Sentul Highlands Challenge Golf Tournament 2010 Series

After the successful "Sentul Highlands Challenge Golf Tournament 2009" event that was held 4 times that year every 3 months, and that became part of the annual golf calendar for the amateur golfers at the Sentul Highlands Golf Club, the Tournament Golf Series was followed this year by the "Sentul Highlands Challenge Golf Tournament 2010 Series".

The 4th leg of this series will be held on:

Day/date	: Wednesday, 15 December 2010
Tee off time	: 06.30 (shot gun)
Location	: Sentul Highlands Golf Club
Fee	: Regular Rp 850.000.-/pax

(Fee includes : Golf Fee, Breakfast, Lunch, Souvenir T-shirt by NICKENT, Hole In One & Grand Lucky Draw)

For further information please contact Marketing Dept. of Sentul Highlands (Mrs. Sarlis, Sriwit or Rika) at phone 021-8796 0266 or Fax 021-8796 0265.

Confident Hong aims for breezy win Down Under

Singapore - November 29, 2010: Korean Tour regular Hong Chang-kyu is bracing himself for an Australian comeback this week. He will be among a contingent of 18 Koreans teeing off Down Under at OneAsia's season-ending swing.

Adam Scott will defend his title at the Australian Open at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney from December 2-5 while the following week Robert Allenby puts his trophy on the line at the Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola. The latter is hosted at the Hyatt Regency, Coolum.

Both events offer prize money of AU$1.5 million (approximately US$1.48 million) and are co-sanctioned by OneAsia and the PGA Tour of Australasia.

Hong currently ranks 9th on the Korean Tour and is optimistic for a good end-of-season finish. But having focused much of his year in his homeland, Hong's concerns are more to do with acclimatising to the Australian weather.

"I am feeling really good about my game at the moment," said Hong. "I know next week will be a challenge as Australia's conditions are warm and soft, as opposed to the dormant conditions I've been playing in Korea. The greens have been hard and the ball runs a lot. I'm sure this sudden change will affect my game but I'm confident I'll be able to find my feet."

Having made his Australian debut at the Australian Open last year, Hong was stunned by windy conditions at the New South Wales Golf Club.

Hong recalled, "It was such an incredible experience. I had never experienced anything like it before so I was literally blown away. We never get that kind of wind in Korea but it was something the Australians were used to.

"I will be watching their game very closely to see how I can adapt fast. I hear they hit the ball lower than the wind and that they chip around the green. We're definitely the underdogs when we're out there so any tips will help!"

The 29-year-old has had a slew of successful top 10 finishes since his 2009 win at the Lakehills Open and is searching for that breakthrough victory in Australia.

Hong has been an American citizen since he moved to the States 17 years ago to pursue an English education and career in golf. Known by his friends as "Charles", he is currently based in Seoul with his wife, Nicole, whom he married just a year ago. He keeps his game fun by hitting the fairways with his mother at least once a week.

"OneAsia is a good incentive for leading players in Asia to work harder and do better," he said. " I hope OneAsia will be able to grow to 20 tournaments next year!"

The Korean contingent in Australia boasts several winners on the Korean Tour, including this year's Shinhan Donghae Open winner John Huh, Tomato Savings Bank Open winner Kim Do-hoon (753) and winner of the J-Golf 53rd KPGA Championship, Son Joon-eob.

They are also joined by Asia's first-ever British Amateur champion, 20-year-old Korean Jin Jeong, who will travel north from Melbourne where he is currently based.

The Australian PGA Championship presented by Coca-Cola will be the final tournament on both the PGA Tour of Australasia and OneAsia.

The tournament will be showcased on OneAsia's television platform with live coverage for four hours a day across all four tournament days, and broadcast to over 260 million homes in more than 40 countries.

Full coverage of both events will be available domestically on Network Ten, as well as internationally on ESPN Star Sports, Jupiter Golf Network, SBS Golf Channel, Fox International, Sky Sports NZ, ESPN3 & America One in the USA, ViaSat & Bloomberg Television among others in Europe.

Top Thai Golfers Target Further Faldo Series Success

Thailand's top young golfers will be looking to compatriots Nakarin Ratanakul and Thidapa Suwannapura for inspiration when they tee off in the Faldo Series Thailand Championship at Rose Garden Golf Club near Bangkok on January 13-14.

The big-hitting Ratanakul, otherwise known as 'Boom', won the inaugural Faldo Series Asia Grand Final at Mission Hills Golf Club in China back in 2006 while Suwannapura was crowned the 2010 Faldo Series Asia Girls' champion at Mission Hills earlier this year.

21 year-old Ratanakul is now a member of the Purdue University golf team in the US where he keeps in regular contact with Sir Nick Faldo for advice and support, while Suwannapura has used her win at Mission Hills as a springboard to further overseas victories, including the Handa Junior Masters in Australia, the Malaysian Amateur Open and the Riverwoods Junior Open in The Netherlands. 18 year-old Suwannapura is also well placed to challenge for playing rights on the LPGA Tour next year having progressed through Sectional Qualifying in the US.

With other Asian nationalities also eligible to enter the fourth Thailand Championship, a field of over 70 boys and girls aged 12 to 21 will be divided into five age categories, three for boys (Under-21, Under-18 and Under-16) and two for girls (Under-21 and Under-16). The winner of each category will qualify for the fifth Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, an R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking event which the six-time Major Champion will host on the Faldo Course at Mission Hills in Shenzhen next March.

As part of Faldo's drive to popularise the game at the grass-roots level as well, younger children from the local community will also be attending Rose Garden during the tournament to receive a free coaching clinic and then watch the competitors in action.

Underwritten by Faldo himself, the Faldo Series Asia is supported by major partners ISPS, Mission Hills and The R&A, together with official golf wear partner UFL and official equipment supplier TaylorMade. It is endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Federation (APGC).

Further to the success of the Faldo Series Europe, launched in 1996, the Faldo Series Asia was established in 2006 to help develop the region's next generation of champions. Over 30 Faldo Series tournaments now take place in more than 25 countries across the UK, Europe, South America, the Middle East and Asia and former winners include Rory McIlroy, Nick Dougherty, Marc Warren, John Parry, Melissa Reid, Florentyna Parker and Yani Tseng, all of whom have since won on Tour.

The 2010/2011 Faldo Series Asia schedule features a record 17 tournaments in 12 different countries including six in mainland China plus others in The Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, Bahrain, Hong Kong, India, Malaysia, Japan, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia and Thailand.

For details on entry into the fourth Faldo Series Thailand Championship at Rose Garden Golf Club near Bangkok on January 13-14, please visit www.tsgu.com or email tsgugolf@hotmail.com. For more information on the Faldo Series visit www.nickfaldo.com or follow the Faldo Series on Facebook at www.facebook.com/faldoseries.

Ambassadors Care Golf Tournament - 4 December 2010

In mind of the recent natural disasters across the country, The Jakarta Ambassador Golf Association (JAGA) and Jakarta Golf Club have come together to put on a golf tournament on Saturday, December 4th 2010 to raise funds for the victims in need.

The Ambassadors Care Golf Tournament will be a fun tournament to attend with a Texas Scramble format with tickets on sale for Rp 1,200,000 per person inclusive of golf, breakfast and lunch, free flow drinks and lucky draw prizes.

Let's come together in the name of golf and raise funds for those who are in need of our help.

Please see event details below:

Date: Saturday, December 4th 2010

Tee Time: 8am

Venue: Jakarta Golf Club, Rawamangun

Ticket Price: Rp 1,200,000 per person / Rp 4,800,000 per team

Note: Individual entries accepted. Closing date for entries - 1st December 2010.

We also have great sponsorship packages on offer for Rp 10,000,000 which will not only give your company great exposure at the event but also entitle you to 1 complimentary flight to play in the event.

Please note that all money raised from the event will go to helping the Merapi and Mentawai victims.

Should you be interested in participating contact:

Harmony Le Riche
PT Visi Prima Golf
Tel: +62 21 70947806
Mobile: +62 817147371

Priscilla Hall Memorial Foundation Golf Invitational

On Thursday 9 December 2010 the Priscilla Hall Memorial Foundation Golf Invitational will be held for the 7^th year in a row.
The mission of the PHMF is to provide direct and on-going assistance to Indonesian children in need, with a focus on meeting their basic nutritional, shelter and educational requirements.

So join the fun day and contribute to children in need!

Day/Date	Thursday, 9th December 2010
Place	Cengkareng Golf Club
Format	4 Man Team Texas Scramble
Fee	Rp. 6,000,000 / team (4 players)
Registration	11.00 - 11.30 am
Shotgun	12.00 noon

Please register with Isma Wootten at Golf Events Indonesia
Phone : (62-21) 5793 6315–16, Fax. (62-21) 5793 6316
E-mail : ismawootten@golfeventsindonesia.com
Fee includes lunch, dinner, drinks, lots of prizes and many other surprises

KGBR Offers Year End Xtravaganza Tournament Package

Play at Klub Golf Bogor Raya and Enjoy our ......

From 1st November until 30th December 2010, Klub Golf Bogor Raya is offering an attractive Year End Xtravaganza Tournament Package.
The package includes:

• Morning Tee Time : Green Fee, Cart Fee, Caddy Fee, Insurance, Rain Guidance, Scoring, Banners Installation, Breakfast + Lunch and Mineral Water at the golf cart.
  
• Afternoon Tee Time : Green Fee, Cart Fee, Caddy Fee, Insurance, Rain Guidance, Scoring, Banners Installation, Light Meal Lunch Box, Dinner and Mineral Water at the golf cart.
  
• Complimentary use of a function room.
  
• Valid on Tuesday - Friday (1st November - 30th December 2010)
  

Package price (in Rupiah):

Tue-Fri	AM	PM
Package 40	25,000,000 net	23,700,000 net
Package 60	37,100,000 net	35,535,000 net
Package 80	48,965,000 net	47,200,000 net
Sunday	AM	PM
Package 40	62,200,000 net	36,010,000 net
Package 60	89,900,000 net	54,000,000 net
Package 80	115,400,000 net	71,840,000 net

For Reservation : +62 251 8271 888 (Event Tournament/ Dania & Inge) or email to : kgbr@indo.net.id

OneAsia launches inaugural Qualifying School for enhanced player access

Singapore, 9 November 2010 - OneAsia today announced the launch of its inaugural OneAsia Qualifying School for the upcoming 2011 season. Held in two stages (First Stage and Final Stage), the OneAsia Q-school will provide enhanced alternative access for leading players from across the region and the globe, to all of OneAsia's 2011 elite tournaments.

Players will have the opportunity to choose from two alternative First Stage venues: the sand belt in Australia or the beautiful island of Hainan in China.

Opportunity for dual eligibility with PGA of Australasia

First Stage of the OneAsia Qualifying School, held concurrently with the PGA Tour of Australasia Qualifying School, will take place over two weeks: 14-17 December 2010 and 20-23 December 2010.

Leading players from the First Stage Qualifying School in Australia will not only gain access to the Final Stage of the OneAsia Qualifying School to play for eligibility for all 2011 events on OneAsia, but will also simultaneously gain eligibility to play on the PGA Tour of Australasia for 2011.

The alternative standalone OneAsia First Stage in China will be at the magnificent Mission Hills Resort Haikou from 4-7 January 2011.

Final Stage of OneAsia Qualifying School will be held the following week at the same venue from 11-14 January 2011.

Additionally, many experienced players from across the globe will be exempt directly into Final Stage.

Enhanced playing opportunities for leading Q-school players

The tournament winner of the Final Stage will play for guaranteed entry into every OneAsia event of the 2011 season, including co-sanctioned or limited field events.

Additionally, players ranked 2 through 10 at the OneAsia Qualifying School will receive priority ranking in OneAsia's eligibility categories, providing these players with the opportunity to tee up at all OneAsia full field events. Players ranked 11 through 40 will also be eligible for OneAsia membership.

13 events have been confirmed on OneAsia's preliminary schedule for 2011, with further additions to be made in the coming weeks and months. OneAsia will stage a total of 15 to 17 elite tournaments across the Asia Pacific for the 2011 season.

For detailed information on OneAsia's Qualifying School for 2011, please visit http://oneasia.asia.

OneAsia revamps Eligibility Structure for 2011

Singapore, 9 November 2010 - OneAsia today announced changes to its eligibility structure for its upcoming 2011 season, which will further consolidate the tournament platform as a true destination for leading golfers across the Asia Pacific.

For full details on 2011 membership and eligibility categories, please see http://oneasia.asia.

The renewed structure will clarify and simplify eligibility for top players across the regional tours, provide a clearer channel of communication with players, as well as expand OneAsia access to a broader pool of talent across the region.

This criteria will apply to all OneAsia tournaments for 2011. OneAsia has released its preliminary 2011 schedule, with 13 events currently confirmed for its new season. Further additions will be made to this preliminary schedule in the coming weeks and months, with a view to stage a total of 15 to 17 elite tournaments across the Asia Pacific region in 2011.

Continued exemptions for leading players across the region

OneAsia will continue to provide a direct pathway for the current Founding Parties of OneAsia, namely the China Golf Tour, the Korean Golf Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.

OneAsia will also continue to provide access to leading players from other regional tours, such as the Japan Golf Tour (JGTO) and Asian Tour.

And as before, exemptions will be granted to the best Asian players from the Official World Golf Rankings.

Extended exemptions for leading players from South East Asia

This year, leading players from South East Asia were granted OneAsia eligibility for the final six OneAsia tournaments in Indonesia, Thailand, Korea, China and Australia, via the Mercedes-Benz Tour.

Young Thai star Namchok Tantipokakul was close to taking the ultimate advantage of these exemptions at the Thailand Open, when he finished one-shot behind tournament champion Liang Wenchong and walked home with US$84,750.

In 2011, leading players from the Mercedes-Benz Tour conducted by the ASEAN PGA will be eligible for all OneAsia tournaments. This will continue to provide invaluable elite playing opportunities to the best developing players from South East Asia.

Creation of a OneAsia Qualifying School

To further assist with the identification of new talent across the region, OneAsia will conduct a Qualifying School for its 2011 season. This will broaden the reach to elite golfers across the region, providing more leading players with access to OneAsia.

Further details will be made available shortly.

Inclusion of positions for the world's top Asian amateurs

Aside from the top Asian professionals, OneAsia will also provide exemptions to Asia's leading amateur golfers from the R & A World Amateur Rankings for each event, giving elite amateurs a valuable stepping stone to the professional ranks and a more viable career in the region.

Continued local exemptions for enhanced local relevance

As before, OneAsia will guarantee positions to the relevant local authority for each tournament to ensure local relevance, as well as to reward and development.

Preliminary 2011 Schedule

Date	Tournament	Prize Money
Mar 24 - 27	New Indonesian Championship	US$1,000,000
April	Volvo China Open	US$2,500,000
May 05 - 08	Maekyung Open	KRW1,000,000,000
May 12 - 15	New Korea Event	US$1,000,000
May 19 - 22	SK Telecom Open	KRW1,000,000,000
Jun 09 - 12	Thailand Open	US$1,000,000
Jun 30 - Jul 03	Indonesia Open	US$1,000,000
October	Kolon Korea Open	KRW1,000,000,000
Oct 13 -16	Midea China Classic	US$1,000,000
October	New China Event	US$1,000,000
November	Australian Open	AU$1,500,000
November	Australian PGA Championship	AU$1,500,000
Dec 08 - 11	New OneAsia Championship	US$1,500,000

Pagunsan Storms To 11-Stroke Victory In Bali Open

New Kuta, Bali, November 6: Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines strolled to a commanding 11-stroke victory at the inaugural US$60,000 Bali Open after a final round of six-under-par 66 on Saturday.

Leading by three overnight, the sweet-swinging Pagunsan did not give his closest challenger Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden a sniff at the title with another accomplished round which included seven birdies at the New Kuta Golf Resort.

Former Ryder Cup star Sandelin, playing on a sponsor's invite, finished a distant second after a closing 74 while Japan's Masaki Sakata and Martin Rominger of Switzerland shared third place.

In what was the final event of the inaugural Asian Development Tour season, Malaysia's Akhmal Tarmizee clung on to third place on the Order of Merit to join countryman and top-ranked S. Siva Chandhran and Chinese Taipei's Hsu Chia-jen, who finished second on the rankings, on the Asian Tour next season.

Closest challengers T.J. Kim of Korea, Thailand's Thanyakorn Khrongpha and Indonesian Rory Hie failed to produce the results to dislodge Akhmal, who had missed the halfway cut on Thursday.

But the star of the show was Pagunsan, who is a winner on the Asian Tour. Playing on a sponsor's invite, he tightened his grip on the Bali Open with an outward 33 and with Sandelin failing to keep pace, Pagunsan cruised home with further birdies on the 14th, 15th and 16th holes and totaled 15-under-par 273 for the week.

"I played well, everything worked for me this week," said Pagunsan, who earned US$10,500. "I knew I needed to get ahead of Jarmo and waited for him to make mistakes. After the front nine, I was in total control."

"This win will be a good confidence booster as we've got the Barclays Singapore Open and UBS Hong Kong Open coming up on the Asian Tour," added the Filipino.

Sandelin, a five-time winner on the European Tour, tipped his cap to the winner. "Juvic played fantastic golf. Looking back, my momentum was stopped yesterday when I made the mistake by lifting my ball on the 12th hole," said the Swede.

"I didn't hole a putt all day, only one on 18. But I've enjoyed my time in Bali and a second will always be a second no matter what tournament it is. Hopefully I can build on this," he added.

The 20-year-old Akhmal was overjoyed to earn a priceless Asian Tour card for next year which was the reward for the top three finishers on the Order of Merit.

"It’s a big relief," said the Malaysian, who thought he had blown his chances after rounds of 75 and 82. "I was worried over the last two days as there were a few players who could have caught me."

"Now that I've got my Asian Tour card, I'm going to work really hard on my game and prepare well for next season," added Akhmal.

Leading final round scores

273: Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 72-67-68-66

284: Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 71-69-70-74

288: Martin Rominger (Swi) 74-74-71-69, Masaki Sakata (Jpn) 73-68-75-72

289: Simon Dunn (Sco) 75-69-71-74, Nick Redfern (Eng) 75-76-70-68

290: Jason King (Aus) 73-75-75-67

292: Zaw Moe (Myn) 75-74-72-71, Blair Wilson (Aus) 72-78-69-73, Chang Tse-peng (Tpe) 71-74-71-76

293: Bryan Saltus (USA) 74-74-72-73, Lam Zhiqun (Sin - am) 73-70-76-74

Brilliant Pagunsan Stretches Lead At Balli Open

New Kuta, Bali, November 5: Filipino star Juvic Pagunsan raced into a three-shot lead after a solid four-under-par 68 in the third round of the inaugural US$60,000 Bali Open on Friday.

Overnight leader Pagunsan, who started the day one ahead of the field, was in near brilliant form as he sank three birdies and one eagle in his opening 10 holes at the New Kuta Golf Resort before dropping a bogey on the 15th hole. He finished with a flourish, shooting another birdie at the 18th hole.

Former Ryder Cup star Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden stayed neck and neck with playing partner Pagunsan with a front nine 32 but called a penalty of himself on the 12th hole after he mistakenly replaced his ball in the semi-rough,which sparked three straight bogeys.

He signed for a 70 in what is the final Asian Development Tour event of the year which will reward the top-three finishers on the Order of Merit an Asian Tour card for next season.

Indonesia's Rory Hie, Korea's T.J. Kim and Thailand's Thanyakorn Khrongpha have uphill tasks in their bid to break into the top-three after lackluster third round performances.

With third-ranked Akhmal Tarmizee of Malaysia missing the halfway cut, it left the door open for them, but seventh-ranked Hie, who need nothing less than a win this week, ended the third round in tied 19th position after a 79 while fourth-ranked Kim, looking for a top three finish, shot a 74 to slip to equal 12th position.

Thanyakorn, searching for a second place finish, failed to move up the leaderboard with a 74 leaving him in tied 19th place.

Pagunsan, whose lone Asian Tour victory was achieved in Indonesia three years ago, will not rest on his laurels. "Three shots is not a big lead. It can disappear in one hole here," said the Filipino. "I played really well on the front nine and I'll stay aggressive in the last round."

Shot of the day came at the par five ninth hole when the sweet-swinging Pagunsan hammered a three wood approach from 270 yards out to eight feet for his eagle. "That was really nice, certainly the shot of the day," said Pagunsan.

Sandelin praised Pagunsan's play. "It's the first time I've played with him and he is playing really well. But it's not over until it's over," said the five-time European Tour winner.

"I don't know what happened to me on the 12th. I replaced my ball (due to the preferred lie ruling) but realized it was in the semi-rough by six inches and called a penalty on myself. Then I bogeyed the next three holes. If I can play like how I did in the first 11 holes tomorrow, then I will have a chance," added the Swede.

Kim is six shots back of third placed Simon Dunn of Scotland and knows he must produce some fireworks to finish third. "It was hot and really tough out there. I knew at the start of the week that I needed to finish in the top three to get my Asian Tour card and I came here with high expectations. Unfortunately, I've not been able to score despite feeling good about my game this week. I'll need to go really low to have a chance tomorrow," said the 40-year-old.

Merit leader S. Siva Chandhran, who has an unassailable lead, is not competing in Bali this week while second-ranked Hsu Chia-jen, who ended the third round in tied 12th place, should be safe for a top-three finish on the rankings.

Leading third round scores

207: Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 72-67-68

210: Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 71-69-70

215: Simon Dunn (Sco) 75-69-71

216: Chang Tse-peng (Tpe) 71-74-71, Masaki Sakata (Jpn) 73-68-75

217: Michael Bibat (Phi) 73-76-68

219: Brian Wilson (Aus) 72-78-69, Martin Rominger (Swi) 74-74-71, Lam Zhiqun (Sin) 73-70-76

220: Bryan Saltus (USA) 74-74-72, Stephen Lindskog (Swe) 72-75-73

Gunung Geulis Monthly Medal

The Gunung Geulis Monthly Medal will be held on Sunday, November 21, 2010 at the East Course with shotgun start at 7:00AM.
You can enjoy Sundanese food & fried duck, sweet dessert, lucky draw, music from an acoustic band and Bull’s Eye on all par 3's with cash money.
Entrance fees:
Members : Rp. 318.000,-
Guest Member & Guest : Rp. 950.000,-
Club : Rp. 500.000,- / Pax (Minimal 2 Pax)
For registration contact :
Gunung Geulis Reception: (0251) 8257400/500, Fax (0251) 8257430
Marketing: Lina 087885735588

Pagunsan Powers Into Halfway Lead At Bali Open

Bali, November 4: Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines produced a sparkling five-under-par 67 to take a one-shot lead from former Ryder Cup star Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden at the halfway stage of the inaugural Bali Open on Thursday.

The sweet-swinging Filipino lit up his game with five birdies at the challenging New Kuta Golf Resort to top the US$60,000 Asian Development Tour event on five-under-par 139.

Sandelin, playing on a sponsor's invite, moved into contention with a battling 69 while Japan's Masaki Sakata shot a 68 for third place. Singapore amateur Lam Zhiqun returned a commendable 70 to share fourth position with Australian Richard Moir (72) while Indonesia's Rory Hie stumbled to a 74 to sit five back.

In what is the final event of the year on the Asian Development Tour, Malaysia's Akhmal Tarmizee left himself in a precarious position after missing the halfway cut by one shot with a disappointing 82.

With the top three players on the Order of Merit winning Asian Tour cards for 2011, the young Malaysian will have an anxious wait to see if his closest rivals will overtake him on the rankings.

Pagunsan, who has one Asian Tour victory in Indonesia, was delighted with his sterling effort. "I played well and all parts of my game clicked. I made a lot of putts from inside of 10 feet and it's nice when this happens," said Pagunsan.

"The course was not easy with the winds blowing but I hit it really good. This is good preparation for me as well for the Barclays Singapore Open next week," added the Filipino, who birdied the 18th, fourth, sixth, eighth and ninth holes.

Sandelin, who has five European Tour victories, coped better with the tricky greens at New Kuta as he hit four birdies. "I played good from tee to green and managed to get the speed of the greens right. I'm happy to be up there. All good things have to start from somewhere, so I'm looking for a good finish here," said the Swede.

"This year, I felt I've played better than my results have shown but a big part of the game is down to putting. If it turns around here, it could make a difference."

Lam, a national amateur player for Singapore, took advantage of his length to birdie three of the par fives. "I made only small mistakes. It was pretty solid as it was quite windy especially on the front nine. I'm just trying to finish as high as possible this week and I feel I'm playing well enough," said the 21-year-old.

Hie, ranked seventh on the merit list, needs nothing less than a victory to have a chance of finishing in the top-three but made life a bit harder with a round littered by errors. "I didn't take advantage of my early start time and I had a bad start with two bogeys in the first three holes," said the 22-year-old.

"I kept hitting it a club shorter for some reason and didn’t putt well enough. It seems like I didn't focus well out there. It's a good thing I’m still in the hunt and I'm going to give it a shot."

Akmal was disappointed to bow out meekly of the Bali Open. "It was a bad day. I couldn't get my swing going for two days and it was a real struggle out there. I'll just have to wait and see what happens with the other players. I can't do much more than that," said the 20-year-old.

Leading second round scores

139: Juvic Pagunsan (Phi) 72-67

140: Jarmo Sandelin (Swe) 71-69

141: Masaki Sakata (Jpn) 73-68

143: Lam Zhiqun (Sin) 73-70, Richard Moir (Aus) 71-72

144: Rory Hie (Ina) 70-74, Simon Dunn (Sco) 75-69

145: Chang Tse-peng (Tpe) 71-74, Andik Mauludin (Ina) 71-74

146: Tseng Hua-yen (Tpe) 70-76

147: Hsu Jia-chen (Tpe) 77-70, Chang Chi-wei (Tpe) 75-72, Stephen Lindskog (Swe) 72-75, T.J. Kim (Kor) 77-70

Home Hero Hie Battles Into Three-Way Tie At Bali Open

Bali, November 3: Indonesian prospect Rory Hie grabbed a share of the first round lead at the Bali Open on Wednesday to raise his hopes for a top-three finish on the Asian Development Tour.

The talented 22-year-old sank four birdies against two bogeys at the New Kuta Golf Club to top the leaderboard with countryman Irmansyah and Tseng Hua-yen of Chinese Taipei.

Former Ryder Cup star Jarmo Sandelin of Sweden, playing on a sponsor's invite, Australia's Richard Moir, Indonesian Andik Mauludin and Thailand's Nakul Vichitryuthasastr are amongst those bunched on 71 in the final event of the year on the Asian Development Tour.

There is plenty at stake at the inaugural US$60,000 Bali Open as the top three finishers on the Order of Merit will earn playing rights on the elite Asian Tour next season.

Knowing that only a victory will see him break into the top three, Hie, currently ranked seventh, gave himself the best of starts to his Tour hopes with an all-round solid display.

"It was a good day. I hit the ball really good, especially with the irons. I made a couple of bogeys through some unforced errors but it's a tough course this week. My game is coming around and hopefully it’ll keep going," said Hie.

"I think if I can pull off a win, I will have a good chance for the top-three position. That's the goal. I'll try to play the best that I can over the next few days but it could be a tougher course if the wind blows. It didn't blow today."

The 24-year-old Tseng shot five birdies on the card to raise his title hopes on the world renowned holiday isle. After representing Chinese Taipei's amateur team for five years, he joined the play-for-pay ranks last season.

"My putter worked really well. All my birdies were from around 10 feet and I managed to convert those opportunities. It's my first time leading a tournament and I'm looking forward to the rest of the week," said Tseng.

Lurking a stroke behind is five-time European Tour winner Sandelin, who is making his first visit to Bali. After missing out on the Barclays Singapore Open qualifying on Monday by two strokes, he opted to compete in the Bali Open although the tricky greens got the better of him today.

"I played pretty solid but I had a few three putts. It's tough for Europeans to play on grainy greens but I've been around for so long so I should know better," said Sandelin, who has won in Taipei previously.

"When I heard about the Bali Open, I decided to come over as I've heard that Bali is beautiful and luckily I got in. I'm happy to be here," he added.

The pressure to retain their second and third positions on the Order of Merit increased for Chinese Taipei's Hsu Chia-jen and Malaysia's Akhmal Tarmizee as they shot 77 and 75 respectively.

"I hit some poor shots and just struggled with my game," said the 20-year-old Akhmal. "I'm in the midst of changing my swing and it's taking time for me to get comfortable with it. Obviously, I hope to finish in the top three and will stick to my game plan," added the Malaysian.

Leading first round scores

70: Rory Hie (Ina), Irmansyah (Ina), Tseng Hua-yen (Tpe)

71: Takafumi Kawane (Jpn), Burhan Bora (Ina), Richard Moir (Aus), Jarmo Sandelin (Swe), Andik Mauludin (Ina), Nakul Vichitryuthasastr (Tha), Chang Tse-peng (Tpe)

72: Stephen Lindskog (Swe), Blair Wilson (Aus), Juvic Pagunsan (Phi), Hardjito (Ina), Justin Evans (Eng)

73: Lam Zhiqun (Sin – am), Jason King (Aus), Michael Bibat (Phi)