Gandranata's Game Change Pays Off At CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 27 - Highly-rated George Gandranata of Indonesia made an astute change to his game strategy which eventually paid off when he posted a final round one-under-par 71 at the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Sunday.

Before coming to the tournament, Gandranata decided to move away from his usual aggressive approach and play more conservatively.

That change in tactics saw him emerge as the sole Indonesian to have made the weekend cut, which was the first in three attempts for the 28-year-old at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

“I decided to play a little more conservative this time round and I didn’t attack as much as I did in the past. My caddy and I discussed about how to attack the course on the day before we came for the practice round. I did some work with my coach as well. I am happy the plan worked out for me,” added Gandranata.

Although he posted a four-day total of one-under-par 287 to finish in tie-44th place, Gandranata, who is Indonesia’s highest ranked golfer, was thankful for the huge support he received from the local crowd.

“It has been a great week. I obtained my first goal which was to make the cut but didn’t achieve my second goal which is to get into contention. My worst round this week is better than my best round in the last two years! The local crowd has been very supportive and I hope I did not disappoint them,” said Gandranata, who mixed his card with four birdies against three bogeys.

Since turning professional in 2012, Gandranata has been playing regularly on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) which he claimed has been a great learning platform to hone his game.

“Playing on the ADT has obviously helped a lot in my game. The competition on the ADT is getting better and better. You gained the experience from getting into contention in ADT events which is the closest you get to Asian Tour events. It has been a great learning experience,” said Gandranata.

While he is determined to perform well on the premier Asian Tour and the ADT, Gandranata is ready to lend his support for the new domestic Tour- Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia (PGTI).

“My plan for the remaining of the season is to get into as many Asian Tour events as I can. I will continue to play on the ADT as well as the new domestic Tour which I have mentioned earlier. I want to be there for the new Tour and give it all the support I can to help it grow,” said Gandranata.

Last Hole Drama As Lahiri Takes Crown At CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 27 - India’s Anirban Lahiri won his fourth Asian Tour title and first outside India with a spectacular eagle putt on the last hole to win the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Indian, who is getting married next month, survived a gamut of emotions on the final day before breaking away from the chasing pack to seal victory with a four-under-par 68 at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Korea’s Baek Seuk-hyun enjoyed a stroke of fortune despite carrying an elbow injury when he finished second alongside Australian rookie Cameron Smith after signing off with a 65.

Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand showed he is inching his way back into the winner’s circle again with a fourth placed finish at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters which celebrated yet another successful conclusion to the fourth edition of the prestigious event in Indonesia.

Arwin Rasyid, President Director of CIMB Niaga said, “On behalf of CIMB Niaga and all the other sponsors and partners of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters 2014, I would like to give my heartfelt congratulations to Anirban Lahiri.

He played very well and was amazing to watch. This year’s event has been another huge success and we are very happy to conclude on such a high note. We look forward to being a part of the future editions of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters and bringing you the best of golf right here at Royale Jakarta Golf Club. See you all next year!”

Starting the day trailing by a single shot behind Smith, Lahiri went out quickly by firing three successive birdies starting from the second hole.

He stumbled with a bogey-five on the fifth hole but recovered with another birdie on 12.

However a double-bogey six on 13 after a lengthy three-hour rain delay saw the Indian ride out a tense finish as a host of marquee players from the Asian Tour were wrestling for the lead then.

“I had an awkward lie on 13. During the rain delay I was just thinking that I have to get up and down there. I got a bad break there but I know Lin Wen-tang dropped a shot as well. Unfortunately I got a double bogey there but I am glad I came back strong,” said Lahiri.

With Baek holding the clubhouse lead at 16-under, Lahiri knew he had to produce a superlative effort on 18 to get the outright win.

“My mind was blank when I prepared for the last putt on 18. All I told myself was I had to get it into the hole. When I was walking up to the greens, I was actually thinking if I need to prepare for a playoff tomorrow morning,” said Lahiri.

The Lahiri did not disappoint and screamed in delight when he watched his 20-ft eagle putt sink into the hole for a winning total of 17-under-par 271.

“It’s really great to get my first win outside of India. I have missed out on it for a long time and I am so glad I managed to do it today. I need the world ranking points so I am really happy I can win this week,” said Lahiri.

Although Baek missed out on a grandstand finish, the Korean took pride in his battling performance which saw him pipped to his maiden title by a single shot by Lahiri.

“I actually thought of withdrawing just before the start of the first round this week. On the first day, I told my caddy if I can par the first hole, I will continue to play. I managed to do that and I moved on with my game.

On the second day, I thought I should just try and make the cut. I have no confidence at all. Until today, I didn’t expect myself to do so well. My elbow got better so I just try and focus on my game. I didn’t look at the leaderboard because I don’t want to give myself any pressure,” said Baek, who carded rounds of 71,68, 68 and 65.

Meanwhile overnight leader Smith believes his game will only get better as he savors his best performance at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters since graduating from the Asian Tour Qualifying School earlier in the year.

“This is my best result so far in a professional tournament. It would have been good to win but I guess this is just another day. This has definitely boosted my confidence in my game.

I hit the ball and putted well. There is not much more that you can really do. I am looking forward to the next tournament on the Asian Tour already,” said the 20-year-old rookie.

Despite closing his campaign two shots back of Lahiri, Kiradech believes he can be the man to watch again after a stellar 2013 season where he was crowned Asia’s number one.

“With my current ball striking, I think I can win a tournament on the Asian Tour soon! It has been a year since I last won. I’m confident it will come soon, maybe next week! I just have to continue to stay the way I am striking the ball,” said Kiradech.

Leading scores after round 4 of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course:

271 - Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 70-69-64-68

272 - BAEK Seuk-hyun (KOR) 71-68-68-65, Cameron SMITH (AUS) 68-67-67-70

273 - Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 71-69-65-68

274 - Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 71-72-67-64, Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 68-70-69-67, LIN Wen-tang (TPE) 70-64-72-68, S.S.P CHOWRASIA (IND) 71-66-69-68

275 - Rashid KHAN (IND) 70-70-64-71

276 - Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 68-68-72-68, Bernd WIESBERGER (AUT) 68-71-69-68, Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA) 70-69-67-70

George Gandranata Aims To Finish On A High At CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 26 - George Gandranata believes the future of golf in Indonesia is bright as he cast his eyes on finishing off his campaign on a high at the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Saturday.

As the sole Indonesian to have made the weekend cut at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters, Gandranata struggled to a three-over-par 75 but is determined to end his week at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club with a flourish.

“I didn’t do as well as I wanted to. My putting was not good at all. The greens were faster and I can’t really judge the speed. My iron shots were not as good as yesterday’s as well. I still have 18 more holes to play so hopefully I can get back tomorrow,” said the 28-year-old, who compiled a three-day total of even-par 216.

Despite returning with a disappointing score, Gandranata is thankful for all the support he received from the home crowd this week.

“It has been a really good experience playing in this big event. I got a lot of support from the home crowd which is really helpful for me. I was having a tough time today but they cheered me up,” added Indonesia’s highest ranked golfer.

Gandranata believes more Indonesians can make a similar impact on the Asian Tour if they take advantage of the playing opportunities available.

He has been honing his game on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) since turning professional in 2012 and the results are beginning to show as he finally made the cut for the first time in two appearances at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

“I know I am the only Indonesian who made the cut but I will try not to think too much and get stressed about that. Golf is golf. I think the most important thing is to stay focused and concentrate on playing one shot at a time. I am pretty sure we will get to see more Indonesians making the cut in future. We have a new Tour so I am confident the standard of golf in Indonesia will continue to grow,” said Gandranata.

Rookie Smith takes The Lead At CIMB NIAGA Indonesia Masters

Jakarta, April 26 - Australian rookie Cameron Smith will face one of his career’s biggest test after he posted a five-under-par 67 to take the third round lead at the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Saturday.

Smith, who has enjoyed a distinguished amateur career, compiled a three-day total of 14-under-par 202 to head into the final round in pole position in what is only his second professional event on the Asian Tour.

India’s Anirban Lahiri displayed the qualities that made him a EurAsia Cup hero when he fired a flawless 64 to trail Smith by one in second place while compatriot Rashid Khan was equally impressive as he also matched Lahiri’s effort with a 64 to take third place.

Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand meanwhile signed for a 65 to take fourth place on 205 total at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Smith made a bold decision to move into the play-for-pay ranks after an illustrious amateur career where he won a host of events including the 2013 Australian Amateur, Australian Junior Championship and Australian Stroke Play Championship in 2011.

Having earned his Asian Tour card when he finished tied-18th at Qualifying School earlier this year, the 20-year-old missed the cut in his first professional event in the Philippines in March.

However it has been a refreshing change of fortune for the Australian as he now finds himself atop the leaderboard for the first time after rounds of 68, 67 and 67 at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

“I’m feeling good, pretty ecstatic right now. I am actually leading a professional tournament for the first time!” said Smith, who traded five birdies, an eagle and two bogeys.

“I started off a bit slow. The eagle on the ninth kept the birdies coming. That was the highlight of the day as I holed a pretty long putt. It has been great three rounds so far. I’ll keep to the same game plan tomorrow which is to hit as many fairways and greens as I can and continue to putt well,” added Smith.

Lahiri, a three-time Asian Tour winner, could be on the verge of landing his first title outside of India after he posted the day’s lowest score alongside Khan.

“It was a relief for me to actually play the kind of round that I did back home at the Delhi Golf Club. I’ve been playing very well and it’s nice to finally see it reflecting on the leaderboard,” said Lahiri.

Lahiri, who played a key role in Team Asia’s epic 10-10 draw with Team Europe at the EurAsia Cup last month, continued to impress when he got off the starting tee quickly with birdies on holes two, five, six and nine for an outward 32.

He further asserted himself with three successive birdies starting from the par-four 10th and would complete a sensational round by closing with another birdie on 18.

“I’m just glad I have put myself in a good position going into the final round as I am obviously looking to break into the top 100 on the world rankings so that I can get into the bigger events,” said Lahiri, who is currently ranked 102nd on the Official World Golf Ranking.

“I’m hitting the ball good. I don’t have to do anything different tomorrow. If I can just keep hitting the fairways and greens tomorrow like how I did today, that would help. I am confident with how I am playing right now,” added Lahiri.

Still riding high on confidence following his career breakthrough at the Asian Tour season-opening event in India, Khan was equally impressive as he marked his card with seven birdies, an eagle and one bogey.

“This is my third tournament on the Asian Tour and it really gives you a good boost when you’ve won a tournament. Everything looks easy after that win but you still have to score well to win a tournament,” said Khan.

After two rounds of matching 70s, Khan found the greens too quick for his liking and returned to the putting green for practice which eventually paid off.

“I didn’t really expect to post such a good score today as I’ve been struggling with the fast greens here. But I managed to hole putts today and got comfortable with the greens as I’ve been practising on the putting green,” said Khan.

Tournament marquee names Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and France’s Victor Dubuisson were forced to withdraw from the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters because of a back and shoulder injury respectively.

“As much as I would love to, I cannot carry on playing at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters as I’ve hurt my back and I’m unable to swing my club. The hospitality and the atmosphere at the event has been fantastic. I’m very disappointed and hope to be back again next year. I want to thank everyone concerned about my injury and I hope to recover soon,” said Oosthuizen, 2010 Open Championship winner.

Leading scores after round 3 of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course (a- denotes amateur):

202 - Cameron SMITH (AUS) 68-67-67

203 - Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 70-69-64

204 - Rashid KHAN (IND) 70-70-64

205 - Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 71-69-65

206 - Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA) 70-69-67, S.S.P CHOWRASIA (IND) 71-66-69, LIN Wen-tang (TPE) 70-64-72

207 - Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 72-68-67, Marcus BOTH (AUS) 69-70-68, BAEK Seuk-hyun (KOR) 71-68-68, Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 68-70-69

Talented Gandranata Outshines Top Stars At CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 25 - Rising star George Gandranata of Indonesia outshone many of the tournament’s biggest names including Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand and France’s Victor Dubuisson by carding a two-under-par 70 in the second round of the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Friday.

The 28-year-old compiled a two-day total of three-under-par 141 to emerge as the highest-ranked Indonesian in tied-23rd place, two shots ahead of Thongchai and Dubuisson, who took a share of 38th place after returning with rounds of 72 and 69 respectively at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Gandranata is feeling upbeat about his chances at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters as he managed to make cut for the first time in two appearances.

“It’s the first time I made cut here at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. I did not do well last year. I’m glad I rewrote history today. I came into the tournament hoping to make the cut. Now that I’ve achieved that, I really hope to see myself in contention tomorrow!” said Gandranata, who marked his card with five birdies against three bogeys.

Despite playing on home soil, Gandranata does not feel the pressure of having to play well in front of home crowd this week.

“I think playing on home soil actually helps my game. We don’t have lots of big tournaments here and I treasure every opportunity I get to play here. Playing at home makes me feel like there are a lot of people supporting me,” added Gandranata, who has been a regular player on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) since turning professional in 2012.

The second round of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters was suspended at 5pm local time due to lightning threats on Friday.

Local amateur Fadhli Rahman Soetarso will be one of the 19 players to resume their second rounds at 6.45am on Saturday. Soetarso is currently the second-placed Indonesian on tied-47th. He is even-par through 11 holes.

Indonesia's top-ranked player Rory Hie had to retire at hole 16 because of a wrist injury.

Round three will not start before 8am tomorrow.

Scores of the Indonesian players after day 2 of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course (a - denotes amateur, leader at -10):

141 - George GANDRANATA 71-70

(Par) - Fadhli Rahman SOETARSO (A) 72 Par (11)

148 - Ramadhan ALWIE 76-72

149 - Fahmi REZA 77-72

150 - William SJAICHUDIN 76-74, Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO 75-75

(+6) - Jamel ONDO 78 Par (11)

151 - Denny A. WIJAYA 77-74, Jordan IRAWAN 74-77, Sarmilih 73-78

152 - Rinaldi ADIYANDONO 78-74

(+8) - Andik MAULUDIN 77 +3 (12)

153 - Tirto TAMARDI (A) 77-76

(+9) - Benny KASIADI 78 +3 (14)

(+10) - Johannes DERMAWAN 75 +7 (14), Bramantio ADI 81 +1 (13), Ilyasyak 79 +3 (10)

155 - Ian ANDREW 77-78

156 - Asep SAEFULLOH 81-75, Ade SEBUL 80-76

157 - Kevin C. AKBAR (A) 77-80, Junaidi IBRAHIM 81-76

167 - Naraajie RAMADHANPUTRA (A) 79-88

168 - Abhi SAHARI 84-84

         Rory HIE 76 RTD (16)

Refreshed Lin Stays Cool In The Heat At CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 25 - Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang took advantage of a well-rested break and fired a sparkling eight-under-par 64 to take the second round clubhouse lead at the weather disrupted US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Friday.

Lin, a six-time Asian Tour winner, is clearly the man to catch when play resumes on Saturday morning as he marked his card with nine birdies against one lone bogey to take his place atop the leaderboard with his two-day total of 10-under-par 134.

Inclement weather brought a halt to the day’s action at 5pm (local time) and 19 players will now have to return to Royale Jakarta Golf Club to resume their round at 6.45pm (local time) tomorrow.

Australian rookie Cameron Smith continued to impress in what is only his second start on the Asian Tour by carding a 67 to trail Lin by one while a grieving Nicholas Fung of Malaysia held back his emotions and battled to a 69 to share third place with Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat.

Lin was forced to withdraw from an event in Malaysia last week because of heat and fatigue.

But having taken a well-rested break, the 40-year-old came out with all guns blazing in the morning.

“I wasn’t feeling very well coming to this week. I had to withdraw from the tournament in Malaysia last week because the weather was just too hot! I spent two days resting in the hotel. I have never slept so much before it was quite scary. I guess my body really needed some rest,” said Lin.

Taking advantage of the cooler conditions in the morning, Lin reached the turn with an outward 33.

He then played like a man possessed as he ran off two birdies in three holes before surging ahead with three successive birdies from the seventh hole.

“I don’t really like playing in the hot weather. I’ve to walk with an umbrella and use ice to cool my face all the time. But I guess I had an advantage today because the weather was cooler when I started in the morning. I putted better than yesterday too. My drive has been pretty good the last two rounds as well,” said Lin.

After missing the cut in his debut event in the Philippines in March, Smith is relishing the prospect of playing in the weekend rounds at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

The Asian Tour graduate, who finished tied-18th in Qualifying School earlier this year, traded eight birdies against three bogeys to put himself into contention for his maiden win.

“Today was a better start for me as I got the ball rolling pretty quickly early. I got a couple of bogeys which was disappointing but hopefully I can wipe them off the cards over the weekend,” said Smith.

“My life has changed a little bit since I turned professional. There’s a little bit more travel, more work into golf which is nice but overall it’s not a bad job that I have,” added the Australian.

Despite carrying a heavy heart with the passing of his grandmother, Fung continued his chase for his career breakthrough on the region’s premier Tour.

The Malaysian, who started on the front-nine, simply could not find those decisive birdie putts as he made 11 straight pars.

“I think I lost focus in my front nine. Then my caddy told me to put aside the unhappiness of my grandma’s passing and concentrate on my game,” said Fung.

A superb eagle-three on 12 hauled Fung back into the mix before a birdie on 16 ensured he would head into the weekend rounds in a favorable position on the leaderboard.

“I will try and win this week just for my grandma. I’m very happy with my 69 today and still seeing my name on the leaderboard,” said the Malaysian.

Chapchai believes he is close to rediscovering his winning form as he fired four birdies, one eagle and two bogeys to put himself in a good position of ending his five-year title drought at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

The three-time Asian Tour winner’s last victory on the region’s premier Tour came in 2009 where he posted a stunning 32-under-par 256 winning total in India to set a 72-hole world scoring record.

“I feel I’ve got a good chance to do well this week. I’ve been hitting the ball really good and I know that I just got to stay patient and not get too distracted to get that win.

It has been a long time and it will really be nice if I can land another victory. But I don’t want to think too far just yet as I only want to put myself into contention on Sunday,” said Chapchai.

George Gandranata Spearheads Local Charge At CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 24 - Indonesia’s George Gandranata kept alive the local hopes when he posted a one-under-par 71 to stay four shots back of first round leaders Nicholas Fung of Malaysia and Korean American Anthony Kang in tied-34th place at the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Thursday.

The 28-year-old, who plays regularly on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) which is the Tour’s secondary circuit, fired three birdies against two bogeys to stay on track for a possible breakthrough win on home soil.

Gandranata was delighted with his solid round after riding on a hot putter which was the key for him at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

“I already have a plan on attacking this golf course according to my skills set and I must say it went well for me today. I think the key to playing well on this course is to putt well. You got to put the ball in the right place and you need to putt well to score well. The greens here are really sloppy,” said Gandranata.

Gandranata hopes to take advantage of his experience of playing on the ADT and make his impression at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters this week.

“Playing on the ADT has really helped my game. It has given me a lot of experience playing with the professionals out here. The competition is really good here and it gives you the opportunity to hone your game,” said Gandranata, who has been playing on the ADT since turning professional in 2012.

Local amateur Fadhli Rahaman Soetarso signed for a 72 while compatriot Sarmilih is tied on 61st after carding a 73.

Scores of the Indonesian players after round 1 of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 Yards Royale Jakarta GC course (a - denotes amateur, leaders at 67):

71 - George GANDRANATA

72 - Fadhli SOETARSO (a)

73 - SARMILIH

74 - Jordan IRAWAN

75 - Johannes DERMAWAN, Kurnia Herisian SANTOSO

76 - Rory HIE, Ramadhan ALWIE, William SJAICHUDIN

77 - Ian ANDREW, Andik MAULUDIN, Fahmi REZA, Denny A. WIJAYA, Kevin C. AKBAR (a), Tirto TAMARDI (a)

78 - Benny KASIADI, Jamel ONDO, Rinaldi ADIYANDONO

79 - Naraajie RAMADHANPUTRA (a), ILYASSYAK

80 - Ade SEBUL

81 - Junaidi Ibrahim, Bramantio ADI, Asep SAIFULLOH

85 - Abhi SAHARI

Fang Shines While Kang Surprises At CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 24 - Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung continued his dazzling form by taking a share of the first round lead with Korean-American Anthony Kang who surprised even himself with an opening five-under-par 67 at the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Thursday.

Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat, a three-time Asian Tour winner, signed for a 68 to take a share of third place with defending champion Bernd Wiesberger of Austria, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond, India’s Sujjan Singh as well as Australia’s Jake Higginbottom and Cameron Smith who graduated from Qualifying School earlier this year.

Still riding high on the EurAsia Cup euphoria where Team Asia battled to an epic draw with Team Europe last month, Fung is putting his experience of playing against the world’s best players to good use at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

“It’s nice to see my name on the leaderboard. I made the cut in Malaysia for the first time last week and that gave me a huge confidence boost. Of course, the experience from EurAsia Cup has helped me as well. Playing with Jamie Donaldson and Graeme McDowell and Miguel Angel Jimenez at the EurAsia Cup has taught me a lot. I’ve learned to be patient with my game, try to calm down and always stay positive,” said Fung.

The Malaysian held his own and emerged as the best player in the morning’s marquee group which included 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Kiradech Aphibarnrat (71) of Thailand and Major winner Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa (72).

“It’s great playing with Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, Kiradech Aphibarnrat and Louis Oosthuizen. I started very well today when I was three-under after five holes. It was all good for me out there today and I’m feeling very confident,” said Fung.

Evergreen Kang, who does not look a day older than his 41 years of age, sprung a big surprise when he made his presence felt atop the leaderboard.

Kang’s last victory on the region’s premier Tour dates back to 2009 when he won his third title in Malaysia.

While he may not be at the peak of his career today, Kang is happy he can still put up a good showing at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

“I surprised even myself with such a good score. You know, I’m getting old and I’m just enjoying my time on the golf course nowadays.

But today’s score shows that I still have the talent to play good golf. It’s a positive start and hopefully I can continue to play that way I did today,” said Kang.

Meanwhile Wiesberger was largely out of the radar when he reached the turn with an outward 35.

However he showed never to be underestimated when he got his game back on track with another birdie on 13 before finishing with two birdies in his closing three holes.

“I didn’t take several chances early in the round but it was a good finish especially with my birdies on 16 and 17,” said Wiesberger.

The Austrian is determined to put up a strong defence of his title and he believes the weather conditions will be in his favour when he tees off early for his second round.

“I’ve been looking forward since Sunday last year to come back and defend my title. This is a golf course which I really like and can play well here.

There will be a little bit of advantage for me to play in the morning tomorrow as there will be less humidity and I hope to capitalise on that. The conditions in the morning are more favourable for scoring,” said Wiesberger.

Chapchai’s decision to change a new putter has paid off.

After missing the cut in his last two events in the Philippines and Malaysia, the Thai got back into the mix by firing six birdies against two bogeys to stay within sight of the leaders.

“I changed my putter recently and the results have paid off today. I haven’t been putting that well recently and I thought it’s time for a change. It showed today as I managed to hole several long putts and that has brought back lots of confidence,” said Chapchai.

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

67 - Nicholas FUNG (MAS), Anthony KANG (USA)

68 - Chapchai NIRAT (THA), Cameron SMITH (AUS), Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA), Bernd WIESBERGER (AUT), Jake HIGGINBOTTOM (AUS), Sujjan SINGH (IND). 69 - WANG Jeung-hun (KOR), Richard T. LEE (CAN), Marcus BOTH (AUS), Danny CHIA (MAS), LEE Tae-hee (KOR), Chan KIM (USA), Adilson DA SILVA (BRA), Wolmer MURILLO (VEN)

Dubuisson Eager To Renew Rivalry With EurAsia Cup Heroes At CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 23 - France’s Victor Dubuisson is ready to put up a performance befitting of his status as the highest ranked player when the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters gets underway on Thursday.

The world number 23 will also be looking forward to renewing rivalry with the EurAsia Cup heroes including India’s Anirban Lahiri who defeated him twice in the Foursomes and Singles matches at the Ryder Cup style event last month.

“I’m very impressed with the quality of golf in Asia. Anirban was too good for me in our match. I played well but he was perfect. It is not a big surprise as I’ve also been watching players like Thongchai, Kiradech and Gaganjeet for years and they are all great players with big chances to win important tournaments,” said Dubuisson.

The Frenchman, who turned 24 on Tuesday, came into prominence when he won his maiden European Tour title by fending off the combined challenges of Tiger Woods, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose in Turkey last year.

Although he was defeated by Australia’s Jason Day in the final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February, Dubuisson is also well remembered for his flamboyant style of golf which saw him pull off several extraordinary shots during the final match.

Looking ahead to the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters this week, Dubuisson is excited for the galleries as he knows they will be in for a golfing bonanza given the quality of players on show at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

“There is much more depth here which is great for golf and will make the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters exciting to watch,” said Dubuisson.

Juniors of the CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters 2014 Youth Development Program meet the star players at Royale Jakarta Golf Club

Meanwhile South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen also promised to show the crowd his Major winning credentials when he takes on the star-studded field.

The 2010 Open Championship winner arrived in Indonesia for the first time and is looking forward to making his maiden trip a rewarding one.

“This is my first trip to Jakarta and it has been great so far. It is a great golf course and it is going to be a good week. This is a long golf course, especially the par-fives and you have to push it a little further from the tee. You need to drive well to make things a little bit easier,” said Oosthuizen.

“It was a great feeling to win the Open Championship at St. Andrews. Even going into the week, I was not playing that great but as I got into it, everything seemed to come together. The win was very special as to lift the Claret Jug is something everyone dreams about,” added the South African.

Apart from the blustery condition synonymous with links-style course at the Open Championship, Oosthuizen showed he can also thrive under the region’s heat and humidity when he finished tied-second in Malaysia last week.

“I live in Florida so I am used to the humidity although it is not as bad as in Asia. You just need to make sure you take in lots of fluids to stay hydrated in the hot weather. I had a good week last week. Hopefully I can keep the good form going,” said Oosthuizen.

Like Oosthuizen, defending champion Bernd Wiesberger of Austria is also enjoying a good run of form heading into this week’s CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

Wiesberger finished second together with Oosthuizen in Malaysia and believes he can excel on winning ground again.

“I try to play my best every week, regardless of whether I’m the defending champion or not. It does feel good to know that you’re back on the golf course where you’ve done well before and you enjoyed playing,” said Wiesberger.

‘I know I can win this week if I play my best golf but there are a lot of strong players this week. A lot of them have played well in the last couple of months. They know how to play well here. It’s going to make my title defence quite tough but like I said, I’m in a good form so I’m looking forward to the first round tomorrow,” added the Austrian.

Order Of Merit Leader Karlberg Poised To Maintain Momentum At CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, April 22 - Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg will be seeking to extend his good form when he tees off at the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters which starts on Thursday.

The 27-year-old Swede surged to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit following his tied-fifth finish in Malaysia last week and believes he can continue to do well against a star-studded field at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Major winner Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, Frenchman Victor Dubuisson and EurAsia Cup stars Thongchai Jaidee, Prayad Marksaeng of Thailand, India’s Anirban Lahiri and Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman will headline the event.

“I’m feeling very confident after that good result in Malaysia last week and I hope to have a good week here in Jakarta as well. This is a course that suits me as it’s long off the tee and you can get pretty good opportunities. I’m also having lots of good vibes especially with my position on the Order of Merit and I hope it continues that way,” said Karlberg.

Winless on the Asian Tour since his double victory in India in 2010, Karlberg knows he is close to rediscovering that winning form especially with two top-five finishes in three starts.

“I just feel that if I get impatient, I’ll not get it. So I don’t think about it that much anymore and it’s showing. It’s going to be tough as the field is strong and you got to play really well to win. And that’s always a constant on this Tour,” said Karlberg.

Karlberg is looking to achieve what he has not done in the last four years since he made his debut on the region’s premier Tour in 2010. While it is still early days, the Swede is determined to earn the honor of being Asia’s number one by the end of the season.

“I finished third in my rookie season and I’ve always wanted to be number one. I haven’t really succeeded but hopefully I can do that this year,” said Karlberg.

Meanwhile EurAsia Cup hero Siddikur is determined to display that similar fighting spirit where Asia rallied back to force a 10-10 draw with Europe in the Ryder Cup style event last month.

“The EurAsia Cup was a great event and will always remain as a good memory for me. It never fails to bring a smile to my face each time I think about the EurAsia Cup as we fought back really hard and I want to bring that same fighting spirit over to every event I play in,” said Siddikur, who contributed two points in that memorable draw with Europe.

The two-time Asian Tour winner posted his best result of tied-third at the inaugural CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters in 2011 and is looking forward to better that result this week.

“I’ve been playing the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters every year since it started and I really enjoy coming back to Royale Jakarta Golf Club. I’m still feeling confident although I did not get that desired result in Malaysia last week. I’m hitting the ball well and I’m feeling positive about my game. If I can continue to hit like that, I stand a good chance this week,” said Siddikur.

Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond is also highly charged and ready to show his prodigious talent again at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand also feels sure and ready to show his exceptional talents at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters.

Playing in his third straight event, the 18-year-old is raring to get off the blocks quickly again.

“This is my third week playing competitive golf and it’s a brand new experience as I have not played three events in a row before. Mentally, I’m feeling energise as I’m already into competition mode and I can’t wait to get started again,” said Jazz.

Jazz showed his talent at an early age when he became the youngest ever player to make the halfway cut at the 2010 Asian Tour International in Bangkok at the age of 14 years and 71 days.

Having the opportunity of playing alongside some of the world’ best players in recent weeks, the young Thai is looking to put that experience to good effect at the CIMB Niaga Indonesia Masters.

“I played with Francesco Molinari and Marcel Siem in Malaysia last week and it was a good opportunity for me to observe their playing styles. I didn’t really care about the end result as the more important thing was what I managed to learn from the week. It’ll be good if I can get the chance to play alongside the star players again this week as this would mean I’m doing well,” said Jazz.

The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters has enjoyed strong support with many of leading names committed to ensuring the event continues to be successful.

They include main partners Pertamina, BMW Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia, Freeport, Oakley and SvinGolf.

The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters will also reach out to over 200 countries and 627 million households via the Asian Tour’s global television platform.

Q&A With Louis Oosthuizen Ahead Of The CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Q: Hello Louis Oosthuizen. Thank you for joining us today at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters press conference with all the media of Indonesia. We know you are busy practicing for the Malaysia Open so we will go straight into the questions. Our first question for you is how do you assess 2014 for yourself? (The season so far).
LO: Hello Everyone. It’s been a slow start even with the win I had earlier in the year and I have been struggling with a few injuries but the last few weeks have been really promising and I look forward to try and kick it off this week.

Q: We just watched the Masters at Augusta. How do you prepare for a tournament of that scale?
LO: It’s always tough going to the Masters. It’s a tough tournament and you need to make sure every part of your game is in good shape, especially your irons. You need to mentally prepare yourself because you know it is going to be really tough and everyone is going to have holes where they struggle. You just need to keep focused and patient and hopefully you make it through the week.

Q: Are there areas in your game that you personally would like to improve?
LO: I think we are never satisfied and we always want to improve every part of our game. I think the short game is very important and there is always room to improve and get better.

Q: You are the British Open Champion of 2010. That must have been a great experience for you. Can you tell us how it felt to win the Open?
LO: Yes it was great and especially on St. Andrews. Even going into the week I was not playing that great but as I got into it, everything seemed to come together. I played really well. To win at St. Andrews was really special and to win the Claret Jug is something everyone dreams of.

Q: In golf, you must have had a role model. Who was your Role Model and why?
LO: Being South African you always admire what Gary Player did for the game but Ernie Els and Retief Goosen were the two guys that we watched growing up on television. I was a really big fan of Ernie Els and I was in his foundation for three years before turning professional. Ernie was definitely one of my role models and we are good friends now. It is still great playing with him in tournaments.

Q: Well I am sure you know that Ernie Els came last year to the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters and now you will be coming as our star player this year which is a great thing for us. Are you looking forward to coming, Louis?
LO: Yes. I am really looking forward to coming. I have heard so many good things so it will be good and I can’t wait to see what the golf course is like.

Q: Have you ever been to Indonesia before?
LO: No. Never been and am really looking forward to coming.

Q: Have you heard great things about Indonesia?
LO: Oh yes especially from the players who have played there who say that it is a great spot. Like I said, it’s going to be a whole new experience for me and it will be nice to see what it is like.

Q: Well we are all looking forward to you coming as well Louis. This year you are going to be up against Victor Dubuisson, Thongchai Jaidee, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Bernd Wiesberger and many other greats on the Asian Tour. How do you stand your chances of winning the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters?
LO: Golf is a funny thing. You really need to be focused. It doesn’t matter how you are playing or where you are playing. You need to be focused for every shot to play well. So I am going to go there like I do with any other tournament and be really focused and try to win the event. First of all you need to get your preparations ready so when you step out onto the golf course you are ready for the challenge and you take it shot for shot.

Q: Have you been following the great golf talent in Asia? Obviously, there are many great Asian golfers out there. What are your thoughts on Asian golfers and is there anyone you are looking out for or following? LO: Asian golf is very strong and you could see that with the recent Eurasia Cup. Whenever we play in Asia we know that the Asian players are going to be a big threat and you need to play good golf. Thongchai is a good friend of mine as well and a great player so he is always expected to do really well.

Q: If you could share one golf tip with the average golfer, what would it be?
LO: One thing I always tell my friends at home is that they do not spend enough time practicing, especially their short game. They just want to go out and play. You see everyone standing on the driving range when they practice hitting golf balls but you don’t really see people practicing their chipping and putting. The short game is where the game is being won.

Q: I think all of us are guilty of that. There was a famous golf book by Dr Bob Rotella “You Drive for show, you putt for dough (the money)” correct?
LO: (Laughing). Yeah there you go.

Q: We have a lot of up and coming Indonesian golf professionals. We have in fact twenty Indonesian golf professionals playing in the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters and four Indonesian amateurs. It is nerve racking for them to play against big players such as yourself and other greats on the Asian Tour. You have been doing this your whole life. If you could share a tip for our Indonesian Golf professionals and Indonesian Amateurs about competing in events like this, what would it be?
LO: I think the big thing is you have to enjoy yourself while you are doing it. One big thing is that golf is a great game. You don’t need to worry about what the other guy is doing. You need to stay in control of what you are doing and play the golf course. A lot of times I see youngsters going out and trying to beat the guy they are playing with or they try to shoot a really low score even when they are not hitting it well. All of us have those days when it is almost a damage control day because you are not hitting it well. So you just try to get a decent number on the score board. My tip for any young professional starting out is that it is very important to stay in your own game and don’t try anything funny or anything out of the ordinary.

Q: Are you making any special preparations for the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters and for playing in a tropical climate?
LO: Coming from America last week, the weather is a bit thick for me. It’s really humid and really hot so I have to take in a lot of fluids and have a lot of caps. Golfing wise, I am not really preparing for each of these events. I am just going to try and get my game into a good position on the practice days and try and win the tournament. Hopefully when the tournament comes, I will be focused enough and be ready to go.

Thank you very much for your time. On behalf the media and everyone here, we are all looking forward to meeting you in person at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters from April 24th – 27th at Royale Jakarta Golf Club. LO: Thank you very much and see you next week!

Q&A With Victor Dubuisson Ahead Of The CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Q: The Turkish Airlines Open and then coming second in the WSG Accenture World Match Play was a great start to the year for you. How do you asses 2014 for yourself?
VD: So far it has been amazing and a bit unexpected. The Turkish Airlines was a great week and I wanted to prove that it wasn’t just a fluke, so winning my PGA Tour Card and being now so close to the Ryder Cup team makes me very happy.

Q: How did you prepare yourself for the Masters Tournament at Augusta?
VD: I spent the week before at home, training with my coach Benoit (Colombier). I wanted to treat it as a normal week but that is difficult because it is not a normal place! I play well at Augusta but next year will be better I hope. I make a couple of bad decisions that I will not do in the future.

Q: Are there areas in your game you would like to improve?
VD: My long game is strong but my putting and short game need some improvement. This is the most important thing for every player including me.

Q: Going by your performance in the past 4 years since turning Pro, do you think you stand a good chance of becoming World Number One soon?
VD: It is too early to think about that. First I need to start contending in Majors and play well every week. You see Adam Scott, Tiger, Rory, Phil – they contend every week. That is what you have to do to be number 1. There are many great players ahead of me at the moment, but I am improving.

Q: How did it feel to beat Tiger Woods?
VD: Oh it was a wonderful feeling. For me though, it was more about winning my first event and knowing that I had a good mentality. I did not panic when I was leading which was very important.

Q: You have witness the strength and depth of Asian golf first hand at the recent EurAsia Cup. Now that you're playing at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters, what are the expectations you've set for yourself since you'll be up against the best players from the Asian Tour.
VD: I am very impressed with the quality of golf in Asia. Anirban (Lahiri) was too good for me in our match. I played well but he was perfect. It is not a big surprise – I have been watching Thongchai, Kiradech, Jeev and Gaganjeet for years and they are all great players with big chances to win important tournaments. There is now much more depth here which is great for golf and will make the Indonesian Masters exciting to watch.

Q: Is this going to be your first time to Indonesia? What are your thoughts on the country?
VD: Yes – my first time in Indonesia. I can’t wait. It is one of the reasons I want to play. I have heard wonderful things about the people here.

Q: What do you consider to be your strength and weaknesses as a player?
VD: My big strength is my recovery shots I think. My weakness – sometimes I get frustrated when I don’t play my best. I need to work on that.

Q: What is a day in the life of Victor Dubuisson like?
VD: I play every day, usually 18 holes. Otherwise I’m with my friends and girlfriend. I like movies and music.

Q: Who has been your role model in golf and why?
VD: I think Tiger. His win at Augusta in 1997 was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. I was only 6 or 7 at the time but it was inspiring.

Q: What is your most memorable moment in golf and why?
VD: Winning in Turkey. That last green. It was incredible for me.

Q: Have you been following the great golf talent in Asia? What is your impression of Asian Golfers? Is there anyone in particular you follow?
VD: Kiradech is a friend, I like the way he plays. Very aggressive and we are both trying to make it on the PGA Tour so we have something in common. Also, he is a very nice guy.

Q: You have risen quickly through the golf ranks, any advise for up and coming pros to be able to achieve what you have in such a short time?
VD: Everyone is different but hard work is the most important thing, probably like any job. It may sound boring but I have played almost every day since I was 10.

Q: If you could share one golf tip with the average golfer, what would it be?
VD: Keep a smooth swing and enjoy the game!.

Q: If you could share one golf tip with up and coming golf professionals, what would it be?
VD: Believe in yourself, be calm and focus on your own play. Do not worry about what other people do.

Oosthuizen Excited And Ready To Tee It Up For CIMB NIAGA Indonesian Masters

Jakarta, 15 April 2014 - 2010 Open Championship winner, Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa expressed his excitement and readiness to compete in the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters in a live phone-in interview with the Indonesian media on Tuesday.

Oosthuizen will compete in the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters from April 24 – 27 which will also feature France's Victor Dubuisson, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat as well as Austria’s Bernd Wiesberger, who will be returning to defend his title at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

After being sidelined with a back injury and not being able to practice since October last year, Oosthuizen is looking forward to his maiden trip to Indonesia.

Oosthuizen, who finished in 25th place in the recent Masters tournament at Augusta was out of action for almost three months last year due to a bulging disc in his back.

He has noticed an improvement in recent weeks but the injury means he has hardly been unable to practice since October.

"The back is fine at the moment," said the South African. "Some mornings it's a little bit niggly but nothing close to how it was a few months ago. It was definitely not good last year. I really struggled with it and I know it's always going to flare up every now and then.

"There is not much we can do about it and I just have to manage it. It's a strange thing because after a week off I feel great but then I play two or three rounds of golf and it's not the same.

Despite being hampered by injuries, the South African returned to form by successfully defending the prestigious Volvo Golf Championship on home soil in January this year.

With renewed self-belief, Oosthuizen believes he is ready to take on the region’s best players that include EurAsia Cup heroes Anirban Lahiri of India and Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman.

Team Asia, captained by Thongchai, staged a dramatic fightback to force a 10-10 draw with Team Europe in the inter-continental contest between Asia and Europe in Malaysia last month.

“I’m ready!” said the world number 35. “I have never been to Indonesia before so I am looking forward to see what Jakarta has to offer as a city. I have heard great things about the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters and I am sure it will live up to its reputation as a fantastic event.”

The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters has cemented its place as the nation’s most prestigious event and has featured prominently on the Asian Tour Schedule since 2011.

Since it was launched, the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters has attracted many leading stars including Lee Westwood, Ernie Els, Darren Clarke and Michael Campbell, to name a few.

The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters has also received a significant boost with its strong family of sponsors namely Linc Group, Pertamina, BMW Indonesia, Garuda Indonesia, Salonpas, Telkomsel, San Miguel, SvinGolf, JS Luwansa Hotel, Noble Group, Oakley, Taylormade, Loewe, Beringer, Srixon and Ricoh.

The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters will enjoy widespread exposure via a strong local media platform and the Asian Tour’s global television platform, which reaches out to over 200 countries and 627 million households on the Live, Highlights, Asian Tour Golf Show and Golfing World.

Organisers behind the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters have also been instrumental in building 29 homes for families in need. Together with National Energy Company, Pertamina, it has also provided over 10,000 people in the Cilamaya area with clean water solution.

Round 3 Of The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters Youth Development Program

For the third time this year, the highly commendable Youth Development Program that is run by Australian Certified Golf Professional Aaron Cole, was held at the Driving Range at Royale Jakarta Golf Course on Sunday, the 6th of April 2014.

Aaron Cole at work with juniors at Royale Jakarta GC Driving Range

Each program includes an one and a half hour clinic followed by a nine-hole playing lesson. The top five most talented juniors from each session will win a rare chance of having exclusive behind the scenes access at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters 2014 and meet the Star Players of the tournament, like defending champion Bernd Wiesberger and other stars such as South African Louis Oosthuizen, Frenchman Victor Dubuisson and Thailand’s top players Kiradech Aphibarnrat dan Thongchai Jaidee.

Andik Mauludin Claims Victory In Third Leg Of The Indonesian Golf Tour At Emeralda Golf Club

Jakarta, 3rd April 2014 - Andik Mauludin has claimed victory with a 241 score at the Citrasembilan Satu Golf Tournament at Emeralda Golf Club.

In the final round he shot a 70 to overtake George Gandranata (73), Asep Saefullah (75) and Jordan Irawan (73), who finished in second place and share of third respectively.

The IDR 200,000,000 event is the third in a series of thirteen events that are part of the Indonesian Golf Tour presented by Linc Group, sanctioned by PGTI (Professional Golf Tour Indonesia).

Andik Mauludin holding the trophy after winning the Citrasembilan Satu Golf Tournament

Play was suspended during the second round with play resuming the following day. Fortunately the weather held up and everyone managed to complete the 54 hole tournament with good results.

The next tournament on the Indonesian Golf Tour presented by Linc Group is scheduled from May 6th - 8th at LotusLakes Golf in Karawang.

Final scores after 3 rounds played at Emeralda Golf Club:

214 - Andik Mauludin 73-71-70

215 - George Gandranata 71-71-73

216 - Asep Saefulloh 71-70-75, Jordan Irawan 70-73-73

217 - Maan Nasim 70-75-72

218 - Benny Kasiadi 75-75-68

219 - Ilyassyak 72-74-73, Hardjito 76-71-72, Denny A. Wijaya 71-75-73

220 - William Sjaichuddin 75-74-71

CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters Adds French Star Dubuisson To 2014 Line Up

Jakarta, April 1 - Frenchman Victor Dubuisson will add star power to the fourth edition of the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters when it tees off at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club from April 24-27.

With a stellar line-up that already includes reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand, Major winner Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, defending champion Bernd Wiesberger of Austria and Thai star Thongchai Jaidee, Dubuisson’s confirmation is set to further light up the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.

The Frenchman is no stranger to success, having won his maiden European Tour title by fending off the combined challenges of Tiger Woods, Ian Poulter and Justin Rose in Turkey last year.

The world number 21 will also be well remembered by fans worldwide for the titanic battle with Australia’s Jason Day in the final at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship in February.

While he was pipped to the title by Day, the 23-year-old rising star earned plenty of admiration for his flamboyant golf which saw him pull off several extraordinary shots during the final match and he is expected to show that similar brilliance and resolve to win his first title on the Asian Tour.

Dubuisson was also part of Team Europe who competed in the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM against Team Asia ,who staged a dramatic fight back to draw 10-10 with Europe in Malaysia last week.

The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters has cemented its place as the nation’s most prestigious event and has featured prominently on the Asian Tour Schedule since 2011.

New Indonesian Golf Tour For Pros And Amateurs Launched

Jakarta, April 1st 2014 - Today the third leg of a brand new golf tour will get underway at Emeralda Golf Club, just south of Jakarta.

For the first time Indonesia has its own professional golf tour, the Indonesian Golf Tour. It is an ambitious new professional golf circuit aimed at speeding the development of Indonesia’s up and coming golfers.

The playing field will comprise of 80 Indonesian Golf Professionals, 30 Male Amateurs, 20 Female Amateurs and 14 special invites marking the first time Indonesia has seen such a tour that allows for a playing field offering opportunities to both Amateurs and Golf Professionals at the same time.

A total of thirteen 3-day events will be hosted at selected courses in the greater Jakarta area with each boasting IDR 200,000,000 prize purses. All 13 events will earn ranking points for the participating golf professionals, which will set the stage for the Road to the Indonesian Golf Championship to be hosted at Jakarta Golf Club (Rawamangun) from December 10th – 13th this year.

The top 30 golf professionals and top 10 amateurs will play for the grand prize purse of IDR 500,000,000 with all golf professionals guaranteed winnings in the 4-day tournament as well as the three top professional securing themselves a country exemption spot on the Asian Development Tour for the 2015 season.

As a result of this new initiative for professional and amateur golf in Indonesia, close to 10 amateurs have converted their status to professional status in order to allow them to play for money on the Indonesian Golf Tour.
The Indonesia Golf Tour was officially launched on March 21st during a Press Conference in Jakarta, but two events, the PGP Classic at Senayan National Golf Club and the Indonesia Golf Challenge at Palm Hill Golf Club, were already held prior to this launch.

"The long term future for golf in Indonesia is not paying large sums to bring the world's superstars to play here but creating our own stars," Johannes Dermawan, the chairman of Professional Golf Tour Indonesia (PGTI) said at the launch event.

"We need to create more stars that we ourselves can be proud of, stars that the Indonesian people will flock to see and stars that will eventually play among the world's top golfers in the world's top tournaments. But we can only achieve this by giving our best and most promising golfers the opportunity to develop their competitive skills, by giving them the chance to compete regularly." added Dermawan.

Indonesian Golf Star, Rory Hie added, “The Road to the Indonesian Golf Championship will create a buzz factor on the Indonesian Golf Tour as players compete throughout the season to make it into the field for the final event. We thank the tournament organizers for supporting this positive development.”

During the Press Conference, Professional golfers from across the country were presented with the vision and objectives of The Indonesian Golf Tour and were encouraged to use its platform as a unique opportunity to improve their fortunes.

The launch was blessed with the presence of representatives from Persatuan Golf Indonesia (Indonesian Golf Association) and Badan Professional Olahraga Indonesia (Professional Sports Association of Indonesia) as well as many of Indonesia’s leading golf professionals, all of whom echoed the sentiments expressed above.

The Indonesian Golf Tour series brings the total number of Professional Golf events being hosted in Indonesia to 20 events, including 2 Asian Tour events (CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters and Indonesia Open), 1 OneAsia event (Indonesian PGA Championship), 2 Asian Development Tour events (Linc Group Jakarta Classic and Linc Group Jakarta Invitational) and the Camry Invitational.

This is the first time Indonesia has seen so many professional golf events being hosted in a single year.

The 2014 schedule for the Indonesia Golf Tour:

No	Date	Event	Venue
1	Jan 26-28	PGP Classic	Senayan National GC
2	Feb 18-20	Indonesia Golf Challenge	Palm Hill GC
3	Apr 1-3	Citra Sembilan Satu	Emeralda GC
4	May 6-8	Indonesian Classic @	LotusLakes Golf
5	May 19-21	JGC Classic	Jakarta GC (Rawamangun)
6	Jun 10-12	Indonesian Classic @	PG Modern
7	Jun 17-19	Indonesian Classic @	Jababeka GCC
8	Aug 12-14	Indonesian Classic @	Sedana GCC
9	Aug 26-28	JGC Classic	Jakarta GC (Rawamangun)
10	Sep 23-25	Indonesian Classic @	tba
11	Oct 21-23	Indonesian Classic @	tba
12	Nov 4-6	JGC Classic	Jakarta GC (Rawamangun)
13	Nov 18-20	Indonesian Classic @	tba
14	Dec 10-13	IGT Final	Jakarta GC (Rawamangun)

Thrilling Showdown On Final Day Of The Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia PGA Championship

JAKARTA, March 30 - Japan’s Michio Matsumura birdied the last three holes to snatch victory by a shot on Sunday in a rain-interrupted final round of U.S. $1 million Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia PGA Championship, presented by Indonesia Port Corporation.

The 31-year-old had rounds of 65, 67, 67 and 68 to finish 21 under par around Damai Indah Golf’s 6,545-metre (7,160-yard) Bumi Serpong Damai course to claim the $180,000 first prize at a tournament co-sanctioned by OneAsia and the Japan Golf Tour.

Australian Rhein Gibson (62) and Filipino Juvic Pagunsan (69) shared second place, while China’s Wu Ashun (69) was alone in fourth.

Matsumura trailed overnight leader Park Sang-hyun by a shot going into the final round and looked to have blown his chance after starting with a bogey and then doubling the sixth. But six birdies on a blistering back nine -- none better than on the 17th when he drained a 24-footer -- saw him home.

A three-time winner previously on the Japan Tour, Matsumura said he was delighted to win abroad for the first time.

“It has been my dream since I became a professional to win a tournament outside Japan,” he said. “It is a great honor to win this title at such a beautiful course.”

Gibson had set the pace much earlier in day with a scorching 62 that equaled the course record set by Gaganjeet Bhullar in 2007.

The 28-year-old, a graduate of OneAsia Q-School in 2013, is the official world record holder of the lowest ever score by a professional -- a 17-under-par 55 he managed at River Oaks Golf Club in his adopted home of Oklahoma -- but Sunday’s round was a career best in a sanctioned tournament.

Gibson, who finished fourth at OneAsia’s Emirates Australian Open last year to earn one of three slots available to Britain’s 2014 Open Championship, had an eagle, ten birdies and two bogeys in an astonishing round that was interrupted when he was on the 17th for nearly three hours by a sudden thunderstorm.

“I had some good yardages and just hit it to within a couple of feet,” he said. “I had some really cheap birdies and that’s what really got me going.”

Bogeys on 10 and 14 saw Pagunsan, a winner here in 2007, slip out of contention, but he birdied three of the last four holes to bounce back into contention.

“It just wasn’t going to be the day today,” he said.

The leading Korean finisher was fifth-placed Maeng Dong-seop (65) who closed at 17 under par, while leading local player George Gandranata (71) had a share of 37th at nine under.

OneAsia’s next event is the 20 million Yuan (around $3.2 million) Volvo China Open at Genzon Golf Club from April 24 - 27.

Scores after Round 4 of the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia PGA Championship, presented by Indonesia Port Corporation, being played at the 6,545-metre (7,160-yard) Damai Indah Golf BSD course (par 72):

267 - Michio Matsumura (JPN) 65-67-67-68

268 - Rhein Gibson (AUS) 69-65-72-62, Juvic Pagunsan (PHI) 67-64-68-69

270 - Wu Ashun (CHI) 69-68-64-69

271 - Maeng Dong-seop (KOR) 67-69-70-65

272 - Kang Sung-hoon (KOR) 67-68-70-67, Hiroshi Iwata (JPN) 70-66-69-67

273 - Zhang Xin-jun (CHI) 72-67-68-66, Yoshikazu Haku (KOR) 69-66-71-67, Liang Wen-chong (CHI) 67-69-70-67, Kim Bi-o (KOR) 68-67-70-68, Song Young-han (KOR) 69-66-67-71

Selected:

279 - George Gandranata (INA) 71-69-68-71

291 - Andik Mauludin (INA) 67-74-75-75