2 Local Players In Top Twenty At Combiphar Golf Inventational

Bogor, Indonesia, November 26 - American John Catlin closed with a second consecutive four-under-par 67 to seal his maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) victory at the Combiphar Golf Invitational on Saturday.

John Catlin (2nd left) and Naraajie Ramadhan Putra (3rd right), flanked by Jimmy Masrin (Chairman of Asian Tour, left), Michael Wanand (CEO of Combiphar, 3rd left), Agung Budiman (President Director of Gunung Geulis Golf Resort, 2nd right) and Agus Triyono (Secretary General of the PGA Tour of Indonesia, right)

The 26-year-old Catlin, who started the day with a two-shot lead, sank four birdies against no bogey to claim a three-shot triumph with a 16-under-par 268 total at the Gunung Geulis Country Club situated in Bogor city.

Micah Lauren Shin, also of the United States, fired a 65 to grab a share of second place with Filipino stalwart Antonio Lascuna, who closed with a third straight 68, at the inaugural US$60,000 ADT event.

American Sam Cyr took fourth place on 273 following a 70 while Singapore’s Mitchell Slorach returned with a 71 to settle two shots back in fifth at the Combiphar Golf Invitational, which is the Tour’s second stop in Indonesia this season.

“This win means so much to me. I have been through a lot in my life both personally and as a professional over the last three years so it means a lot to finally win,” said the Bangkok-based Catlin, who turned professional in 2013 and is playing in his second year in Asia.

Catlin continued his overnight lead by nailing two straight birdies on the front to turn in 33. He sank a 20-foot breaking putt for birdie on 15 but was tied for lead with his fast-charging playing partner Lascuna on 15-under with three holes to play.

Catlin, however, kept his cool and regained the outright lead straightaway following a two-shot swing for birdie on 16 as Lascuna stumbled with back-to-back bogeys.

“I just kept it the same as the last three days. I just stayed patient out there. I am glad it paid off,” added Catlin, who took home the winner’s prize purse of US$10,500 and received six Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points courtesy of his win.

Indonesian amateur Naraajie Ramadhan Putra claimed the low amateur title by maintaining his nerves and putting in another solid round to finish in a tie for 16th, together with Danny Masrin who scored a lowest score of the day 65 in his final round.

Leading final round results:

268 - John CATLIN (USA) 70 64 67 67

271 - Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) 69 67 70 65, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 67 68 68 68

273 - Sam CYR (USA) 70 68 65 70

275 - Mitchell SLORACH (SGP) 70 63 71 71

276 - Atthaphon SRIBOONKAEW (THA) 69 75 66 66, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 71 70 66 69, Panuwat MUENLEK (THA) 68 69 68 71

277 - Pannakorn UTHAIPAS (THA) 72 71 68 66, Chanat SAKULPOLPHAISAN (THA) 73 68 70 66, Victor OSTERBY (DEN) 68 72 70 67, Gavin GREEN (MAS) 73 69 66 69
Indonesian players (A denotes amateur):

279 - Naraajie E. RAMADHAN PUTRA (A) 70 71 70 68, Danny MASRIN 70 75 69 65

283 - Benita KASIADI 72 71 72 68

284 - Ian ANDREW 72 67 73 72, Junaidi IBRAHIM 73 71 71 69

285 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 72 69 72 72

288 - George GANDRANATA 75 67 73 73, Indra HERMAWAN 69 76 70 73, Ramadhan ALWIE 71 73 72 72

290 - Rifqi ALAM (A) 68 73 73 76, Adrian HALIMI 72 71 71 76, Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (A) 73 71 72 74

Local Amateur Ramadhan Putra Looking For A Top 20 Finish At The Combiphar Golf Invitational

Bogor, Indonesia, November 25 - American John Catlin holed a pivotal birdie putt on the last for a four-under-par 67 to lead by two shots in the penultimate round of the Combiphar Golf Invitational on Friday.

Catlin, who started the round with a one-shot deficit, marked his card with five birdies against a lone bogey to sit atop the leaderboard on 12-under-par 201 total at the Gunung Geulis Country Club situated in Bogor city.

His compatriot Sam Cyr posted a solid 65 to share second place with Filipino stalwart Antonio Lascuna, who returned with a second consecutive 68, at the inaugural US$60,000 Asian Development Tour event, which is the Tour’s second stop in Indonesia this season.

Overnight leader Mitchell Slorach of Singapore slipped to fourth place on 204 following a 71 while Thailand’s Panuwat Muenlek, who is chasing for a third win this season, settled a further shot back in fifth after carding a 68.

“It was a grind but I stayed patient and kept it going out there. The conditions were pretty similar to yesterday. I made a nice breaking putt on 18 from 15 feet to finish with a birdie. That was my highlight today,” said Catlin.

“I will keep everything the same tomorrow. I just need to stay patient,” added the Bangkok-based 26-year-old, who is searching for a maiden win on the secondary circuit, which was launched in 2010 as a gateway to the region’s premier Tour.

Cyr credited his solid drives for giving him a fighting chance to challenge for a maiden win. “I played a really solid round. I hit a lot of good shots and I feel like my game is getting sharper each round. I am very happy about that.”

“I was able to hit it close a few times today. I like the way I am striking the ball. I left myself in good places to be aggressive on my putts as well. I made seven-footers on sixth and 16 and sank a 13-footer on 10,” said the 30-year-old Cyr.

Best of the local players is amateur Naraajie Ramadhan Putra, who scored a third successive sub-par round and is currently in a T19 with 5-under-par. He's one shot ahead of Ian Andrew who's in a tie for 26th after carding a 73.

Leading third round results:

201 - John CATLIN (USA) 70 64 67

203 - Sam CYR (USA) 70 68 65, Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 67 68 68

204 - Mitchell SLORACH (SGP) 70 63 71

205 - Panuwat MUENLEK (THA) 68 69 68

206 - Micah Lauren SHIN (USA) 69 67 70

207 - John Michael O’TOOLE (USA) 72 70 65, Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA) 71 70 66, Tawan PHONGPHUN (THA) 71 69 67

208 - Gavin GREEN (MAS) 73 69 66

Indonesian players (A denotes amateur):

211 - Naraajie E. RAMADHAN PUTRA (A) 70 71 70

212 - Ian ANDREW 72 67 73

213 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 72 69 72

214 - Rifqi ALAM (A) 68 73 73, Adrian HALIMI 72 71 71, Danny MASRIN 70 75 69

215 - George GANDRANATA 75 67 73, Benita KASIADI 72 71 72, Junaidi IBRAHIM 73 71 71, Indra HERMAWAN 69 76 70

216 - Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (A) 73 71 72, Ramadhan ALWIE 71 73 72

Rifqi Alam Shows Local Pros The Way At Combiphar Golf Invitational

Bogor, Indonesia, November 23 - Tour rookie Kevin Techakanokboon and Filipino stalwart Antonio Lascuna fired identical four-under-par 67s to share the lead in the opening round of the weather-disrupted Combiphar Golf Invitational on Wednesday.

The inaugural US$60,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event was suspended for over two hours in the afternoon due to lightning threats before play was abandoned at 6pm local time due to fading light.

A total of 45 players returned on Thursday at 6.15am local time to complete their rounds at the Gunung Geulis Country Club in Bogor, a city in the West Java province of Indonesia. The second round has commenced at 7 am.

Local amateur Rifqi Alam came in one shot back to take third place with Victor Osterby of Denmark and Thailand’s Panuwat Muenlek while another local prospect Indra Hermawan signed for a 69 to sit in sixth alongside Toni Ferrer of Spain and American Micah Lauren Shin.

Rifqi Alam - Photo Asian Development Tour

Kevin, who joined the play-for-pay ranks at the start of the year, surprised even himself when he fired one eagle and four birdies against two bogeys to take the clubhouse lead.

“I honestly do not have any high expectations. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I just tried to stay patient because it’s easy to get frustrated on this course with the way the greens are sloped,” said Kevin, who rammed in a 40-foot eagle putt on par-five 16.

“I hit a good tee shot which left me with a seven-iron for my second shot. I hit it just short of the front edge of the green and holed about a 40-foot putt for the eagle,” added the 24-year-old Thai.

Kevin, who came through the Asian Tour Qualifying School earlier in January, credited his solid drives for a commendable start to his campaign at the Combiphar Golf Invitational.

“I drove the ball well and put myself in good positions to try and make birdies. I did pretty well in limiting careless errors and avoided making bogeys. It’s important to hit as many fairways as you can because the course is very wet. You need to leave yourself with uphill putts with your approach shots too,” he said.

Leading first round results:

67 – Kevin TECHAKANOKBOON (THA), Antonio LASCUNA (PHI)

68 – Rifqi ALAM (A) (INA), Victor OSTERBY (DEN), Panuwat MUENLEK (THA)

69 – Indra HERMAWAN (INA), Toni FERRER (ESP), Micah Lauren SHIN (USA)

70 – Mitchell SLORACH (SGP), Danny MASRIN (INA), Blake SNYDER (USA), Arie IRAWAN (MAS), Sam CYR (USA), Paul HARRIS (USA), John CATLIN (USA)

Yaquta Nears Top Ten At Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open

Jakarta, November 19 - Local amateur Almay Rahman Yaquta continued to surprise the field by leading a group of five Indonesian players into the weekend at the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesian Open.

After thunderstorms and upcoming darkness had stopped the second round late Friday, the 18 year old amateur had to complete his round early Saturday morning and did so with success. His second round score of 69 combined with a first round score of 68 meant he was the highest ranked Indonesian player to go into the weekend in a tie for 11th place.

Danny Masrin, Adrian Halimi and George Gandranata, who all had completed their rounds on Friday, together with Jordan Irawan, who still had to play a few holes Saturday morning, are joining Almay to battle for local honors in Indonesia's oldest tournament.

Johannes Veerman of the United States shot a six-under-par 66 to take the second round clubhouse lead on Friday as he searches for a first Asian Tour victory. The American, whose mum is half Indonesian, eagled the 14th hole for the second consecutive day to finish the round on 11-under-par 133 at the US$300,000 Asian Tour event.

Johannes Veerman teeing of at Bank BRI-JCB Indonesian Open

Hung Chien-yao from Taiwan joined Veerman at the top of the leaderboard on Saturday morning after completing his second round with a 67.

Frenchman Lionel Weber fired a sparkling 62 for the low round of the day as he finished two shots back of the clubhouse target alongside Janne Kaske (67) of Finland at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

The sweet swinging Veerman made 25 putts in a round of four birdies and one eagle which was his third for the week as he soared into contention at the BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open. After spending most of his youth in Asia, Veerman, who is now based in Texas, hopes to continue his impressive form during the weekend where his mother and relatives will come to support him.

“I played some great golf. I’ve made so many eagles this week which is probably the most I’ve done in my life. I made two eagles yesterday and today on the 14th hole. I don’t know what’s happening but I like it,” said Veerman.

“It is difficult when you are travelling around the world but my mum is Indonesian and she is coming up with my family and they will be out here. I’ll be excited and happy to play in front of them,” he added.

Veerman enjoyed a splendid season on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) this year where he won once. He now hopes to follow in the footsteps of ADT graduates Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Poom Saksansin, who both won on the Asian Tour last month.

“All of that practice on the ADT has been polishing my game. You read about success stories of golfers winning but when you play with these guys (Pavit and Poom) and see them winning, then you tell yourself ‘hey if they can do it, so can I’,” he said.

Frenchman Weber, who is playing in his fourth season on the Asian Tour, fired his career’s low round of 62 where he birdied his closing five holes for a superb homeward nine score of 29-under. “During suspension, I went to the restaurant, had good food and was watching the golf on the television. I got back on the course feeling relaxed and enjoyed my round. Making five birdies in a row gives you a good feeling,” smiled Weber.

“I’ve got nothing to lose this week. I will play offensively. I haven’t won on the Asian Tour yet so it will be superb to do it. I think I’ve secured my Asian Tour card so I hope I can get a win now,” he said.

Kaske, a winner on the ADT, missed a par putt on the 16th hole after the weather delay but bounced back brilliantly when he chipped in for birdie from the edge of the 18th green. “We had a three-hour delay and I was imagining making that lag par putt but I burnt the edge on that one. I’ve had a bad year so far but I’m trying to finish the season strongly. A win will be the best case scenario,” said Kaske.

Scores after round 2 of the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open 2016 being played at the par 72, 7243 Yards Pondok Indah GC course (am - denotes amateur):

133 - Johannes VEERMAN (USA) 67-66, HUNG Chien-yao (TPE) 66-67

135 - Janne KASKE (FIN) 68-67, Lionel WEBER (FRA) 73-62, Khalin JOSHI (IND) 65-70, Adam GROOM (AUS) 70-65

136 - Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 69-67, Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND) 71-65, Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA) 65-71
Selected Indonesian players:

137 - Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (A)

140 - Danny MASRIN 68-72

141 - Jordan IRAWAN 70-71

142 - Adrian HALIMI 71-71, George GANDRANATA 70-72.

Amateur Yaqutah Leads Local Charge At Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open

Jakarta, November 17 2016 - Indonesian amateur Almay Rayhan Yaqutah led the local charge by shooting an impressive 68 to tie in ninth place in the first round of the weather-interrupted BANK BRI-JCB Indonesia Open on Thursday alongside Quincy Quek of Singapore, Ben Leong of Malaysia, Victor Osterby of Denmark and Nicolas Paez of the United States.

Almay Rayhan Yaqutah

Chinnarat Phadungsil of Thailand and Khalin Joshi of India fired identical seven-under-par 65s to share the clubhouse lead at the US$300,000 Asian Tour event that was suspended for over two hours in the afternoon due to lightning threats before play was abandoned at 5.45 pm due to fading light.

Chinnarat, a three-time Asian Tour champion but not since 2009, and Joshi are fighting to retain their playing rights for next year as they currently occupy 73rd and 113th places on the Order of Merit. They must finish inside the top-65 by the end of the season to retain their Tour cards.

A total of 56 players will return on Friday at 6.15 am to complete their rounds at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

Hung Chien-yao of Chinese Taipei, who is searching for a first Asian Tour title, fired a bogey-free 66 while Korea’s Soonsang Hong, Sukree Othman of Malaysia and two-time Asian Tour winner Jazon Knutzon of the United States, who is also fighting to save his Tour card, are a further shot back.

The 28-year-old Chinnarat, who holds the honor of being the youngest winner on the Asian Tour at the age of 17 years and five days, rediscovered some of his best form by staying focused and keeping to a simple game plan. He fired nine birdies but slipped down the leaderboard when he triple bogeyed the par three eighth hole after his tee shot landed in the greenside bunker.

“I hope this will be my lucky week and I can win again to get my Asian Tour card. I lost confidence but I’ve been trying hard to get that win again,” said Chinnarat.

“I played good because I focused on my game and on the shots I want to hit. Previously, I kept thinking about so many different types of shots so it was very confusing. Now the plan is simple, think of one shot and commit to that shot. No more thinking about trying different shots!” he added.

The big-hitting Joshi is hoping to follow in the footsteps of his close friend Shubhankar Sharma, who finished tied fourth in the Philippines on Sunday to retain his Tour card for the new 2017 season. “I’ve been talking to Shubhankar (Sharma) and he has been a huge influence to me. He had a great week last week and I’m so happy for him. He told me to never give up because you never know what will happen until the last moment like what happened to him.

“I hope to follow in his footsteps and have one good week to keep my card. Once you’ve saved your card, it is a fantastic feeling because you are playing to win and trying to move higher in your career,” said the 24-year-old Joshi.

The 24-year-old Hung, who finished tied seventh in Philippines last week, continued his rich vein of form after working with new caddy Chen Ming-chuan, who is also his coach and a professional golfer. “I’m happy with the result. My playing partners told me that I missed a few good birdie putts so the round could have been lower. My caddy has given me a lot of confidence and he gives me good reads on the greens. It is a good partnership between us,” said Hung.

The 18-year-old amateur Yaqutah, a former individual and team gold medalist at the 2014 ASEAN School Games, fired five birdies against one bogey to enjoy a flying start in his first Asian Tour tournament. “I really had fun today. This is a very good experience for me to play in an Asian Tour event. I’m feeling very happy and excited but after I looked at the score, I’m shaking a bit. Shooting a 68 in an Asian Tour event is quite impressive!” said Yaqutah.
Scores after round 1 of the Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open 2016 being played at the par 72, 7243 Yards Pondok Indah GC course (am - denotes amateur):

65 - Khalin JOSHI (IND), Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA)

66 - HUNG Chien-yao (TPE)

67 - Soonsang HONG (KOR), Sukree OTHMAN (MAS), Jason KNUTZON (USA)

68 - Almay Rayhan YAQUTAH (am), Quincy QUEK (SIN), Ben LEONG (MAS), Nicolas PAEZ (USA), Victor OSTERBY (DEN)

Selected Indonesian players:

70 - Jordan IRAWAN
-2 - Danny Masrin (13), Dede IDRIS (10*)

71 - Alexander VALENTINO (am)
-1 - George GANDRANATA (11*), Alfred RAJA (am, 9)

Kevin Caesario Akbar Victorious In RSGC AmBank Junior Amateur Open

KUALA LUMPUR, 31 March - Indonesia’s Kevin Caesario Akbar had to overcome a shaky start to retain his boys’ Under-18 crown in the RSGC AmBank Junior Amateur Open Golf Championships.

The 18-year-old completed a wire-to-wire victory by nine shots over local hopeful Adam Arif Madzri at the Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC) on Thursday.

Four ahead of the field overnight, Kevin bogeyed his first two holes of the day but recovered strongly to pull away from the chasing pack.

He went on to card six birdies and two bogeys en route to a two-under 70 and an even-par 216 total.

“I’m very happy to win today ... pleased with how I responded to the early blemishes,” said Kevin.

“I’ve been making a lot of birdies, which I think is the key to my win this week. I had six today ... and 15 overall.”

Kevin’s victory makes up for last year’s disappointment when he finished runner-up at the MPI-Saujana Amateur Championship.

It’s also the second victory by an Indonesian golfer in as many weeks after his professional compatriot George Gandranata clinched the Asian Development Tour (ADT) co-sanctioned PGM LADA Langkawi Championship last Sunday.

Samantha Martirez kept the girls’ Under-18 title for the Philippines when she prevailed in a three-way playoff.

Samantha holed a long birdie on the first extra hole to beat Malaysian duo Kelie Kan and Warda Amira Abdul Rawof after the three finished on 223 total.

Two Winners Of The Jack Nicklaus International Invitational 2016 To Go To Ohio

Tangerang Selatan, 16 March - National amateur golfers Edwin Abeng and Jayadi will represent Indonesia at the 10th Jack Nicklaus International Invitational (JNII) Tournament of Champions 2016. The tournament will be held at the New Albany Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, United States, where they will have a chance to meet legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus.

Edwin and Jayadi got this opportunity after winning the Jack Nicklaus International Invitational 2016 amateur tournament held at the Damai Indah Golf-BSD Course in Tangerang, Banten.

Edwin Abeng won the Best Gross Overall title with a score of 75, while Jayadi won the Best Net Overall with 69, allowing them to advance to the final rounds in Columbus.

The annual tournament, now in its tenth year, is held in six countries; Italy, the Philippines, South Korea, Switzerland, the United States and Indonesia.

Jack Nicklaus, also known by golf enthusiasts as the Golden Bear, is a living legend with a record 18 major titles, 55 PGA Tour championship wins as well as 43 titles on other tours throughout a professional career of 25 years from 1962 to 1986.

The JNII 2016 saw the participation of 106 golfers who are all loyal customer of Jack Nicklaus. The Damai Indah Golf-BSD Course was designed by the legend himself and opened for play in 1992. It is an international course with a length of 6,545 meters.

We want to give an exclusive opportunity to local golfers and our loyal Jack Nicklaus customers to play a signature Jack Nicklaus design course in competitive tournament environment. The participants have the opportunity to win big prizes, a VIP tour to represent the country at the Tournament of Champions with a value of USD 9.775 (for 2 winners), that will be held in June", explained Damayanti Iriani, Marketing Communications at PT Trisula International, the license holder of the Jack Nicklaus apparel brand in Indonesia..

The winners of the JNII 2016 will there also have the dream opportunity to dine with Nicklaus. "Not only that, they will also watch the Memorial Tournament live at Muirfield Village Golf Club," added Damayanti.

Winning the Jack Nicklaus International Invitational is an unforgettable experience, as was witnessed by Andre Atmadji when he won the tournament in 2015.

"It was an impressive experience to have the opportunity to watch one of the biggest tournaments on the calendar, the Memorial. There i was able to meet with top players like Tiger Woods, Rickie Fowler, Jason Day and so many others. And I will never forget the moment when I had the opportunity to meet with the legendary Jack Nicklaus himself", said the runner up of the Jack Nicklaus International Invitational Final 2015 in Ohio, USA.

In the tournament final, that uses the Best Ball (foursome) format. Andre, together with Ian Sugianto, managed to finish second with the same score (-2) as the winners from South Korea, who beat them for the grand prize on count back. But they were still proud to represent Indonesia as runners up at the JNII Final Tournament of Champions 2015.

Jordan Irawan Collects His First Professional Title At Sawangan GC

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

IGT 2015 Grand Final Kicks Off At Imperial Klub Golf

The Grand Final of the Indonesian Golf Tour 2015 presented by Linc Group will start tomorrow Tuesday 8 December 2015 at Imperial Klub Golf, Karawaci - Tangerang. The three day event, sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Indonesia, will determine who will be crowned the 2015 IGT Champion on Thursday 10 December.

The 30 highest ranked professional players of the IGT will battle to determine who will succeed Rinaldi Adiyandono, who claimed the title last year. They will be accompanied by 9 men amateur players as well as 6 ladies amateur players.

The 30 professional players will be guaranteed a split of the total prize money of IDR 300,000,000, while the 3 highest ranked players will get the opportunity to play on the Asian Development Tour in 2016.

R&A Helps Refine Development Program In Indonesia

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Source: The Jakarta Post

Indonesian Golf Tour Heading To LotusLakes Golf Club

JAKARTA, September 8 - For its next outing the national professional golf circuit "Indonesian Golf Tour presented by Linc Group" will bring a visit to LotusLakes Golf Club, Karawang, West Java. The sixth event of the 2015 season will take place on the course that was designed Naoyuki Saito from 9 to 11 September. Here the best professional golfers Indonesia will compete for a total prize of 200 million.

While at the previous (5th) event at Jababeka Golf & Country Club the national golfers were presented with the challenge of long distances, slippery greens contours and strong winds blowing, this time they will encounter a course that offers a layout that is no less challenging, especially for persons with low handicaps when playing from the championship tees.

During the event the golfers will play the Lotus (9 holes) and Orchid Courses (9 holes). The Lotus Course measures 3,548 yards and features more water hazards, while the Orchid Course with a distance of 3,649 yards offers a course layout with tropical trees, which are separated by rivers and lakes.

The toughness of LotusLakes Golf Club, until November 2013 known as Karawang International Golf Club (KIGC), was proven during last season's IGT event when George Gandranata had to work hard to win the IGT @ LotusLakes.

George won the tournament with a total score of even-par, 216 (70-73-73). He was only one stroke ahead of amateur golfer Kevin C. Akbar, who finished second overall and winning Low Amateur with a total score of one-over-par, 217 (74-71-72).

"This course is very challenging and nice. The greens really made us have to think hard to conquer," said George.

Could the IGT Series VI at LotusLakes champion this year post a score under par?

Third IGT Win Solidifies Benita Kasiadi's Order Of Merit Lead

Cikarang, August 6 - There were no surprises in the results of the Indonesia Golf Tour Series V at Jababeka Golf & Country Club. As predicted, Benita Yuniarto Kasiadi successfully established himself as champion at the most recent leg of the national professional golf circuit with a total of 200 million in prize money. The total score of seven-under par (206) for Benita was difficult to follow any golfer, including I Ketut Sugiarta who finished second with a score of 217 (four-over par).

Although closing the game with a score of even par in the final round, this did not change the position at the top of the Order of Merit of the Indonesia PGA 2015 Tour. "My game plan did not meet my target, making 3 under or 4 under today. i made no change in how I played. Everything was the same as yesterday", said Benita, who took home the Rp 32 million first prize.

With this result Benita nestled himself more firmly at the top of the 2015 Order of Merit. His success this time was also a record in the history of the IGT, with the largest winning margin of 11 strokes.

This IGT V Series title is Benita third title this season. He is eying another title again this season to meet his target. "Based on the management target, especially for this year, I should be able to win as much as 4 times on the IGT. Then the next target is to play an ADT tournament. Hopefully I can qualify for next year's Asian Tour", added Benita.

Series V IGT presented indeed a venue that was difficult enough for the participants. The heat became a separate obstacle for most players. They also had to face fairways that were "unfriendly". The ball seemed to stop and it seemed difficult to roll in the fairway. Plus, the slippery green conditions made it difficult for participants to make low scores.

Benita also recognized the challenges posed at this 18-hole course. "The condition of the pitch is quite hot and windy and very draining," said Benita. I Ketut Sugiarta agreed regarding the state of the pitch. He also found it difficult to develop his game. "The weather was windy which impacted my second shot, that often was caught by the wind and swirled to the left," said Ketut.

Ketut praised Benita's game that was not affected by his playing partners. Despite failing to win, Ketut was satisfied because he was beaten by a young golfer. He is also pleased that the IGT can produce young golfers with potential. "Looking at the current competition in the IGT, there are many young professionals that have extraordinary abilities. I am very proud to see new seeds that will carry the name of Indonesia to the international level", he added. For him, the IGT became a very good tournament for Indonesian professionals to compete at the local level in preparation for the international level.

After chasing one another, Kadek Adi Putra Saksama and Adrian Halimi ended up sharing the title of Low Amateur. Both had a total score of 227 (14-over par). This is the first time in the history that IGT's best amateur champion was won by two golfers.

Leading scores after the final round of IGT Series V (Par 71):

206 - Benita Y. KASIADI 67-68-71

217 - I Ketut SUGIARTA 74-71-72

220 - Johannes DERMAWAN 71-77-72, Indra HERMAWAN 70-76-74

221 - Danny MASRIN 78-74-69, Jordan Surya IRAWAN 77-74-70, Ramadhan ALWIE 75-73-73

222 - Hendry NASIM 75-74-73, Kurnia HERISIANDY 74-74-74

223 - Junaidi IBRAHIM 75-74-74, Fajar Win NURYANTO 73-75-75

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.

Kevin Akbar Extends His Lead At AmBank Junior Amateur Open Golf Championship

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, 8 April - Malaysia’s hopes of retaining the boys’ Under-18 title category won by Low Khai Jei rests on the shoulders V. Khavish Varman.

Khavish, a member of the national junior squad, shot a 74 to climb one rung to second but is still four shots behind leader Kevin Akbar. The Indonesian extended his lead when he carded a 73, with his club mate M. Rifqi Alam Ramadhan moving up a spot to third after a second consecutive 76.


meanwhile Adam Arif Madzri of Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam (KGPA) will be Malaysia’s best bet to secure at least one title on the final day of the RSGC AmBank Junior Amateur Open Golf Championship.

On Wednesday, Adam put himself in the driver’s seat for the boys’ Under-15 title after shooting a second consecutive even-par 72 to stretch his lead to 10 shots – with a two-day total of 144 – at the Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC).

Lee Chong Li of Johor Golf & Country Club (JGCC) carded a 77 to sit in second with a 154-total while fellow Johorean Irfan Norshah, of Starhill Golf Resort Johor (SGRJ), was a further shot back after shooting 80 for 155.

“I’m pleased with my game today but, overall, it can still be improved,” said Adam.

“Even though I have a good lead, my goal will be to try and maintain my game tomorrow. I’m confident of doing that.”

Perlis Sukma champion Loy Hee Ying is still very much in contention for the girls’ Under-18 crown but she won’t have it easy against the Philippines’ Abegail Arevalo and favorite Princess Mary Superal, the defending champion.

The 18-year-old Hee Ying, who is slated to make her SEA Games debut in Singapore in June, trails leader Abegail by a single stroke after carding a two-over 73 for a share of second spot alongside Princess Mary, who lifted the prestigious US Girls’ Junior Championship last year.

The Philippines also look set to capture the girls’ Under-15 crown, with last year’s winner Sofia Chabon maintaining her three stroke lead over Indonesia's Rivani Adelia Sihotang after both players carded a round of 74.

Scores of Indonesian juniors playing at the AmBank Junior Amateur Open Golf Championship

145 - Kevin Caesario AKBAR 72-73 (1st place Boys U18)

148 - Rivani Adelia SIHOTANG 74-74 (2nd place Girls U15)

152 - M. Rifqi Alam RAMADHAN 76-76 (3rd place Boys U18)

Kevin Akbar Tops First Day Of AmBank Junior Open Golf Championship

Petaling Jaya, Malaysia, 7 April - Kevin Akbar of Indonesia shot a par 72 to seize the opening round lead in the boys’ Under-18 category of the RSGC AmBank Junior Amateur Open Golf Championships at the Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC).

Kevin, a runner-up at the Indonesian National Junior Championship two months ago, is two strokes ahead of Kim Tae-woo of Kelab Golf Perkhidmatan Awam (KPGA). Malaysian Golf Association’s V. Khavish Varman is third after posting a 75.

“I played well, but had a rough start in the early part of my game,” said Khavish.

“I hope to play better and improve my score tomorrow. The main thing is to have fun and I believe the result will come naturally.”

In the boys’ Under-15 contest, Adam Madzri of KGPA carded a two-over 74 to open a three-shot cushion over Irfan Norshah of Starhill Golf Resort Johor (SGRJ).

Abegail Arevalo of the Philippines was in her element, carding a one-under 71 to grab the lead in the girls’ Under-18 event.

Sofia Chabon, also of the Philippines, set the pace in the Under-15 category with her 71 to take a three-shot lead over Indonesian Rivani Adelia.
A total of 99 golfers are participating in the three-day championships.

Results of the Indonesian players at the AmBank Junior Open Golf Championship:

72 - Kevin Caesario Akbar (1st place Boys U18)

74 - Rivani Adelia Sihotang (2nd place Girls U15)

76 - M. Rifqi Alam Ramadhan (4th place Boys U18)

Enjoy Jakarta Golf Signs Up As Presenting Sponsor For Indonesian Masters 2015

Jakarta, 17 March 2015 – Indonesia's premier golf tournament, the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters Presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf, today announced a series of initiatives to ensure a truly memorable showpiece when the Asian Tour event returns to the Royale Jakarta Golf Club from April 23 – 26.

Former world no. 1 Lee Westwood of England, Denmark's Thomas Bjorn, and current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Anirban Lahiri of India are sure to provide ample entertainment inside the ropes, while new developments away from the fairways are set to ensure that the tournament's fifth edition is as well remembered off-course, as it is on.

Enjoy Jakarta, the capital city's official tourism authority, will join the prestigious event as the Presenting Sponsor, bringing a distinctly local flavor to the four-day tournament. As visitors walk through the gates, they can expect to be greeted by the presence of Abang & None Jakarta (Mr. & Miss Jakarta) who will be onsite to champion the nation's capital city.

And in what is fast becoming a tournament tradition, the newly crowned champion will once again be presented with his very own Tenun Ikat motif jacket. While the inspiration behind the idea might come from the Masters Tournament in Augusta, observers at the 2015 edition can expect to see something a little closer to home.

The 2015 jacket was created by renowned Indonesian designer, Didiet Maulana.

Left-to-right: Andrew Wood (Indonesian Masters Pte Ltd), James Rompas (Vice CEO CIMB Niaga), Disiet Maulana (Creative Director IKAT Indonesia), Tryfena Sri Rahajoe (Marketing Communications Jaguar Indonesia) and Hari Wibowo (Marketing Director Enjoy Jakarta) unveil the winner's jacket.

The creative director from IKAT Indonesia, famous for his contemporary, locally inspired designs, has created his own version of the "Green Jacket", which will have an authentic Indonesian style.

With the countdown of the tournament well under-way, leading Indonesian golfer George Gandranata lauded the new announcements. Speaking by video message about the importance of the tournament in building Indonesia's fledgling golf industry and putting the country on the world map of golf, Gandranata said: "The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters Presented by Enjoy Jakarta Golf plays a crucial role in the development of golf in Indonesia at a grass roots and golf industry level. Our nation has all the necessary ingredients to build an internationally recognized, healthy and sustainable golf industry benefiting many sectors of society."

"It is essential that we are staging elite, world class tournaments such as this to showcase Indonesian golf to the world and inspire future generations."

"I extend my congratulations to both Enjoy Jakarta on its partnership with the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. They will bring their own color and style to the tournament, adding to the carnival atmosphere for visitors to enjoy. I look forward to joining everyone in Jakarta next month," added Gandranata.

Speaking in lieu of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, Governor of Jakarta, the Director Marketing Of Enjoy Jakarta, Hari Wibowo, said about the partnership: "We are very proud to announce the partnership between Enjoy Jakarta and the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters 2015. The collaboration with this Asian Tour event will enable us to showcase the city of Jakarta not just to the thousands of visitors that come to the tournament, but to golf enthusiasts throughout the region".

"Indonesia's capital city has an important role to play in the development of golf among ASEAN. Bringing internationally recognized events such as this tournament, as well as the Asia Golf Tourism Conference – an IAGTO global golf tourism event that will be staged in Jakarta the week following the tournament – are strategic objectives for the city of Jakarta. We look forward to welcoming the international golf community to our vibrant and highly diverse capital city next month.”

Speaking on behalf of the tournament sponsor, James Rompas, Vice CEO of CIMB Niaga added, "We are delighted to welcome both Enjoy Jakarta and Didiet Maulana to this year‟s tournament. With just over a month to go before the Asian golf community arrives in Jakarta, visitors can look forward to a world class golf tournament, complimented by a host of tourist attractions brought to us in true Indonesian style. I would like to thank both partners for their commitment to making this tournament one of the very best in the region."

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.

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.