Jakarta, November 28 - Rory Hie of Indonesia turned the pressure of playing on home soil into his advantage when he signed for an opening three-under-par 68 at the US$750,000 Indonesia Open on Thursday.
Hie marked his card with one eagle, three birdies and two bogeys to stay four shots back from the first round leader Gaganjeet Bhullar of India, who leads on 64 at the Pantai Indah Kapuk course at the Damai Indah Golf.
The talented Indonesian was tied in 14th position alongside Singaporean Mardan Mamat, Zaw Moe of Myanmar, Kim Gi-whan of Korea, Chan Kim of the United States, Carlos Pigem of Spain, Lionel Weber of France and Chris Rodgers of England.
Currently 89th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Hie will be looking for a good finish this week to boost his rankings as the top-60 players at the end of this season will earn full playing rights on the Asian Tour next year.
The local talent, who capped two top-20 finishes on the Asian Tour this year, soared up the leaderboard when he chipped in for eagle from 120 yards on the 16th hole.
“It was a solid round. It was fun playing with Daniel (Chopra) and Shiv (Kapur). They are both very good players. We were all playing very well. The course is in a really good condition out there,” said Hie.
As much as he hopes to make his nation proud, he is determined not to let the pressure get to him.
“There are obviously more pressure on me this week but I think that helps me to play well as compared to any other week. I was really happy with my eagle on 16. I hit a really good shot and that was pretty amazing,” said the 25-year-old, who chipped in the eagle from about 120 yards on the 16th hole.
Local amateur Jordan Irawan signed for a 70 to take a share of 30th place while another four Indonesians including Andik Mauludin and George Gandranata returned with matching 71s to tie at 43rd.
The 39th edition of Indonesia’s national championship, which has a rich and illustrious history dating back to its first edition in 1974, is the nation’s oldest golf tournament.
Fans from around the world can also watch these world class golfers in action through the live broadcast on the Asian Tour Media platform. Asian Tour Media will produce 16 hours of live coverage from the event which will be seen across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America plus further coverage and distribution generated via the highlights and magazine programmes from the event, resulting in global media exposure for all the sponsors involved in this prestigious tournament.
The 2013 Indonesia Open is supported by some of the most recognisable domestic and international brands, which include BANK BRI, Total E&P Indonesie, Japfa, PT. Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk, JS Luwansa Hotel & Convention Center, Pertamina, Harum Energy, Bintang, Sequislife, Subway, Beringer, Mazda, Srixon, Loewe, Danone, Hypernet, Ricoh, White Horse and Maui Jim.
Scores after Round 1 of the Indonesia Open played at Pantai Indah Kapuk course (A - denotes amateur):
64 - Gaganjeet BHULLAR (IND)
66 - Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA), Anthony KANG (USA), MO Joong kyung (KOR), Nicholas FUNG (MAS), Berry HENSON (USA), Shaaban HUSSIN (MAS)
67 - Sam BRAZEL (AUS), David LIPSKY (USA), Sujjan SINGH (IND), Prom MEESAWAT (THA), Thongchai JAIDEE (THA), Chapchai NIRAT (THA)
Selected:
68 - Rory HIE (INA)
70 - Jordan IRAWAN (A) (INA)
71 - Fahmi REZA (A) (INA), George GANDRANATA (INA), Tirto TAMARDI (A) (INA), Andik MAULUDIN (INA)
72 - Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA), Maan NASIM (INA), Hendri NASIM (INA)
73 - Johannes DERMAWAN (INA), Indra HERMAWAN (INA)
74 - Denny A. WIJAYA (INA), William SJAICHUDIN (A) (INA)
75 - Nasin SURACHMAN (INA), Jamel ONDO (INA), Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA), Ilyasyak (INA), K. Soewarno (INA), Kevin C. AKHBAR (A) (INA)
76 - Fadhli R. SOETARSO (A) (INA)
77 - Asep SUGANDA (INA), Aria KAMSURI (INA)
79 - Ian ANDREW (INA)
80 - Theodore RAHARDJA (A) (INA), Joshua Andrew WIRAWAN (A) (INA), Asep SAEFULLOH (INA), Benny KASIADI (INA)
81 - Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA), Ujang ZAREM (A) (INA)
86 - S Syukrizal (A) (INA)
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Tuesday, November 26, 2013
Thongchai Ready To Rumble In Indonesia
Jakarta, November 26 - A recharged Thongchai Jaidee will hunt for a 14th Asian Tour title at the Indonesia Open, a result that will ultimately boost his position inside the top-50 on the Official World Golf Ranking.
The decorated Thai is currently ranked 48th in the world and he hopes to go even higher on the standings by winning this week’s US$750,000 Asian Tour event which starts on Thursday.
“My main goal this year is to stay inside the top-50 in the world rankings. Right now, I’m on the bubble but if I have two good weeks then I will definitely finish the year inside the top-50,” said Thongchai.
He will headline the Indonesia Open this week alongside two-time Major champion Retief Goosen of South Africa, exciting Spanish talent Pablo Larrazabal, home hero Rory Hie, Asian Tour stars Scott Hend of Australia and Anirban Lahiri of India at the Pantai Indah Kapuk course.
To fuel his title ambitions, Thongchai, whose last victory on the Asian Tour was in 2010, took a one-week break after playing in six straight events where he finished second in China last month.
“I’m feeling a bit better now. I was feeling tired previously but I was home last week and I think that’s prepared me for this week. I needed a break to get ready for a busy stretch towards the end of the year,” said the 44-year-old Thongchai.
The Indonesia Open will bring back fond memories for the former paratrooper as he won the event in 2009 and went on to lift an unprecedented third Asian Tour Order of Merit crown in the same year.
“It feels like home here. I will try my best to give myself a chance to win this tournament. There’s a strong field this week and I hope the Indonesia Open will grow even bigger on the Asian Tour,” Thongchai added.
The decorated Thai is currently ranked 48th in the world and he hopes to go even higher on the standings by winning this week’s US$750,000 Asian Tour event which starts on Thursday.
“My main goal this year is to stay inside the top-50 in the world rankings. Right now, I’m on the bubble but if I have two good weeks then I will definitely finish the year inside the top-50,” said Thongchai.
He will headline the Indonesia Open this week alongside two-time Major champion Retief Goosen of South Africa, exciting Spanish talent Pablo Larrazabal, home hero Rory Hie, Asian Tour stars Scott Hend of Australia and Anirban Lahiri of India at the Pantai Indah Kapuk course.
To fuel his title ambitions, Thongchai, whose last victory on the Asian Tour was in 2010, took a one-week break after playing in six straight events where he finished second in China last month.
“I’m feeling a bit better now. I was feeling tired previously but I was home last week and I think that’s prepared me for this week. I needed a break to get ready for a busy stretch towards the end of the year,” said the 44-year-old Thongchai.
The Indonesia Open will bring back fond memories for the former paratrooper as he won the event in 2009 and went on to lift an unprecedented third Asian Tour Order of Merit crown in the same year.
“It feels like home here. I will try my best to give myself a chance to win this tournament. There’s a strong field this week and I hope the Indonesia Open will grow even bigger on the Asian Tour,” Thongchai added.
Goosen Eyes Good Showing In Indonesia
Jakarta, November 26 - Two-time Major winner Retief Goosen of South Africa hopes to attune to the rhythm of playing good golf again when he tees off at the US$750,000 Indonesia Open on Thursday.
The 44-year-old will headline the star-studded field which include Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, Thai veteran Thongchai Jaidee, China’s Liang Wen-chong and local star Rory Hie at the Pantai Indah Kapuk course at Damai Indah Golf.
Goosen, winner of the 2001 and 2004 U.S. Open, is feeling more confident and comfortable with his swing after recovering from a back injury which curtailed most of his season last year.
“I’ve had some problems with my back last year and I’ve not played much golf since. I think I only played one month of golf last year. I feel great playing in the last three events. It has been a tough year but it’s nice to be back and playing again,” said Goosen.
“I felt like my swing is coming back a little bit when I played in South Africa last week. I just need to start making some putts. I’ve always enjoyed playing in Asia. The golf course is looking great and I’m very looking forward to this week.”
He admits that the road to recovery has not been easy. “Getting back to the rhythm of playing good golf is not easy. You got to practice a lot and give yourself a few weeks to get back to playing well again.
“Overall, I’m pretty confident with the way I’m playing now,” explained Goosen, whose last victory on the Asian Tour was the Iskandar Johor Open back in 2008.
Larrazabal, who recorded two top-10 finishes in Portugal and Shanghai in October, will put his recent run of good form to the test against Asia’s top stars.
“I love to challenge the top stars as they motivate me to play better. I need to work on my driving as I’ve been missing a lot of fairways. My iron shots are better now and my short game is still alright. My putting is getting better too. If my driver gets better, I should be able to shoot some low numbers,” said the Spaniard.
He returns to Indonesia for the first time since 2008 and will aim for a return into the winners’ circle as his last victory was back in 2011.
“It feels great to be back. I love playing golf all around the world. I played nine holes here yesterday and the golf course is looking great. I’m looking forward to playing good this week and I hope to keep up with my good form” said Larrazabal.
Fans from around the world can also watch these world class golfers in action through the live broadcast on the Asian Tour Media platform. Asian Tour Media will produce 16 hours of live coverage from the event which will be seen across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America plus further coverage and distribution generated via the highlights and magazine programmes from the event, resulting in global media exposure for all the sponsors involved in this prestigious tournament.
Established in 1974, the Indonesia Open, which is making a return onto the Asian Tour schedule after a lapse of several years, boasts of a roll of honor that includes prominent names such as the late American Payne Stewart, Frank Nobilo of New Zealand, Filipino legend Frankie Minoza, Australia’s Craig Parry, Chinese Taipei’s Lu Chien-soon, Myanmar’s Mya Aye and Thai duo Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant, who are both Asian Tour Order of Merit champions.
The 2013 Indonesia Open is supported by some of the most recognisable domestic and international brands, which include BANK BRI, Total E&P Indonesie, Pertamina, Japfa, PT. Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk, JS Luwansa Hotel & Convention Center, Harum Energy, Bintang, Subway, Beringer, Srixon, Loewe, Danone, Hypernet, Ricoh and Maui Jim.
The 44-year-old will headline the star-studded field which include Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal, Thai veteran Thongchai Jaidee, China’s Liang Wen-chong and local star Rory Hie at the Pantai Indah Kapuk course at Damai Indah Golf.
Goosen, winner of the 2001 and 2004 U.S. Open, is feeling more confident and comfortable with his swing after recovering from a back injury which curtailed most of his season last year.
“I’ve had some problems with my back last year and I’ve not played much golf since. I think I only played one month of golf last year. I feel great playing in the last three events. It has been a tough year but it’s nice to be back and playing again,” said Goosen.
“I felt like my swing is coming back a little bit when I played in South Africa last week. I just need to start making some putts. I’ve always enjoyed playing in Asia. The golf course is looking great and I’m very looking forward to this week.”
He admits that the road to recovery has not been easy. “Getting back to the rhythm of playing good golf is not easy. You got to practice a lot and give yourself a few weeks to get back to playing well again.
“Overall, I’m pretty confident with the way I’m playing now,” explained Goosen, whose last victory on the Asian Tour was the Iskandar Johor Open back in 2008.
Larrazabal, who recorded two top-10 finishes in Portugal and Shanghai in October, will put his recent run of good form to the test against Asia’s top stars.
“I love to challenge the top stars as they motivate me to play better. I need to work on my driving as I’ve been missing a lot of fairways. My iron shots are better now and my short game is still alright. My putting is getting better too. If my driver gets better, I should be able to shoot some low numbers,” said the Spaniard.
He returns to Indonesia for the first time since 2008 and will aim for a return into the winners’ circle as his last victory was back in 2011.
“It feels great to be back. I love playing golf all around the world. I played nine holes here yesterday and the golf course is looking great. I’m looking forward to playing good this week and I hope to keep up with my good form” said Larrazabal.
Fans from around the world can also watch these world class golfers in action through the live broadcast on the Asian Tour Media platform. Asian Tour Media will produce 16 hours of live coverage from the event which will be seen across Asia, Australia, the Middle East, Europe and Latin America plus further coverage and distribution generated via the highlights and magazine programmes from the event, resulting in global media exposure for all the sponsors involved in this prestigious tournament.
Established in 1974, the Indonesia Open, which is making a return onto the Asian Tour schedule after a lapse of several years, boasts of a roll of honor that includes prominent names such as the late American Payne Stewart, Frank Nobilo of New Zealand, Filipino legend Frankie Minoza, Australia’s Craig Parry, Chinese Taipei’s Lu Chien-soon, Myanmar’s Mya Aye and Thai duo Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant, who are both Asian Tour Order of Merit champions.
The 2013 Indonesia Open is supported by some of the most recognisable domestic and international brands, which include BANK BRI, Total E&P Indonesie, Pertamina, Japfa, PT. Indofood Sukses Makmur Tbk, JS Luwansa Hotel & Convention Center, Harum Energy, Bintang, Subway, Beringer, Srixon, Loewe, Danone, Hypernet, Ricoh and Maui Jim.
Rory Hie Blog: Aiming For Home Glory
In this latest blog, local hope Rory Hie talks about his challenge at the Indonesia Open where he will be battling to earn an Asian Tour card for the 2014 season. He currently sits in 89th position on the Merit list and will need to finish inside the top-60 on the final Order of Merit to earn a card for next year.
By Rory Hie
It is going to be a special week for Indonesia because there are a lot of star players coming out. The course we are playing on this week is probably one of the best in the country as well. It is a step up for the Indonesia Open so hopefully I can play well and represent my country.
I need about 30 grand to save my Asian Tour card. It will be pretty spectacular if I can save my Tour card this year given the limited events that I can play in. It will be a dream week if I can win though!
I’m hitting the ball very well and I’m getting better as the season progress. Hopefully I can put it together. You need to putt well here and control your ball flight because there’s a lot of wind here. That will be a big factor this week. The greens are also fast. You can attack the par fives and I think that’s where you can score. There are a couple of key holes that you need to be aware of.
There’s been a lot of improvement in my game this season. I made a lot of cuts in the second half of the year. I just need to finish higher on the standings.
By Rory Hie
It is going to be a special week for Indonesia because there are a lot of star players coming out. The course we are playing on this week is probably one of the best in the country as well. It is a step up for the Indonesia Open so hopefully I can play well and represent my country.
I need about 30 grand to save my Asian Tour card. It will be pretty spectacular if I can save my Tour card this year given the limited events that I can play in. It will be a dream week if I can win though!
I’m hitting the ball very well and I’m getting better as the season progress. Hopefully I can put it together. You need to putt well here and control your ball flight because there’s a lot of wind here. That will be a big factor this week. The greens are also fast. You can attack the par fives and I think that’s where you can score. There are a couple of key holes that you need to be aware of.
There’s been a lot of improvement in my game this season. I made a lot of cuts in the second half of the year. I just need to finish higher on the standings.
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Bernd Wiesberger Committed To Defend Title At 2014 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters
The Austrian, who has two victories in Europe, expressed enthusiasm to return to the Royale Jakarta Golf Club. “I'm excited to be returning to Jakarta to defend my CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters title at Royal Jakarta Golf Club, one of my favorite courses."
When Wiesberger lifted the prestigious trophy at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club last year, he promised to come back to defend his title at the Asian Tour event. "The crowds were so supportive this year, and I'm sure next year's event will be bigger and better than ever," Wiesberger added.
Asian Tour legend, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, a three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, has also agreed to play in the US$750,000 event. Title sponsor, CIMB Niaga, has committed to invite more great players to participate in the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters 2014.
“It is great to have Bernd Wiesberger back to defend his title together with Thongchai Jaidee. These two players will certainly add value and excitement to our event. We look forward to announcing more names in the months to come and are currently in talks with some impressive Star Players. CIMB Niaga is committed to growing this event year on year to make it better for our loyal customers and guests.” said Arwin Rasyid, President Director of CIMB Niaga.
Arwin added that since becoming Title Sponsor in 2012, the purpose of CIMB Niaga is very clear which is to enhance golf in Indonesia. That’s why the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters is aiming to become the right tool to optimize the potential of Indonesian players, from junior level to professional.
Asian Tour Chairman, Kyi Hla Han praised the announcement. "As the official sanctioning body for golf in the region, the Asian Tour is proud to be associated with the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. On behalf of our talented players, the Asian Tour would like to thank CIMB Niaga, who has been a tremendous title sponsor. We also welcome the wonderful news that Bernd will return to defend his title next year, said Han.
The 2014 edition of the Indonesian Masters will be played on the same (South and West) courses at the 27-hole Royale Jakarta Golf Club. George Chandra, COO of the club added: "Earlier this month during the Asia Pacific Golf Summit, Royale Jakarta was awarded with the 'Best Golf Course in Indonesia' award for the third year running, which underlines the quality of our course. This year we're making some minor changes like cutting roughs and extending greens to make play even more challenging and have more variety in pin placement for the tournament next year. Then during the upcoming tournament we will record all ball locations as inputs for a course analysis by Bob Moore, the course designer, to see if changes need to be made to bring the course to an even higher level."
The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters has cemented its place as the nations most prestigious event and continues to grow since its inauguration in 2011 with long-term event partners.
The event also focuses on giving back to the community through its charity initiatives together with Habitat for Humanity Indonesia. To date, the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters has managed to build 31 homes for families in need and together with National Energy Company, Pertamina, built a clean water solution for over 10,000 people in the Cimalaya area.
The CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters will have widespread exposure via a strong local media platform and the Asian Tour’s global television platform, which reaches out to over 200 countries and 650 million households on the Live, Highlights, Asian Tour Golf Show and Golfing World. Indonesia’s premier news channel, Metro TV, will also be broadcasting the event locally for 10 hours live and will be airing additional shows and features related to the event and the positive impact to the golf industry and overall economy of Indonesia.
Partners include Title Sponsor CIMB Niaga, Salonpas by Hisamitsu (Main Partner), Telkomsel (Official Communications Partner), Rolex (Official Time Keeper), and SvingGolf (Official Apparel),
Merapi Golf Club In Top Ten World's Deadliest Golf Courses
Jakarta, 19 November - In a recent article for the British "The Independent", journalist Zoah Hedges-Stocks lists her take on the world's 10 deadliest golf courses.
Where dangers vary from crocodiles to landmines to extreme weather, the number 7 spot is for Indonesia's Merapi Golf Club. Its location on the slopes of Indonesia's most active volcano, Mount Merapi, where as recent as 2010 122 people died after an eruption that caused parts of the golf course to be covered in lava, got it to be included in this top ten.
As most of the days the smoke spewing mountain provides just a dramatic backdrop for a great round of gold, one should never forget that danger is real here.
For the full article, please follow the link to The Independent here.
Where dangers vary from crocodiles to landmines to extreme weather, the number 7 spot is for Indonesia's Merapi Golf Club. Its location on the slopes of Indonesia's most active volcano, Mount Merapi, where as recent as 2010 122 people died after an eruption that caused parts of the golf course to be covered in lava, got it to be included in this top ten.
As most of the days the smoke spewing mountain provides just a dramatic backdrop for a great round of gold, one should never forget that danger is real here.
For the full article, please follow the link to The Independent here.
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