strong support and partnership it enjoys from the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, whose overarching slogan is "Wonderful Indonesia". National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia is another GWI partner - the airline is now flying golf clubs free of charge.

That said, privately owned entities form the remainder of consortium membership, which also includes restaurants (for example, Negev, Jakarta's hottest new bistro) and golf teaching facilities (the Leadbetter Golf Academy at Cengkareng Golf Club).

Tour operator PT Panorama Wisata Nusantara has secured from all of its partners special rates enabling remarkably affordable and flexible packages available only through Golf Wonderful Indonesia.

"It's important that golfers and our fellow tour operators and travel agents understand how this works," said Le Riche. "We have secured exclusive rates with our partner courses and hotels, enabling extremely affordable packages that we intend to sell directly to golfers through golfwonderfulindonesia.com. That said, we fully expect and welcome international tour operators and travel agents to partner with us in the selling of these packages, as well, because PT Panorama Wisata Nusantara will handle all logistics on the ground here in Jakarta and across Indonesia.

"We can guarantee the quality of the Golf Wonderful Indonesia experience, the reliability of our transport, our logistics and local knowledge. But flexibility is also paramount. That's why we've provided a range of hotel partners to suit the budgets of various traveling golfers. We also recognize there is life outside golf -- we're eager to customize packages to enable golfing tourists the chance to experience all that Indonesia has to offer, from Jakarta to East Java, from Yogyakarta to Bali."

The website, www.golfwonderfulindonesia.com, is not merely the definitive source of information on golf in Indonesia. It is complemented by interactive media components including the Golf Wonderful Blog (recent items include a court victory ensuring that taxes burdens on Indonesian golf courses -- and resulting green fees -- will remain low), the GWI Facebook page (www.facebook.com/golfwonderfulindonesia) and Twitter account (follow GWI @golfwonderful).

For more information on Golf Wonderful Indonesia, contact PT Panorama Wisata Nusantara at +62 21.536.4469 or drop an email to info@golfwonderfulindonesia.com

Junior Golf Community of Surabaya Tournament At Taman Dayu

Sunday 4 November 2012 the Junior Golf Community of Surabaya (JGCS) is organizing a tournament at Taman Dayu Golf Club & Resort in Pandaan, East Java.

The tournament is open to all juniors under the age of 18 years old.

Age Divisions For Boys & Girls

A: 15-17 years

Boys blue tee / Girls white tee

B: 13-14 years

Boys blue tee / Girls white tee

C: 11-12 years

Boys white tee / Girls red tee

D: 9-10 years

Boys and Girls red tee

Beginner Divsions

(Forward tee and may ride golf cart)

9-10 years

8 years & under

Tournament details

Tee Off

12.00 noon. Format is 18 holes individual stroke play.

Entry Fee

Rp. 425.000/18 Holes (inclusive caddy fee and dinner, exclude caddy tips)

Awards

Awards will be presented to top 2 in each age division (boys and girls combined)

Registration

Registration by email to igcs27@yahoo.com or sms to 081 230 34 630.

Payment

Transfer to Winarto Wijono, BNI KCP Tg Perak account no. 871 2345 870

Deadline

Closing date for registration and payment is Thursday 1 November 2012.

For further information contact Indarso Tjandra at 0878 545 88899 or Winarto Wijono at 0812 303 4630 and visit www.facebook.com/JGCSurabaya.

Sujjan Singh Seals Sensational Victory

Pasuruan, East Java, July 7 - Sujjan Singh of India completed a sensational wire-to-wire victory with a closing even-par 72 and dedicated his win on Saturday at the Taman Dayu Championship to his new born daughter.

Singh’s 10-shot advantage going into the final round never looked threatened as he cruised to a first victory outside of India with a 22-under-par 266 total at the majestic Taman Dayu Golf and Resort.

Australians Michael Moore and Anthony Choat battled to a 66 and 68 respectively to share second place with Filipino veteran Antonio Lascuna (68) on 272, six shots from the champion Singh, at the inaugural US$75,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.

Rory Hie finished as the best placed Indonesian in tied fifth place with Myanmar’s Zaw Moe on a 275 total at the Taman Dayu Championship, which is promoted by Asian Golf Group (AGG).

“I have to dedicate my win to my new born daughter Serena and also to my sister. I just welcomed a baby girl in May and you start to feel that golf is not everything. That kind of eases the pressure and it worked for me this week,” said Singh, who won US$13,125.

t was a relatively quiet round for Singh compared to his previous days’ scores of 64, 63 and 67 as he returned with two birdies and one double bogey on the par four 10th hole when his approach shot to the green got plugged in the greenside bunker.

“I had to concentrate on my own game which was much harder because I was struggling with my ball striking. I missed a lot of fairways and this course will get tougher when you do that. I was still happy with the way I hung in there. I think my short game was fantastic,” said the 31-year-old, Singh, who played on a sponsor’s invitation.

“I’ve been working really hard for a long time. It is good to know my game is heading in a positive direction. I hope this is the first of many. I didn’t make it easy on myself and I know it wasn’t going to be easy winning outside of India. It is a little bit extra special when the win is abroad,” he added.

Playing on the same flight as Singh, Choat, who has been playing on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) for the last four years, admitted that it was a tough task of chasing Singh’s lead.

“I wanted to make a lot of birdies but I got off to a slow start. When we started making birdies on the back nine, we could see that the pressure was getting to him (Singh). He still had a huge lead so it was in his advantage,” said Choat.

“It was good fun. He played really well and defended his lead. I was just trying to concentrate on my own game but it was always going to be a big task to run down the lead,” added the Australian.

Filipino Lascuna, who equaled the course record of 63 in the third round, was delighted with his finish where he birdied the last hole in front of a cheering crowd.

“It was good fun and I’m not disappointed with how I finish. Singh had a huge lead and it was tough to chase him down. All in all, I enjoyed this tournament. The course was fantastic and the tournament was well run,” said Lascuna, an Asian Tour regular.

Leading final round scores:

266 - Sujjan SINGH (IND) 64-63-67-72

272 - Michael MOORE (AUS) 69-68-69-66, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 72-69-63-68, Anthony CHOAT (AUS) 67-74-63-68

275 - Rory HIE (INA) 66-70-71-68, Zaw MOE (MYN) 69-69-68-69

276 - KIM Gi-whan (KOR) 71-70-70-65

277 - Tim STEWART (AUS) 69-69-72-67

278 - Pijit PETCHKASEM (THA) 70-70-68-70, Anura Rohana (SKL) 72-65-69-72

279 - Mars PUCAY (PHI) 72-70-68-69, Jay BAYRON (PHI) 70-71-65-73

280 - CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 70-71-72-67

281 - Grant JACKSON (ENG) 73-70-71-67, Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 72-69-70-70

282 - Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA) 71-72-72-67, Will YANAGISAWA (USA) 71-71-69-71

283 - James LAM (PHI) 69-73-72-69, Charles HONG (PHI) 71-71-71-70

Selected scores:

290 - Andik MAULUDIN (INA) 71-74-74-71, George GANDRANATA (INA) 75-70-77-68

291 - Indra HERMAWAN (INA) 73-69-70-79

292 - Ilyasyak (INA) 72-72-71-77

297 - Roby SUGARA (INA) 70-74-76-77

302 - HARDJITO (INA) 75-71-74-82

Singh Continues Magical Run As Hie Loses Ground

Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia, July 6 - Sujjan Singh of India edged closer to the finishing line of the Taman Dayu Championship after shooting a third round five-under-par 67 for a massive 10-shot lead on Friday.

Singh held a comfortable lead with a three-day total of 22-under-par 194 over Australian Anthony Choat and Filipino Antonio Lascuna, who both charged up the leaderboard with sensational 63s at the US$75,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event.

Jay Bayron of the Philippines, a winner on the ADT, veteran Zay Moe of Myanmar, Michael Moore of Australia and Sri Lankan Anura Rohana were a further two shots back on 206 in tied fourth place at the remarkable Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort.

Rory Hie remains as the best placed Indonesian following his round of 71 as he sits in eighth place, 13 shots from the leader Singh.

Singh, who is playing on a sponsor’s invitation, fired his highest score of the week but still remained on track of securing his first career victory outside of India.

“I got nothing to complain. Just another standard round if you can call a 67 that. I hit the ball probably better, the best I’ve hit it in the last three days surprisingly. I just misread the course a little bit,” said Singh, who mixed six birdies against one bogey.

Singh believes such a big lead might work against him if he gets ahead of himself in the final round.

“Really strange things have happened and 18 holes is a long time. It is a little bit difficult because you can get ahead of yourself. The good thing I’ve been doing this week is playing each shot at a time and focusing on the task at hand. Hopefully I can do it for one more day,” said the Singh, who is also an accomplished drummer.

Australian Choat, currently in 21st position on the ADT Order of Merit, has a lot to play for as he aims to boost his rankings on the money list. The highlight of his day came on the 17th hole when he holed a massive 45-feet putt for eagle.

“I have a lot to play for and hopefully I can finish the second half of the year strongly and finish in the top three of the Order of Merit. It is everything. Coming from Australia, it is not easy to make a living on the smaller Tours but once you make it on the main Tour and start establishing yourself as a player, you can really make a living,” said Choat.

Having played on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) for the past four years with Singh, Choat concedes that it will take a herculean effort to knock him off his perch.

“I played a bit of golf with Sujjan (Singh) in India. He is the type of player I don’t expect to fall down. He has won before and he keeps going. I’ll just go out there and take one shot at a time. Hopefully the putter is hot again,” added the Australian.

Bayron posted a 65 with eight birdies against one bogey but admits that he will only be playing for second place.

“It is disappointing but we are all playing for second. He (Singh) has been playing fantastically and I don’t think he will lose this lead. I have my own goal of finishing as high as I can on the Order of Merit and I’ll need a good result this week to accomplish that,” said Bayron.

Leading third round scores

194 - Sujjan SINGH (IND) 64-63-67

204 - Anthony CHOAT (AUS) 67-74-63, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 72-69-63

206 - Jay BAYRON (PHI) 70-71-65, Zaw MOE (MYN) 69-69-68, Michael MOORE (AUS) 69-68-69, Anura Rohana (SRI) 72-65-69

207 - Rory HIE (INA) 66-70-71

208 - Pijit PETCHKASEM (THA) 70-70-68

210 - Mars PUCAY (PHI) 72-70-68, Tim STEWART (AUS) 69-69-72

211 - Will YANAGISAWA (USA) 71-71-69, CHANG Tse-Peng (TPE) 71-70-70, KIM Gi-whan (KOR) 71-70-70, Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 72-69-70

212 - Indra HERMAWAN (INA) 73-69-70, CHIANG Chen-Chih (TPE) 75-69-68, Sukree OTHMAN (MAS) 72-69-71, S. Siva Chandhran (MAS) 69-72-71, Michael BIBAT (PHI) 69-70-73

Super Singh Soars With 63

Pasuruan, East Java, July 5 - Sujjan Singh of India fired his career’s best score of nine-under-par 63 to extend his lead by nine shots at the inaugural Taman Dayu Championship on Thursday.

Starting from the 10th tee, Singh rode on a hot putter as he turned in 29 highlighted by five straight birdies from the 14th hole at the scenic Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort.

Singh’s two-day total of 17-under-par 127 was also a new record on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), replacing the previous record of 13-under-par 131 set by Siddikur at the 2011 Grameenphone Bangladesh Masters.

Local favourite Rory Hie returned with a 70 for 136 to lie in second place while Anura Rohana of Sri Lanka and Michael Moore of Australia were a further shot back in the US$75,000 ADT event.

Singh was blemish free in a round of nine birdies as he credited his hot putter for his incredible round.

“My putter was on fire on my first nine (started from the 10th tee) and after I holed my birdie putt just off the green on the 17th hole, I told myself I’m just going along for the ride and enjoy myself today. It was magical,” said Singh.

“I don’t think I ever had a better round of putting in my life. I don’t even know what score I shot until I submitted my card, so only God knows how many putts I made!”

Playing on a sponsor’s invitation, Singh rewrote the one-day-old course record, which he set in the opening round, but he is still not thinking of a victory yet.

“The course is in amazing condition. I’ve had a hot week and great greens to back me up. You still can’t think about the big “W”, we have two more days to go and a long road ahead,” said the 31-year-old, who is also an accomplished drummer.

Hie, the first Indonesian to earn an Asian Tour card in 2009, chipped in from 67 yards for an eagle two on the first hole and is not prepared to throw in the towel yet.

“It was bittersweet. I made a lot of good shots but couldn’t capitalize on them because I couldn’t read the green speeds. I left a couple of putts short out there. It could have been better but I’m still happy to be in second place.

“Anything can happen with a big lead. We’ve seen it before in professional tournaments. If I can play well, hopefully I can put pressure on him (Singh),” said Hie.

Australian Moore, who traded seven birdies against three bogeys for 68, will be on attack mode as he aims to cut Singh’s vast lead.

“I’m going to have to be a little bit aggressive because of Singh’s lead. I have to definitely hit it closer to the pins to try and find some birdies. I’m looking forward to it,” said the 27-year-old, who is playing in his second season on the ADT.

“There are pins out there where you can’t attack and there are some where you can so I’m going to wait for the opportunities and see how it unfolds,” added Moore.

The halfway cut was set at two-over-par 146 with a total of 57 players qualifying for the last two rounds.

Leading second round scores

127 - Sujjan SINGH (IND) 64-63

136 - Rory HIE (INA) 66-70

137 - Anura Rohana (SRI) 72-65, Michael MOORE (AUS) 69-68

138 - Zaw MOE (MYN) 69-69, Tim STEWART (AUS) 69-69, HSIEH Chi-hsien (TPE) 68-70

139 - Michael BIBAT (PHI) 69-70

140 - Pijit PETCHKASEM (THA) 70-70

141 - Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 72-69, Rattanon WANNASRICHAN (THA) 72-69, Anthony CHOAT (AUS) 67-74, S. Siva Chandhran (MAS) 69-72, Jay BAYRON (PHI) 70-71, Sukree OTHMAN (MAS) 72-69, KIM Gi-whan (KOR) 71-70, Philip MATSSON (THA) 70-71, CHOO Tze Huang (SIN) 70-71, Mitsuhiko HASHIZUME (JPN) 73-68, CHANG Tse-Peng (TPE) 71-70


Selected other scores:

142 - Indra HERMAWAN (INA) 73-69

144 - Roby SUGARA (INA) 70-74, Ilyasyak (INA) 72-72

145 - Andik MAULUDIN (INA) 71-74, George GANDRANATA (INA) 75-70

146 - HARDJITO (INA) 75-71

Missed cut:

147 - Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA) 74-73, Ian ANDREW (A) (INA) 75-72

148 - Hendri NASIM (INA) 75-73

152 - Jamel ONDO (INA) 77-75, Ramadhan ALWIE (INA) 77-75

155 - Sardi (INA) 76-79, KASIADI (INA) 79-76

156 - Burhan BORA (INA) 77-79

157 - Haryono Min (INA) 79-78, Nyoman Sarjana (INA) 77-80

159 - Raja Saharudin (INA) 81-78

161 - Suja'i (INA) 82-79

162 - Hariyadi T. (INA) 83-79, Handoko (INA) 82-80

163 - Warno (INA) 82-81

164 - Sahid (INA) 77-87

166 - Wahyudi Sucahyo (INA) 85-81

169 - Sujarwo S (INA) 84-85

172 - Yarifin (INA) 86-86

Singh, Hie Set Pace At Taman Dayu Championship

Pasuruan, East Java, July 4 - Sujjan Singh of India fired a blistering round of eight-under-par 64 to set a new course record in the first round of the Taman Dayu Championship on Wednesday.

Singh, playing on an invite, posted nine birdies and one bogey for a two-shot lead over local favourite Rory Hie at the US$75,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event staged at the picturesque Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort.

Anthony Choat of Australia and Tseng Hong-sheng of Chinese Taipei were tied third on 67s while Hsieh Chi-hsien was a further shot back in the inaugural ADT event.

S. Siva Chandhran of Malaysia, the 2010 ADT number one, veteran Zaw Moe of Myanmar and Tim Stewart of Australia were among seven players who shared sixth place on matching 69s.

Singh, who is also an accomplished drummer, has been out of sync with his game on the Asian Tour but found his rhythm during the first round after changing his grip.

“My form has been patchy. I’ve changed a lot of things in my game in the last few months. The reason why I wanted to play here (ADT) is because I wanted to put to use what I’ve changed and it seems to be alright.

“Any golfer would know that once you change your grip, your swing will feel brand new. For a few months, I’ve been hitting the ball sideways but now it is all getting together. I made my grip more neutral and I’m hitting it more comfortably now,” said Singh, a former state squash player in Chandigarh.

He saluted the immaculate conditions and layout at the Jack Nicklaus designed Taman Dayu Golf Club, which he rates as one of the best in Asia.

“This is a brilliant golf course. I was telling my friend that I haven’t played on a bad course in Indonesia and this is probably the best that I’ve played anywhere in Asia. Clearly I have a score to show for it,” smiled Singh.

Hie, the first Indonesian to earn an Asian Tour card in 2009, raised local cheers as he stayed within two shots from the leader and playing partner with a flawless 66.

He surprised even himself with the effort as he had never set foot in Surabaya prior to the Taman Dayu Championship.

“You can’t win it in the first round but you can lose it but I’m happy with the way I’m played. This is actually the first time I’ve been to Surabaya and I’m pleasantly surprised at how well I played,” said Hie.

“It is a really nice golf course and the tournament is well run. The golf course is amazing. It is probably the best course I’ve played in Indonesia,” added the 23-year-old.

Chinese Taipei’s Tseng said he was calm and patient in a blemish free round highlighted by a 15 feet chip-in birdie on the par three third hole.

“This is such a beautiful place and I don’t know why but it made me feel very calm. It was quite an easy round and I’m happy with how I played,” said the 30-year-old Tseng.

The Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort is located in the resort area of Prigen, East Java, which is within a one-hour drive from Surabaya.

The course is part of an integrated resort that covers 600 hectares of prime land including exclusive residential homes and villas, spa, waterpark and clubhouse facilities, which include 38 hotel rooms and luxurious villa accommodation along the golf course.

Leading first round scores

64 - Sujjan SINGH (IND)

66 - Rory HIE (INA)

67 - Anthony CHOAT (AUS), TSENG Hong-sheng (TPE)

68 - HSIEH Chi-hsien (TPE)

69 - S. Siva Chandhran (MAS), Michael MOORE (AUS), Greg NICOLSON (SCO), Zaw MOE (MYN), Tim STEWART (AUS), Michael BIBAT (PHI), James LAM (PHI)

70 - Jay BAYRON (PHI), CHOO Tze Huang (SIN), Philip MATSSON (THA), Pijit PETCHKASEM (THA), Choengchai PANPUMPO (THA), Clarke LUTTON (SCO), Roby SUGARA (INA)

Short Game Wizard Perera Eyes Taman Dayu Win

Pasuruan, East Java, July 3 - Mithun Perera of Sri Lanka will rely on his consistent short game to guide him to victory at the inaugural Taman Dayu Championship, starting Wednesday.

Perera averages 274 yards off the tees but what he lacks in distance, he will make up with an acute short game at the US$75,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event staged at the panoramic Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort.

Perera, whose best finish was tied second on the Asian Tour earlier this year, will be among a strong cast of players gathered at the Taman Dayu Championship, which is the fifth of a record 12 ADT events this year.

An in-form Mardan Mamat of Singapore will headline the event alongside rising star Lam Zhiqun, current ADT Order of Merit leader Ryan Bulloch of Australia, who won last week, and Malaysian Kenneth De Silva.

Rory Hie, Andik Mauluddin, Indra Hermawan and Benny Kasiadi will lead the local charge this week.

“I kind of started my career playing on the ADT and in India. It has been a good experience for me and I believe I can win this week because I have a good and accurate short game” said Perera.

“I don’t like long golf courses but I somehow play well on it! I want to get more experience of playing on different courses. I’m not a long hitter so it is important for me to plan my game on various golf courses.”

He credited his short game prowess to regular practise in Sri Lanka and believes he has become a better player by playing on the ADT and on the Asian Tour.

“This is a good experience of playing with the top players. I’m a relatively new player in the professional ranks so you really need to be playing on the ADT with some of these top guys.”

Newcomer Lam, eyeing for a first career victory, was amazed by the layout of the Jack Nicklaus designed course, where the Mount Bromo volcano acts as a scenic backdrop on some holes.

“This course has a fantastic layout and the weather is perfect. It is nice to be playing on the ADT and try to boost your confidence. We have a strong field this week,” said Lam.

“This is a perfect platform for the younger guys to sharpen their game. There are so many ADT events this year and it is a good stepping stone for them to get on the Asian Tour,” added the Singaporean.

Rizal Amin of Malaysia, currently eighth on the ADT Order of Merit, knows it will be an important week for him to move up the rankings as the top three players on the money list at the end of the season will earn 2013 Asian Tour cards.

“There’s a lot to play for this week. This is a big week for me to move up the ladder a little bit and I’m looking forward to it. It is a great golf course but it is a bit hilly and tough. You got to have full concentration on your tee shots,” said the burly golfer, who played mostly in the United States as an amateur.

Ajeetesh Sandhu of India, a former David Leadbetter Golf Academy student, hopes to translate his recent form on the local circuit into a victory this week.

“I’ve been finishing in the top-10 in India which is good. I’m playing well so I’m looking forward to the week. It is going to be exciting,” said Ajeetesh.

“Winning is always the best thing because it solves a lot of issues straight away. Hopefully it will come this weekend. The field is pretty good. I’m seeing a lot of regular Asian Tour guys playing here so it is going to be a good week with the competition,” said the 23-year-old.

The Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort is located in the resort area of Prigen, East Java, which is within a one-hour drive from Surabaya.

The course is part of an integrated resort that covers 600 hectares of prime land including exclusive residential homes and villas, spa, waterpark and clubhouse facilities, which include 38 hotel rooms and luxurious villa accommodation along the golf course.

Bulloch Aims To Extend Winning Form In Taman Dayu

Pasuruan, East Java, July 2 - Ryan Bulloch of Australia hopes to continue his superb run of form at this week’s inaugural Taman Dayu Championship after claiming a life-changing victory last week.

Bulloch previously worked as a greenskeeper in Perth before turning professional earlier this year to pursue his dream of attaining glory in the play-for-pay ranks.

His determination was rewarded with a commanding start-to-finish victory at the PGM Terengganu Masters in Malaysia and he hopes to carry his form into the newest US$75,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event here which starts on Wednesday.

“It is great to carry a bit of momentum. Winning is a great feeling and I want to continue this into my next tournament for sure,” said the 34-year-old Bulloch.

With his maiden professional victory, Bulloch moved to the top of the ADT Order of Merit and will be among a strong line-up of players gathered at the beautiful Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort, which will host the fifth ADT event this year.

Mardan Mamat of Singapore, a three-time Asian Tour champion, will feature the event alongside his country’s rising stars Quincy Quek and Lam Zhiqun.

Jay Bayron of the Philippines, Gavin Flint of Australia, S. Siva Chandhran, the ADT number one in 2010 and Peter Richardson of England, all winners on the fledging Tour, will also compete in Taman Dayu.

The Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort is located in the resort area of Prigen, East Java, which is within a one-hour drive from Surabaya. The championship course is most impressive and is a creation of golfing great, Jack Nicklaus.

The course is part of an integrated resort that covers 600 hectares of prime land including exclusive residential homes and villas, spa, waterpark and clubhouse facilities, which include 38 hotel rooms and luxurious villa accommodation along the golf course.

“I haven’t been to Indonesia before but I heard it is a really nice golf course. I can’t wait to check it out and play,” said Bulloch.

The ADT will stage a record of 12 events in 2012. The top-three players on the Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn Asian Tour cards in 2013.

All Eyes On An In-Form Mardan

Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia, June 28 - An in-form Mardan Mamat of Singapore should be the man to beat at the inaugural Taman Dayu Championship on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) next week.

Mardan is in fine form this season as he won his third Asian Tour title at the ICTSI Philippine Open in February followed by his first ADT event at the PGM CCM Impian Masters in Malaysia in the following month.

Playing on an invite, the veteran Singaporean will provide a stern challenge to the ADT rising stars when they tee off at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort in Surabaya from July 4 to 7 (Wednesday to Saturday).

Peter Richardson of England, who currently leads on the ADT Order of Merit, S. Siva Chandhran of Malaysia, a two-time ADT winner and No. 1 in 2010, Kim Gi-hwan of Korea, Lam Zhiqun of Singapore and Mithun Pererra of Sri Lanka will also feature in the US$75,000 event.

Mardan, who hopes to start a golf academy in the future, has been supportive of the ADT, which is running in its third year.

“It will benefit a lot of the younger players. We need this development tour to develop the young players. This is like a platform for them to build up their game to the next level. This is good for the young players,” said the 44-year-old, who will compete in the British Open at Royal Lytham and St Annes later in July.

The highly rated Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort is a new venue on the ADT and is located in the resort area of Prigen, East Java, which is within a one-hour drive from Surabaya.

The course is part of an integrated resort that covers 600 hectares of prime land including exclusive residential homes and villas, spa, waterpark and clubhouse facilities, which include 38 hotel rooms and luxurious villa accommodation along the golf course.

Among other players who will make their way to the latest ADT event include Singaporeans Quincy Quek and Koh Deng Shan, Gavin Flint of Australia and Kenneth De Silva of Malaysia.

The Taman Dayu Championship, which is promoted by the Asian Golf Group, will be the fifth stop on the 2012 ADT Schedule, which will boasts of a record 12 events this season. The top three players on the Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn Asian Tour cards for 2013.

Bayron And Siva Eye Success At Taman Dayu Championship

Pasuruan, East Java - Jay Bayron of the Philippines and Malaysian S. Siva Chandhran will be aiming for glory at the inaugural Taman Dayu Championship on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) next month.

Bayron and Siva, who have won a combined three ADT titles, will be among a strong line-up of players set for the US$75,000 event at the highly rated Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort in Surabaya from July 4 to 7 (Wednesday to Saturday).

Current ADT Order of Merit leader Peter Richardson of England and Luke Bleumink of Australia, both winners on the ADT this season, will also be in the field with the aim of moving closer to an Asian Tour card, which is awarded to the top-­three finishers on the Order of Merit at the end of the season.

The Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort is located in the resort area of Prigen, East Java, which is within a one‐hour drive from Surabaya.

The championship course is most impressive and is a creation of golfing great, Jack Nicklaus. The course is part of an integrated resort that covers 600 hectares of prime land including exclusive residential homes and villas, spa, waterpark and clubhouse facilities, which include 38 hotel rooms and luxurious villa accommodation along the golf course.

Bayron claimed his first ADT title last season with an emphatic home triumph at the Aboitiz Invitational. He currently lies in tied 15th place on the Merit list, courtesy of a tied fifth place at the PGM CCM Impian Masters in Malaysia.

The slightly‐built Siva has enjoyed great success since the ADT’s inauguration in 2010 where he won the inaugural Order of Merit.

He is a two‐time ADT winner, claiming victories in 2010 and 2011, and he will be hoping to notch a third title at the Taman Dayu Championship.

He said winning the Order of Merit has given him the opportunity to expand his career. “I had more opportunities to play in the bigger events which gave me an entire different experience by playing on different courses around the region. I also gained a lot more confidence that has helped my game,” said the Malaysian.

The ADT was created in 2010 as a platform for young talents to enhance their game.

This year the ADT will host a total of 10 events, with another two more expected to join the fledging Tour in the coming months.

The top three players on the Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn Asian Tour cards for 2013.

ADT Welcomes Inaugural Taman Dayu Championship In Indonesia

Pasuruan, East Java, Indonesia, May 3 - Indonesia will welcome a new tournament, the Taman Dayu Championship, on the fast-growing Asian Development Tour (ADT) in July.

The inaugural Taman Dayu Championship will offer a prize pot of US$75,000 and will be staged at the renowned Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort in East Java from July 5 to 8, 2012.

Launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia, the ADT has gained support from Corporate Asia, growing its schedule from five tournaments in the first season to eight tournaments in the 2011 season.

The Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The leading three players on the Asian Development Tour Order of Merit will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals.

“We are delighted to launch the Taman Dayu Championship on the ADT and believe it will assist in the continued growth and development of professional golf in Indonesia. There are many talented Indonesian golfers out there and we hope the creation of a new international-class tournament will give our local players a boost in their careers,” said Gavin Webb, Australian Pro and Golf Club Manager at Taman Dayu.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Asia’s rising stars to our Golf Club and Resort and believe that our championship course will offer a strong test of golf. Through the television and media exposure, we hope to showcase both this beautiful course and Indonesian golf to the world.”

Asian Golf Group Managing Director Patrick Young has expressed his gratitude to the Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort for their dedication towards professional golf in Indonesia. Asian Golf Group is the event promoter and event manager for the Taman Dayu Championship.

“The management team at Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort has worked very hard in establishing this event and the facilities are world class. The entire resort is wonderful,” said Young. “The golf course will test the best of the ADT players and we look forward to a wonderful week of festivities at the resort.”

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han also extended his appreciation to Taman Dayu Golf Club and Resort for its support of golf in Asia.

“On behalf of the ADT, I’m honoured to welcome the Taman Dayu Golf Club on our fledging Tour. The ADT will be running in its third year and we expect even more positive growth this year,” said Han.

Nine Tournaments For New ADT Season

The third season of the Asian Development Tour (ADT) tees off at the PGM-CCM-Impian Masters on Thursday.

Since its successful launch in 2010, the ADT has grown from five tournaments on the schedule to eight events last season while nine stops are already confirmed for 2012. Officials are anticipating approximately 12 tournaments by the end of the season.

The ADT will welcome a new tournament in Indonesia, namely the Taman Dayu Championship in Surabaya later this year but it is in Malaysia that the total number of events have grown significantly.

Working in tandem with the Professional Golf of Malaysia (PGM) Tour, led by its chairman Tun Ahmad Sarji, a total of six PGM events will feature on this season’s ADT Schedule, which will inevitably provide a huge boost for Malaysian players who are chasing for playing rights on the elite Asian Tour.

The top three players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will gain Asian Tour cards for 2013. In the inaugural season, Malaysia’s S. Siva Chandhran finished top of the rankings while Akhmal Tarmizee was third.

Kyi Hla Han, Executive Chairman of the Asian Tour, said: “We are looking forward to another good season on the ADT. Our schedule will provide playing opportunities for players who are seeking access onto our elite Asian Tour while also giving them every chance to improve their careers through a consistent playing schedule.

“There are numerous young players from the region who are capable of achieving success and we believe the ADT platform will continue to unearth rising stars of the game.”

The PGM-CCM-Impian Masters will be held at the Impian Golf and Country Club in Kajang, which is on the outskirts of the capital city of Kuala Lumpur.

Asia’s young guns including the likes of Singaporean Koh Deng Shan, Indonesia’s Rory Hie, Filipino Michael Bibat and Malaysia’s Akhmal Tarmizee and Mohd Ilya Jamil are in the field this week with the aim of achieving success.

However, a top line-up of players led by defending champion Jonathan Moore of the United States has converged for the RM180,000 (approximately US$60,000) ADT event.

Moore secured his first victory on the ADT last year in grand style, winning by three shots from Artemio Murakami of the Philippines with a stunning 22-under-par 266 aggregate. It subsequently paved the way for him to win the ADT Merit title, which secured him his Asian Tour playing rights.

“I’m looking forward to defend my title. It is a nice event and I have good memories. Winning the ADT Order of Merit last year has given me the chance to play on the Asian Tour and that’s been a great thing for my career,” said the former US Walker Cup team member.

Titleist Introduces New Vokey Design SM4 Wedges

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Now, Titleist introduces a completely new line of Vokey Design Spin Milled wedges to maximize performance within the limits of the 2010 Groove Rule. The new Vokey Design SM4 wedges feature 17 precise, individually cut and 100% inspected grooves that maximize groove geometry and push groove edge radius to the conforming limits. Using computer aided design (CAD), SM4 wedges also feature a new shape inspired by Vokey’s original 200 series. With twenty-one loft and bounce combinations and five different sole grinds that Vokey developed through his research and work with the best players in the world, the new Vokey Design SM4 wedges represent the next generation of the most renowned scoring clubs in golf.

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