Combiphar Golf Invitational Set For ADT Debut In November

Jakarta, October 18 - The Combiphar Golf Invitational will make its Asian Development Tour (ADT) debut at Royal Tulip Gunung Geulis Golf Resorts in Indonesia this November.

The US$60,000 ADT event, which will be the Tour’s second stop in Indonesia this season, is slated to take place from November 23 to 26 in Bogor - West Java, about 60 kilometers south from Jakarta.

A 144-man field, made up of 80 players from the ADT, 50 players from the Professional Golf Tour of Indonesia (PGTI) and 14 invitees, will feature in the inaugural tournament, which will be the 22nd leg of the ADT schedule this season.

Michael Wanandi, CEO of Combiphar, Indonesia’s leading consumer healthcare company and title sponsor of the event, said: “As part of our 45th year anniversary in celebrating health in Indonesia, we are very delighted to announce the inaugural Combiphar Golf Invitational and look forward to a successful tournament by working with the ADT.”

“One of the reasons why we are hosting this new tournament is to showcase emerging talents from our country as well as from across the region and provide them with the platform to escalate their careers onto the Asian Tour,” Michael added. "Another reason is too expand our name recognition in the ASEAN region, as Combiphar products are sold in neighboring countries as well."

The Combiphar Golf Invitational also provides opportunity to all participants and partners to take part in donating to four unique social organizations in Indonesia which support health, education, women empowerment and facility enhancement through: Pink Shimmer Inc, an organization dedicated to helping breast cancer patients and survivors. SabangMerauke, a local student exchange program focused on promoting education, tolerance and Indonesian pride nationwide. Circa HandMade, focusing on empowering and educating a community of women handcrafters in Bandung as well as Jaka Perkasa Citra Cemerlang, for its numerous water infrastructure projects in remote areas throughout Indonesia.


Michael Wanandi, CEO of Combiphar (center), addresses the media accompanied by (l-r) Agus Triyono (Secretary General of the PGA Tour of Indonesia), Irfan Hamid (Associate Director at the Asian Tour), Agung Budiman (President Director of Gunung Geulis Golf Resort) and Merry Kwan (OB Golf)

Agung Budiman, Presiden Director of Gunung Geulis Golf Resort, also expressed his excitement in hosting an ADT event for the very first time.

“We are pleased to support the Combiphar Golf Invitational as host venue. We can’t wait to welcome the region’s rising stars to the event,” said Agung.

Asian Tour Associate Director Irfan Hamid was thrilled to welcome the Combiphar Golf Invitational as the newest tournament on the ADT Schedule.

“On behalf of our talented players, we are honored and privileged to welcome the Combiphar Golf Tournament on the ADT Schedule.

“We have welcomed a host of new winners this year, including George Gandranata who became the first Indonesian to win on the ADT in April. We hope to see more young and exciting talents bursting onto the scene through these new events,” said Irfan.

When asked how many tournaments the ADT would ideally like to hold in Indonesia, Irfan responded "In light of the next Olympics being held in Japan in 4 years, a greater number of tournaments would increase opportunities for Indonesian players to receive Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points that are needed to qualify for the Olympic tournament. The ADT targets that up to 6 tournaments be held annually in Indonesia."

The winner will receive six OWGR points while the top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

Also the top-five finishers on the final Order of Merit will secure their Asian Tour cards for 2017.

Bukit Pandawa Golf & Country Club Officially Opens On Bali

BALI, Indonesia - Bali's evolution into a legitimate international golf destination gained some remarkable new standing last weekend with the opening of Bukit Pandawa Golf & Country Club, the fifth golf venue on the Island of the Gods and the first 18-hole, par-3 championship course in Indonesia.

Designed by Bob Moore of California-based JMP Golf Design Group and managed by AccorHotels, Bukit Pandawa G&CC is also the first phase of an unprecedented hospitality project taking shape on Bali's southern coastline, where the club's ownership group, luxury resort developer PT Bali Ragawisata (BRW), is planning to add hotels and residences managed by world-renowned brands Mandarin Oriental, Waldorf Astoria and Swissôtel and a soon-to-be-announced company that has long been synonymous with the finest things in life.

"We're setting the stage for everything that's to come," said Stephen Banks, general manager of Bukit Pandawa G&CC. "We're equal parts groundbreaking, eye-popping and extraordinary."

To drive home the level of excellence golfers can expect at Bukit Pandawa G&CC, the course partnered with iconic automaker BMW — which is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year — to hold a novel, grand opening tournament on Oct. 8 for 160 invited players, each of whom had 18 chances to win a range of BMW-brand vehicles.

"I'm not sure there's ever been a tournament where at each hole you could win a car — let alone a premium car — with an ace," said Djie Tjian An, president/director of BRW. "Even though we didn't see a hole-in-one, everyone sure had fun trying."

The tournament was followed by a surprise unveiling of the futuristic BMW i8 — a cutting-edge hybrid supercar — that was celebrated with a champagne toast sponsored by French multinational luxury good conglomerate LVMH.

"Throughout its 100-year history, the BMW Group has constantly reinvented itself," said Karen Lim, president/director of BMW Group Indonesia. "The i8, the most progressive sports car in the world, is testament of that. And Bukit Pandawa, with its immaculate playing surface, is the perfect platform on which to roll out such a revolutionary driving machine."

Located on a spectacular limestone clifftop overlooking the world-famous surf breaks of Bukit Peninsula, AccorHotels' flagship course in Asia offers 18 exquisite par-3 holes ranging from 117 to 244 yards in length.

From the back tees, it plays 3,027 yards, a few hundred yards longer than lauded Turtle Hill Golf Club at Fairmont Southampton in Bermuda, which ranks among GOLF Magazine USA's top 10 par-3 courses in the world.

Some holes at Bukit Pandawa G&CC are back-dropped by the Indian Ocean. Others are accented by waterfalls or terraced rice paddies. All are subject to the wind.

"It can be a real test," said Banks, a former playing professional from Manchester, England "When the breeze is up — and it almost always is — there's a good chance you'll use every club in the bag. Even driver."

One standout hole is the 148-yard 13th, which is framed by three bunkers and features curved stone walls in the foreground and a traditional Balinese kul-kul tower in the background.

Given how short the par-54 layout is compared to standard 18-hole setups, Djie Tjian An anticipates it will be especially popular with short-stay visitors and families.

"So often, a golfer might pass on the opportunity to play on vacation or during a business trip because it can burn a large portion of the day," he said. "But here, that's not an issue. A round takes no more than a couple hours to complete."

In designing Bukit Pandawa G&CC, Moore, whose firm is responsible for championship-caliber designs all over the world including the acclaimed Royale Jakarta Golf Club in Indonesia's capital, embraced the contours and characteristics of a site that was rife with ridge lines, architectural ruins and sea views. Indeed, the ocean is visible from 15 holes.

To round out the total golf experience at Bukit Pandawa G&CC and provide visitors a feeling of rapture when they arrive, a 3,000-square-meter clubhouse inspired by the ancient temples and towers of central Bali has been constructed.

Conceived by accomplished architects Antony Liu and Ferry Ridwan from StudioTonTon in Jakarta, the imaginative, twin-block structure was designed to blend into its natural surroundings through the liberal implementation of local materials (such as stone and wood), native grasses and, above all, water, which flows seamlessly through many of the building's spaces.

"We're extremely proud of this project," said Liu, who is one of Indonesia's foremost modern tropical architects. "It perfectly harnesses what's so great about the location — the views — and it has so much character."

That includes the singular facility's signature component, the rooftop restaurant, which overlooks the ocean and course and features al fresco dining and lounge areas that ooze exotic elegance.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indonesian players:

285 - Rory HIE 74-70-70-71

287 - Danny MASRIN 72-72-75-68

289 - Kurnia HERISIANDY 71-71-75-72

295 - Nasin SURACHMAN 73-71-77-74

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

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

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

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

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

Rory Hie - photo: Asian Tour

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Indonesian players:

214 - Rory HIE 74-70-70

217 - Kurnia HERISIANDY 71-71-75

219 - Danny MASRIN 72-72-75

221 - Nasin SURACHMAN 73-71-77

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Selected Indonesian players:

(-2) - Kurnia HERISIANDY 71-14*

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

144 - Nasin SURACHMAN 73-71

145 - George GANDRANATA 72-73

147 - Seandy ALFARABI 72-75 (am)

Trio Lead At BNI Indonesian Masters Presented By Zurich

Jakarta, October 6 - Gaganjeet Bhullar of India continued his fine form when he shared the opening round lead with Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand and Masahiro Kawamura of Japan at the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich on Thursday.

Coming off the back of a victory in Korea last week, Bhullar produced a flawless round of six-under-par 66 to tie at the top alongside Kawamura and sponsor’s invite Gunn, who is finding his best form again after returning from a wrist injury.

Arjun Atwal, a former Asian Tour number one and first Indian to win on the PGA Tour, was a further shot back with Thai teenagers Phachara Khongwatmai and Suradit Yongcharoenchai at the US$750,000 event staged at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

Lu Wei-chih of Chinese Taipei, who won on home soil last week and Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, the only player to win three Order of Merit crowns, were among nine players bunched up in seventh place on 68s.

The 28-year-old Bhullar, who started from the 10th tee, overcame early nerves to make the turn in 32 before adding birdies on seven and nine to stay in contention for back-to-back victories. “It was a bogey free round and at the end of the day, that’s the target. I’m trying to repeat what I did last week,” said Bhullar, a six-time Asian Tour winner.

“In the beginning I was a bit nervous. Coming straight after a victory, your mental aspect is slightly different. You try to go for a par and try not to attack the pins. I putted really well today especially on 12, 13 and 14 (birdies) and those were all from 10 or 15 feet which I holed,” he added.

Gunn suffered a wrist injury in 2014 and is slowly finding his form again after winning on the local circuit in Thailand in July and in China in September. He looks to Bhullar for inspiration as he seeks a return to the Asian Tour. “I’m feeling pretty excited to be tied at the top with Gaganjeet (Bhullar). He just came off an injury and won. I think we had the same injury as well (wrist injury). I’m glad that we are both playing well,” said the 24-year-old Gunn.

Japan’s Kawamura, who has one win on the Asian Tour, recovered from an opening bogey to fire seven birdies including one on the last to take his place among the leaders. “It was an easy round,” said Kawamura. “I hit it on the fairway and gave myself chances at birdies which I holed. I’m obviously happy with how I played but it is only the first round. Let’s see what happens in the next three rounds.”

After finishing inside the top-five in the last two Asian Tour events, Phachara played without any pressure to produce another solid round to keep up his chase for a first victory. “My game plan is easy. I don’t think ahead or set a goal for myself. I just want to play my best golf. I’m not worried if I play badly but I play good, then I’m happy. That was the case today,” said the 17-year-old Thai.

Several of the local players put in solid performances and are still in contention for weekend play. Kurnia Herisiandy leads the pack with 1-under in a tie for 51st. Indonesia's top players George Gandranata and Danny Masrin both came round at even par, together with leading amateur Seandy Alfarabi, good for a share of 62nd place.

Said Danny Masrin: "It was a very up-and-down day for me. I made some stupid mistakes out there but I don’t think it is going to affect me going into tomorrow. I have a game plan. I hit the ball pretty well today. Just a couple of mistakes today and if I clean that up tomorrow I will be fine. I get on tees and some people think they are difficult lines but I know the lines and where to be and where to miss.

Play was suspended at 5.55pm (local time) due to darkness. A total of five players will resume their rounds on Friday at 7am.

Scores after round 1 of the BNI Indonesian Masters being played at the par 72, 7340 yards Royale Jakarta GC course (am - denotes amateur):

66 - Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND), Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA), Masahiro KAWAMURA (JPN)

67 - Arjun ATWAL (IND), Phachara KHONGWATMAI (THA), Suradit YONGCHAROENCHAI (THA)

68 - LU Wei-chih (TPE), Thongchai JAIDEE (THA), Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA), Darren TAN (AUS), Janne KASKE (FIN), Shiv KAPUR (IND), Kalem RICHARDSON (AUS), Chinnarat PHADUNGSIL (THA), Lionel WEBER (FRA)

Selected Indonesian players:

71 - Kurnia HERISIANDY

72 - Danny MASRIN, George GANDRANATA, Seandy ALFARABI (am)

73 - Ditya NOVIANTO, Cahyo ADHITOMO (am), Jordan IRAWAN, Nasin SURACHMAN

Icing On The Cake For Top Golfers At 2016 Indonesian Masters

JAKARTA, 4 October 2016 – Several of the region’s best golfers exchanged golf attire for aprons this morning at the official launch of the 2016 BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich, which tees off at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club this Thursday.

Anirban Lahiri, Marcus Fraser, Thongchai Jaidee, and Jamie Sadlowski, together with local players Danny Masrin and George Gandranata, rolled up their sleeves and took a lesson in cake decoration from celebrity chef and TV personality Farah Quinn.

Held at the JS Luwansa Hotel and Convention Center, the challenge was part of the players’ official welcome to the Indonesian capital, while showcasing that this year’s tournament is set to offer visitors a lot more than just golf.

Speaking about the players’ culinary skills, Farah, who has created her own signature dish as part of the tournament’s culinary offering, said: “I’m impressed! These guys have got the touch! Okay perhaps a bit too early for them to sell the golf clubs and take up life as a pastry-chef, but for professional sportmen, who don’t get to spend too much time in the kitchen, it was pretty good.”

“Actually it was just a lot of fun. There was clearly some healthy competition out there and some good banter among the players as they tried to outdo each other, and I think they enjoyed it,” added the celeb chef.

Right to left: Farah Quinn judging creations of George Gandranata, Danny Masrin, Tongchai Jaidee, Anirban Lahiri, Marcus Fraser and Jamie Sadlowski

Asian Tour veteran Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand said: “It was great. A bit different to what we usually get up to and the boys were all trying to out-do each other with some pretty creations, but it was good fun and nice to be able to show a different side to our personalities than what we can on a golf course.”

Speaking about their welcome to the Indonesian capital, former Long Drive world champion Jamie Sadlowski of Canada added: “It’s great to be here. My first time playing golf in Indonesia and we get to kick it all off by baking some cakes! Great welcome for everyone though and really looking forward to the week ahead and to getting out on course. It should be a good tournament and for a nation that is so proud of it’s food culture, think it’s great to have a food theme running throughout the tournament. I hope I’ll get to try some of the dishes on offer!”

The BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Zurich promises visitors to the Royale Jakarta Golf Club four days of top quality action on course and a feast of entertainment for the whole family off it.

Spectators can look forward to a gastronomic feast complete with food trucks and stalls, offering a range of authentic Indonesian and International cuisine and other culinary delights.

TV personality, host and chef extraordinaire Farah Quinn will be looking to cook up a storm with her signature dish – Rose Tea Pudding with Vanilla Cream dish, made solely using home-grown Indonesian ingredients. Comprising Rose tea with ginger crust and vanilla seeds, it is billed as a ‘tribute to older times’ and will see a traditional long-forgotten recipe given a modern twist.