Friday, January 24, 2014

InterContinental Bandung Dago Pakar To Open Next To Mountain View Golf Course

InterContinental Hotels Group and PT Hotel Dago Pakar have signed a management agreement for a 204-room and 19-villa hotel in Bandung, Indonesia.

Set to open this year, the InterContinental Bandung Dago Pakar is located in the city’s Dago Pakar development and promises views over the manicured greens of the 18-hole Mountain View Golf Course, as well as Bandung city.

The new hotel is also located just seven kilometres from Husein Sastranegara International Airport and under three kilometres from the commercial hub.

PT. Bandung Pakar & PT. Hotel Dago Pakar is the developer of the Dago Pakar project, which includes the 18-hole golf course, commercial, retail and residential areas as well as an international school and botanical gardens. The upcoming InterContinental Bandung Dago Pakar will be a part of the master-planned city development.

The hotel will offer one of the largest ballrooms in Bandung and there will also be an all-day dining and a specialty restaurant. Guests who want to keep fit will be able to make use of the health club facilities in the hotel, or indulge in a relaxing massage at the spa.

Clarence Tan, Chief Operating Officer, South East Asia and Resorts, IHG, said, “Indonesia is a key market for IHG, and home to one of our largest development pipelines in South East Asia. The new Indonesian property is a strategic part of our expansion plans for the InterContinental Hotels & Resorts brand, which will more than double in the country during the same period. InterContinental Bandung Dago Pakar will provide a host of exceptional experiences for our guests and cater to those looking for the very best accommodation and facilities.”

Thursday, January 23, 2014

In Memoriam: Fraser Bell

Fraser Bell, the ever charming and charismatic and long-time General Manager of Hotel Menara Peninsula, sadly passed away on Wednesday evening, January 22, after having suffered from a severe stroke some two weeks ago.

For the past decade we at Indogolf Travel have worked closely with Fraser and his team in accommodating hundreds of golfers that we brought to Jakarta and Indonesia. At Menara Peninsula our guests were automatically upgraded to their Club Floor, and like a true host Fraser never ceased to inquire if our guests were looked after well. Under his charismatic leadership, the latter was never in doubt.

It is with great sadness that I write this note for a man that I had the pleasure of knowing for such a long time, and who had a tremendously big heart for all that is good for “his” beloved Indonesia.

Inbound golf travel had his utmost attention and anytime Fraser and I met, his first two questions always were “How are things going with golf in Indonesia?” and “Do you need any help?”

At Indogolf Travel, our thoughts go out to his daughter Michelle and his beloved Eka, who were by his side till the very end. Our thoughts also go out to all who have worked with Fraser, and especially to his team at the hotel, who under his “open” leadership, reached levels of service and professionalism so much desired in our hospitality industry.

Last but not least, our thoughts go out to his close friends that found in him a “true buddy” and a friend they could always count on.

May the Lord reserve the best seat in the house for you, Fraser. You’ll be missed tremendously.

Dennis and Ivo & the team at IndoGolf Travel

Sunday, January 12, 2014

George Gandranata Misses Win By One Shot, Jordan Irawan Tenth At Jakarta Invitational

Jakarta, January 11 - Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert savored a memorable week at the inaugural Linc Group Jakarta Invitational when he shot a one-under-par 70 to claim a maiden Asian Development Tour (ADT) victory on Saturday.

American James Bowen, Malaysia’s Iain Steel and Canadian Lindsay Renolds were also rewarded with 2014 Asian Tour cards after finishing inside the top-four of the final 2013 ADT Order of Merit, topped by Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung, who had already secured his card through the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit.

Indonesia'stop player Rory Hie (72) finished in 8th position, while Indonesian amateur Jordan Irawan managed to get back in a share of tenth place with a final round 71.

Pavit, one of the most promising stars to emerge from Thailand, compiled a four-day total of nine-under-par 275 for a one-shot victory over Japan’s Mitsuhiko Hashizume and joint overnight leader, George Gandranata of Indonesia. They closed with rounds of 68 and 71 respectively at the Jababeka Golf and Country Club.

England’s Grant Jackson, who needed a victory to break into top four on the ADT merit list, settled for fourth on 277 while Chan Shih-chang of Chinese Taipei battled to a 69 to finish fifth at the US$60,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event, which is the season finale for the 2013 ADT schedule.

Pavit, who turned professional in 2007, reveled in delight after clinching his first professional win outside of Thailand. The victory also moved him up to seventh on the final ADT rankings after winning US$10,500 and earning six Official World Golf Ranking points.

“I never thought I could win. It is my first professional win outside of Thailand. George played really well this week. I think I was just luckier than him. My three birdies in the front nine gave me an advantage,” said the 24-year-old.

“My game is good right now. I hope I can play well at the King’s Cup Golf Hua Hin (on the Asian Tour) next week as well. If I can get a good finish, I would not have to go to Qualifying School. I’m looking forward to it and we will see how it goes,” added Pavit.

Despite missing out on a win, Gandranata remained optimistic that his first career victory will come soon. This week’s event has prepared him for the Asian Tour Qualifying School in Thailand next month.

“It was a good week for me. This is my first time being in the lead on the ADT. I stuck to my plan all week. I only made three bogeys in total so I’m happy with how I played. I could’ve done a lot of things better but this would be a good experience for me,” said the 27-year-old, who traded two birdies against two bogeys today.

After a season long battle on the burgeoning ADT, Bowen, Steel and Renolds are relishing the opportunity of playing on the region’s premier Tour.

Bowen compiled a season’s haul of US$39,824 to finish second on the Order of Merit and hopes the experience of playing on the ADT will prepare him for tough test against the Asian Tour stars in the new season.

“The ADT has been a great stepping stone for me. I gained world ranking points and it helped put me on the world map as well. It has been great playing on the ADT in 2013. I’m really excited now that I’ve got my card. I can’t wait to play on the Asian Tour,” said Bowen, who claimed two victories on the ADT in 2013.

Malaysia’s Steel, who finished tied 33rd at the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational, was delighted to get his Asian Tour career back on track after losing his Tour card two seasons ago.

“This is a second chance for me. I feel really good getting back to where I belong after missing out on the card for two years. I’m looking forward to get back on the Asian Tour. The ADT has been a great platform for me to sharpen my game,” said Steel.

Steel, who claimed two consecutive wins on the ADT in 2013, claimed third place on the Order of Merit with total earnings of US$37,135 while Renolds settled for fourth with US$35,975.

It has been a nervous week for Renolds, who carded a final round 74 to tie for 25th position. He could have missed the Asian Tour card for the second consecutive year if Jackson had won this week.

“It was a really close one for me. I am just glad I managed to keep my card. The ADT has served as a platform for me to practice my game. I had a great experience playing on the ADT for the last two years,” said the Canadian, who enjoyed a relatively good season with seven top-10 finishes to get to where he is on the merit list despite not claiming any wins.

The ADT was launched in 2010 with five tournaments before growing to eight in 2011 and 13 in 2012. This week’s final event was the 16th leg of the season.

Leading final round scores:

275 - Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 69 66 70 70

276 - Mitsuhiko HASHIZUME (JPN) 68 70 70 68, George GANDRANATA (INA) 66 68 71 71

277 - Grant JACKSON (ENG) 69 72 67 69

278 - CHAN Shih-chang (TPE) 71 68 70 69

279 - Jack MUNRO (AUS) 68 70 71 70

282 - Anthony KANG (USA) 73 71 69 69

284 - Rory HIE (INA) 70 71 71 72

285 - James BOWEN (USA) 75 68 70 72

288 - Wolmer MURILLO (VEN) 75 72 72 69, Jordan IRAWAN (A) (INA) 72 71 74 71, Jake STIRLING (AUS) 72 71 73 72

Selected:

289 - Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA) 72 74 72 71

290 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 72 73 74 71, Benny KASIADI (INA) 75 71 71 73, William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 75 69 71 75

292 - Denny A. WIJAYA (INA) 73 71 75 73, Ilyasyak (INA) 70 75 74 73

293 - Maan NASIM (INA) 71 71 74 77

294 - Jamel ONDO (INA) 76 71 71 76

295 - Andik MAULUDIN (INA) 70 80 71 74

296 - Kevin C. AKBAR (A) (INA) 77 77 72 70

298 = Ramadhan ALWIE (INA) 75 74 74 75

299 - Nicholas SMITS (A) (NED) 78 70 72 79, Danny MASRIN (A) (USA) 74 74 77 74, Asep SAEFULLOH (INA) 77 76 72 74

300 - Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA) 76 76 72 76

302 - Hardjito (INA) 74 73 77 78, Ade SEBUL (INA) 73 74 77 78, Asep CAPRIE (INA) 78 74 73 77

303 - S SANUSI (INA) 77 72 76 78, Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA) 78 74 77 74

304 - SIM Min Sub (A) (INA) 72 80 78 74

310 = Joeh SEIK (A) (INA) 75 79 80 76

311 - Bramantio ADI (INA) 73 75 81 82, Sarmilih (INA) 77 76 79 79

Friday, January 10, 2014

George Gandranata Maintains Share Of Lead At Jakarta Invitational

Jakarta, January 10 - Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert charged into the lead with overnight leader George Gandranata after posting a third round one-under-par 70 at the inaugural Linc Group Jakarta Invitational on Friday.

Pavit compiled a three-day total of eight-under-par 205 to tie with Gandranata, who returned with a 71, at the US$60,000 event, which is the season finale for the 2013 Asian Development Tour (ADT) schedule.

The leading duo hold a three-shot lead over ADT winners Mitsuhiko Hashizume of Japan and England’s Grant Jackson, who shared third place after signing for rounds of 67 and 70 respectively at the Jababeka Golf and Country Club.

Ranked fifth on the ADT Order of Merit, Jackson will need to win this week to break inside the top-four on the final Merit list to earn a 2014 Asian Tour card. He is a mere US$9,000 from third placed Iain Steel and US$8,000 from fourth placed Lindsay Renolds of Canada on the Order of Merit.

With Steel and Renolds currently placed tied-35th and tied-25th respectively at the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational, Jackson have a strong opportunity to overtake them on the Merit ranking if he wins this week.

James Bowen of the United States, ranked second on the Order of Merit, has virtually sealed his Asian Tour card for next season as he sits in tied-eight place after three days.

Indonesia's top-ranked player Rory Hie (71) lost a place and is currently in 7th place, while William Sjaichudin (71) gained 2 places to tenth. Best amateur remains Jordan Irawan (74), though he had to concede 4 places and dropped out of the top ten to a tie of 13th.

Pavit, who marked his card with four birdies against three bogeys, was red hot off the tees as he battled his way into contention.

“My driving was good but I didn’t perform well with my irons. I’m very excited about tomorrow. I will definitely try my best and we will see how it goes,” said the 24-year-old Thai.

Gandranata, who held the lead since the first round, continued to stay in prime position of winning his very first ADT title despite making his first bogey of the week on par-four 10th hole.

“I made a lot of good putts for par. I guess that’s what kept me going today. Ball striking was not my best and the pin positions were tough as well. Hopefully my ball striking will be good tomorrow. I’m just going to play one shot at a time and not think too much about winning. I look forward to playing with Pavit again tomorrow. He is a good player,” said the 27-year-old.

Meanwhile Jackson will go all out to try and win the event as he trails the leaders by three shots. “I’m feeling good with how I’ve played so far. I try not to worry about how the others are doing. I just want to concentrate on my own game. I think that will be good enough,” said the Englishman, who had signed for the day’s lowest score.

Currently third on the Order of Merit, Steel knows a good finish this week will boost his rankings and put him a step closer to earning an Asian Tour card for 2014.

“My game is getting a bit rusty actually as I’ve not played for almost three weeks but I didn’t expect myself to finish so close to the cut-off line yesterday. My back pain was acting up as well. I kind of worked on my mental game a bit and I’m glad I played better today. I was more patient,” said Steel, who claimed two consecutive wins on the ADT in 2013.

“Regaining my Asian Tour card for 2014 has obviously been the topic this week but I just want to focus on my own game right now and not think about others. Hopefully I can finish well tomorrow to maintain my ranking on the merit list,” added the 42-year-old Malaysian.

With current number one Nicholas Fung of Malaysia having already secured his Asian Tour card through the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, the next best three players on the ADT rankings will be ‘promoted’ after this week’s final tournament.

The winner of the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational will take home a prize purse of US$10,500 and receive six Official World Golf Ranking points. The top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

Leading third round scores:

205 - Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 69 66 70, George GANDRANATA (INA) 66 68 71

208 - Grant JACKSON (ENG) 69 72 67, Mitsuhiko HASHIZUME (JPN) 68 70 70

209 - CHAN Shih-chang (TPE) 71 68 70, Jack MUNRO (AUS) 68 70 71

212 - Rory HIE (INA) 70 71 71

213 - Anthony KANG (USA) 73 71 69, James BOWEN (USA) 75 68 70

215 - William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 75 69 71

Selected:

216 - Maan NASIM (INA) 71 71 74

217 - Benny KASIADI (INA) 75 71 71, Jordan IRAWAN (A) (INA) 72 71 74

218 - Jamel ONDO (INA) 76 71 71, Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA) 72 74 72

219 - Ilyasyak (INA) 70 75 74, Ian ANDREW (INA) 72 73 74, Denny A. WIJAYA (INA) 73 71 75

220 - Nicholas SMITS (A) (NED) 78 70 72

221 - Andik MAULUDIN (INA) 70 80 71

223 - Ramadhan ALWIE (INA) 75 74 74

224 - Hardjito (INA) 74 73 77, Ade SEBUL (INA) 73 74 77, Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA) 76 76 72

225 - Danny MASRIN (A) (USA) 74 74 77, S SANUSI (INA) 77 72 76, Asep CAPRIE (INA) 78 74 73, Asep SAEFULLOH (INA) 77 76 72

226 - Kevin C. AKBAR (A) (INA) 77 77 72

229 - Bramantio ADI (INA) 73 75 81, Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA) 78 74 77

230 - SIM Min Sub (A) (INA) 72 80 78

232 - Sarmilih (INA) 77 76 79

234 - Joeh SEIK (A) (INA) 75 79 80

Thursday, January 9, 2014

George Gandranata Holds On To Top Spot, Jordan Irawan Breaks Top Ten At Jakarta Invitational

Jakarta, January 9 - Overnight leader George Gandranata of Indonesia hogged the limelight for the second day after shooting a flawless three-under-par 68 to lead at the halfway stage of the inaugural Linc Group Jakarta Invitational on Thursday.

The promising talent totaled eight-under-par 134 for a one-shot lead over Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert, who returned with the day’s lowest score of 66, at the US$60,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event, which is the season finale for the 2013 ADT schedule.

Australian Jack Munro and Japanese Mitushiko Hashizume posted identical 70s to share third place while Chinese Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang battled to a 68 for fourth at the Jababeka Golf and Country Club.

England’s Grant Jackson, who is fighting to get into top four on the ADT Order of Merit to earn his 2014 Asian Tour card, signed for a 72 to tie for sixth alongside Indonesia’s highest ranked golfer, Rory Hie on 141.

Two more Indonesians are currently in the top ten with Maan Nassim 8th at even par while amateur Jordan Irawan moves up to a tie for 9th at 1-over.

James Bowen of the United States, Malaysia’s Iain Steel and Canadian Lindsay Renolds, who are fighting to earn an Asian Tour card by finishing as the top-four players on the 2013 ADT Order of Merit, were placed in tied-ninth, tied-34th and tied-42nd respectively.

The 27-year-old Gandranata was delighted to stay on track for his first ADT victory after shooting three birdies.
George Gandranata in 2nd round of the Jakarta Invitational
© Asian Development Tour


“I didn’t hit it as well as I did yesterday but I had a good start. I am pretty pleased with my game today. The course is not playing easy. A mistake out there can change anything. I’ve got a plan on how to attack this golf course. I’ll stick to it for the next two rounds and we will see how it goes,” said Gandranata, who has been playing on the ADT regularly since turning professional in 2012.

Meanwhile Pavit charged into contention after chipping in for eagle from 84 yards on the 16th hole to stay one shot back from the leader.

“I felt like I was on fire after that eagle and I moved on to make a birdie on the 17th,” said smiled the 24-year-old Thai, who claimed three top-five finishes on the ADT in 2013.

“The weather is hot and the greens are tough out there. I had to work on my mental game. My season was not bad last year. The three top-five finishes gave me a lot of confidence in my game,” added Pavit.

Renolds, ranked fourth on the Order of Merit, hopes to overcome a nerve-wracking week as Jackson could very well overtake him on the Merit list should the Englishman win this week.

“To be honest, I’m playing terrible. I really need to get my form going right now. We still have two days to go so hopefully I can turn things around. I would be lying to you if I say I’m not thinking about keeping my Asian Tour card for 2014. Grant (Jackson) is playing very well. Hopefully I can put something together,” said the Phuket-based Renolds, who has eight top-10 finishes on the ADT in 2013.

The halfway cut was set at 12-over-par 154 with 58 players advancing to the final two rounds.

With current number one Nicholas Fung of Malaysia having already secured his Asian Tour card through the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, the next best three players on the ADT rankings will be ‘promoted’ after this week’s final tournament.

The winner of the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational will take home a prize purse of US$10,500 and receive six Official World Golf Ranking points. The top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

The ADT was launched in 2010 with five tournaments before growing to eight in 2011 and 13 in 2012. This week’s final event will be the 16th leg of the season.

Leading second round scores:

134 - George GANDRANATA (INA) 66 68

135 - Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA) 69 66

138 - Mitsuhiko HASHIZUME (JPN) 68 70, Jack MUNRO (AUS) 68 70

139 - CHAN Shih-chang (TPE) 71 68

141 - Grant JACKSON (ENG) 69 72, Rory HIE (INA) 70 71

142 - Maan NASIM (INA) 71 71

143 - Jordan IRAWAN (A) (INA) 72 71, Jake STIRLING (AUS) 72 71, James BOWEN (USA) 75 68

Selected:

144 - Denny A. WIJAYA (INA) 73 71, William SJAICHUDIN (INA) 75 69

145 - Ian ANDREW (INA) 72 73, Ilyasyak (INA) 70 75

146 - Benny KASIADI (INA) 75 71, Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA) 72 74

147 - Jamel ONDO (INA) 76 71, Ade SEBUL (INA) 73 74, Hardjito (INA) 74 73

148 - Nicholas SMITS (A) (NED), Bramantio ADI (INA) 73 75, Danny MASRIN (A) (USA) 74 74

149 - S SANUSI (INA) 77 72, Ramadhan ALWIE (INA) 75 74

150 - Andik MAULUDIN (INA) 70 80

152 - Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA) 76 76, Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA) 78 74, Asep CAPRIE (INA) 78 74, SIM Min Sub (A) (INA) 72 80

153 - Asep SAEFULLOH (INA) 77 76, Sarmilih (INA) 77 76

154 - Kevin C. AKBAR (A) (INA) 77 77, Joeh SEIK (A) (INA) 75 79

CUT

155 - Akmin (A) (INA) 76 79

160 - Hendri SUCIPTO (INA) 83 77, Rudianto R (INA) 78 82, Ade PURWAJI (INA) 78 82

161 - Denni HERMAWAN (INA) 82 79

162 - CHOI Won-jun (A) (INA) 82 80

164 - Dede IDRIS (INA) 81 83, Warno (INA) 82 82, Andi Atmo (INA) 82 82, Randy Mawuntu (INA) 83 81

165 - Zulharmen TABUSALLA (INA) 80 85

167 - Dana (A) (INA) 87 80, Sujarwo S (INA) 81 86

169 - Pudio (INA) 83 86

170 - Wisnu INDRAJAYA (INA) 84 86

173 - Sahabudin (INA) 86 87

90 - Joko (INA) 90 WDN

Indonesia's Top Ten Golf Courses Announced

In the upcoming edition of Golf Digest's Planet Golf, the best courses from 205 individual countries are selected to come up with a list of the best courses in the world by country.

From the around 140 courses in Indonesia the courses that 'made the cut' are:
  1. Nirwana Bali GC, Tabanan, Bali ★
  2. Taman Dayu GC & Resort, Surabaya, East Java
  3. Rancamaya G&CC, Jakarta, West Java
  4. Royale Jakarta GC, (West/South), Jakarta, West Java
  5. Damai Indah Golf (Pantai Indah Kapuk), Jakarta, West Java
  6. Ria Bintan GC (Ocean Course), Lagoi, Bintan
  7. Damai Indah Golf (Bumi Serpong Damai), Tangerang, West Java
  8. Jagorawi G&CC (New Course), Bogor, West Java
  9. Gunung Geulis CC, Bogor, West Java
  10. Jagorawi G&CC (Old Course), Bogor, West Java
★ Nirwana Bali GC is the only Indonesian course ranked in Golf Digest's World 100 Greatest Courses in 52nd place.

To know which courses from other countries are among the world's best, follow the link here.

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

George Gandranata Takes First Round Lead At Jakarta Invitational

Jakarta, January 8 - Local talent George Gandranata set the stage alight when he shot an opening five-under-par 66 to lead the inaugural Linc Group Jakarta Invitational on Wednesday.

Gandranata fired a flawless round highlighted by five birdies for a two-shot advantage over Japanese Mitsuhiko Hashizume and Australian Jack Munro, who signed for matching 68s to tie on second place at the Jababeka Golf and Country Club.
George Gandranata in first round of Jakarta Invitational
©Asian Development Tour


England’s Grant Jackson, who is fighting to get into top four on the ADT Order of Merit to earn his 2014 Asian Tour card, shot a 69 to share fourth place with Thailand Pavit Tangkamolprasert at the US$60,000 Asian Development Tour (ADT) event, which is the season finale for the 2013 ADT schedule.

Local hopefuls Rory Hie, Andik Mauludin and IIyasyak were a further shot back to share sixth place with Man O Im of the United States, who fired a magical hole-in-one on the par-three sixth hole.

Gandranata, a regular on the ADT since turning professional in 2012, credited his growing experience for helping him shoot into the lead. “I managed to hit a lot of greens. The course is quite long for me and it can be quite tough to make good judgements out there but I am glad I got help from a senior caddy. I’m sticking to the same plan for the next three days. Hopefully I can score as well,” said the 27-year-old who is aiming for a maiden win on the ADT.

“Playing on the ADT has really helped my game. It has given me a lot of experience playing with the professionals out here. I think I will still play on the ADT even if I earn my Asian Tour card through the Qualifying School next month. The competition is really good here and it gives you the opportunity to hone your game,” added Gandranata.

Hashizume hopes to end his 2013 season on a high note as he sets his eyes on a second win on the ADT. “It was a lucky day for me as I made a lot of long putts. I haven’t been playing well after winning on the ADT last year but I am starting to pick up on my game again. Hopefully I can shoot a lower score tomorrow,” said the Japanese, who claimed his maiden win in Malaysia.

Munro kept his hopes high for a maiden win on the ADT as he got off to a good start. “I hit the ball good. I think the course suits my game a lot. It’s long and the greens are softer, maybe because of the rain earlier. Hopefully I can hole more putts tomorrow and make it to the weekend rounds,” said the 26-year-old Australian.

Jackson needs nothing less than a victory at the Jababeka course to stand a chance of overhauling fourth placed Lindsay Renolds of Canada and earn his Asian Tour card.

“The course is really long. The rain delay didn’t help but overall, I’m pleased with my round. I tried not to put pressure on myself. I think it’s all parts and parcel of the game. I’ve been in this position before so I just want to do my best and we will how it goes,” said Jackson, who is currently fifth on the ADT Order of Merit.

With current number one Nicholas Fung of Malaysia having already secured his Asian Tour card through the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, the next best three players on the ADT rankings will be ‘promoted’ after this week’s final tournament.

The winner of the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational will take home a prize purse of US$10,500 and receive six Official World Golf Ranking points. The top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

Leading first round scores (A denotes amateur):

66 - George GANDRANATA (INA)

68 - Mitsuhiko HASHIZUME (JPN), Jack MUNRO (AUS)

69 - Grant JACKSON (ENG), Pavit TANGKAMOLPRASERT (THA)

70 - Rory HIE (INA), Andik MAULUDIN (INA), Ilyasyak (INA), Man O IM (USA)

Selected:

72 - Jordan IRAWAN (A) (INA), Ian ANDREW (INA), Junaidi IBRAHIM (INA)

73 - Bramantyo ADI (INA), Denny A. WIJAYA (INA), Ade SEBUL (INA)

74 - Danny MASRIN (A) (USA), Hardjito (INA)

75 - Benny KASIADI (INA), William SJAICHUDIN (INA), Ramadhan ALWIE (INA)

76 - Akmin (A) (INA), Kurnia Herisiandy SANTOSO (INA), Jamel ONDO (INA)

77 - S SANUSI (INA), Asep SAEFULLOH (INA), Kevin C. AKBAR (A) (INA), Sarmilih (INA)

78 - Nicholas SMITS (A) (NED), Rudianto R (INA), Rinaldi ADIYANDONO (INA), Asep CAPRIE (INA)

80 - Zulharmen TABUSALLA (INA), Sujarwo S (INA), Dede IDRIS (INA)

82 - Denni HERMAWAN (INA), Warno (INA), Andi Atmo (INA), CHOI Won-jun (A) (INA)

83 - Hendri SUCIPTO (INA), Pudio (INA), Randy Mawuntu (INA)

84 - Wisnu INDRAJAYA (INA)

86 - Sahabudin (INA)

87 - Dana (A) (INA)

90 - Joko (INA)

Rory Hie Looking For Home Glory At Linc Group Jakarta Invitational

Jakarta, January 7 - England’s Grant Jackson will have everything to play for when he tees off at the season-ending US$60,000 Linc Group Jakarta Invitational on Wednesday as a second win on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) might earn him a 2014 Asian Tour card.

Jackson, currently fifth on the ADT Order of Merit with a season’s haul of US$27,180, will have to win the inaugural event staged at the Jababeka Golf and Country Club to stand a fighting chance to earn a card on the region’s premier Tour in 2014.

American James Bowen, Malaysia’s Iain Steel and Canadian Lindsay Renolds, currently second, third and fourth, will also bid to maintain their positions on the Order of Merit which will afford them playing rights on the Asian Tour next season.

With current number one Nicholas Fung of Malaysia having already earned his card through the Asian Tour Order of Merit, the next highest ranked three players on the ADT Merit list will be “promoted” onto the Asian Tour.

Jackson, who claimed his breakthrough win on the ADT in Malaysia last April, hopes to fulfill his goal of playing on the Asian Tour by putting up a good show among the talented contenders this week.

“This week is kind of crucial for me as I would need to win to possibly get into top four on the final ADT Order of Merit. Securing an Asian Tour card for 2014 means a lot to me. It’s the reason why I came to play in Asia and it’s been my only goal for the year,” said Jackson.

“It’s a shame I didn’t put myself in a better position coming to the final tournament but I guess that’s how it goes. All the guys play well to win here on the ADT. I will try my best and we will see how things go this week,” added the 32-year-old Englishman.

Meanwhile Renolds has set a high target for himself heading into the final event on the 2013 ADT season, where he hopes to close the season by finishing second on the Order of Merit and claim his first ADT victory.

“Now that Fung has already saved his Asian Tour card, I’m aiming for the second position. The only way I can make sure I maintain my position is to aim higher. My form is good lately so I’m aiming higher this time,”said the 27-year-old, who has eight top-10 finishes on the ADT in 2013.

“Last year was great despite not getting any win. Of course it would be great if I can win but I have been very pleased with how I performed this season. Hopefully I can play well this week to keep my Asian Tour card for 2014,” added the Phuket-based Renolds.

Local talent Rory Hie hopes to prove his worth again as he challenges for home glory.

“I had a tough experience at the Asian Tour’s Indonesian Open a couple of weeks ago. I was playing well at the start but got impatient in the last round. I learnt my lesson from that experience. I feel like my game is in good form so I am looking forward to play well this week,” said Hie, the highest ranked golfer in Indonesia.

The winner of the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational will take home a prize purse of US$10,500 and receive six Official World Golf Ranking points. The top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

Monday, January 6, 2014

Bowen Eyes Record Third Win At Linc Group Jakarta Invitational

Jakarta, January 6 - James Bowen of the United States will be aiming to close with a record third Asian Development Tour (ADT) title in a single season when he tees off at the inaugural US$60,000 Linc Group Jakarta Invitational on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old, who claimed two ADT victories including a breakthrough win in Jakarta last year, is hoping to start the year with a good result at the 2013 season-ending ADT event staged at the Jababeka Golf & Country Club.

“I’ve got good memories here and it’s great to be back again. 2013 has been a great year for me. I hope to start off the year with a good result so I can end the last season by being the first to win three events in one season on the ADT,” said Bowen, who is currently second on the ADT Order of Merit with a season’s haul of US$38,444.

Bowen looks very likely to earn an Asian Tour card for 2014 as he sits comfortably in second position on the Order of Merit with earnings of US$38,444.

With current number one Nicholas Fung of Malaysia having already earned his card through the Asian Tour Order of Merit, the next highest ranked three players on the ADT Merit list will be “promoted” onto the Asian Tour.

“I am really looking forward to playing on the Asian Tour! Playing on the ADT definitely helped a lot in my game,” said Bowen.

Meanwhile, Iain Steel of Malaysia, the first player to win back-to-back ADT tournaments in 2013, will also be eyeing for a third victory to boost his rankings on the Order of Merit, where he currently sits behind Bowen in third position on US$36,623.

“The goal for me to play on the ADT was always to try and regain my Asian Tour card. It is a great platform because we get to earn world ranking points as well. With the two wins last year, I am glad I managed to put myself in a good position to secure my Asian Tour card,” said the experienced Steel, who claimed consecutive victories in Chinese Taipei and Malaysia last August.

Other top ADT players who will be contending for honors include Japan’s Masaru Takahashi, Canadian Lindsay Renolds, England’s Grant Jackson and local talents Rory Hie, George Gandranata and Benny Kasiadi.

It will be a jostle for Renolds and Jackson on the Order of Merit as the former, ranked fourth, trails Steel by slightly over US$1,000 while fifth ranked Jackson needs a big week to add to his season’s haul of US$27,180.

The winner of the Linc Group Jakarta Invitational will take home a prize purse of US$10,500 and receive six Official World Golf Ranking points. The top six players and ties will also earn points based on a sliding scale.

The ADT was launched in 2010 with five tournaments before growing to eight in 2011 and 13 in 2012.

OneAsia 2014 Tournament Calendar

HONG KONG, Jan 6 - OneAsia's 2014 season is set for another highly competitive start in March with the first two tournaments once again co-sanctioned by the Japan Golf Tour Organisation.

The season proper starts with the Thailand Open at Thana City Golf and Sports Club from March 13 - 16 and is followed a fortnight later by the Indonesia PGA Championship at Damai Indah Golf's Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) course (March 27 - 30).

According to a provisional schedule released on Monday, the tour then moves to China for the European Tour co-sanctioned Volvo China Open — celebrating its 20th edition in 2014 — at Genzon Golf Club in Shenzhen from April 24 - 27.

"OneAsia is all about providing more lucrative tournament opportunities for our members and these co-sanctioned events certainly offer players the chance to expand their horizons," said Chairman and Commissioner Sang Y. Chun.

"In our sixth year, we are looking forward to our best season to date, with some fantastic golf tournaments at great venues across the Asia-Pacific."

Before the first tournament, however, the season gets underway with Q-School in California later this month and a second opportunity for prospective OneAsia players in Malaysia in March.

The Los Angeles leg takes place at Industry Hills Golf Club's Eisenhower Course at Pacific Palms Resort from January 28 - 31, while Sutera Harbour Golf & Country Club in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, will host the Malaysia leg from March 5 - 8. Full details and application forms for Q-School are available here.

With a few dates still to be confirmed by OneAsia's founding partners and officials working on finding more tournament opportunities, the provisional schedule is as follows:

DatesTournamentVenuePurse
Jan 28-31Q-school LAIndustry Hills Golf Club-
Mar 5-8Q-school SabahSutera Harbour Golf & Country Club-
Mar 13-16Thailand Open *Thana City Golf and Sports Club
Mar 27-30Indonesia PGA Championship *Damai Indah Golf (BSD)US$1m
Apr 24-27Volvo China Open ^Genzon Golf ClubRMB20b
May 8-11GS Caltex Maekyung OpenNamseoul Country ClubKRW1b
May 15-18SK Telecom OpenPinx Golf ClubKRW1b
TBAFiji International +Natadola Bay Golf and Country ClubUS$1m
Sept 25-28Nanshan China MastersNanshan International Golf ClubUS$1m
Oct 23-26Kolon Korea OpenWoo Jeong Hills Country ClubKRW1b
Dec 5-7Dongfeng Nissan CupCTS Tycoon Club-
TBAEmirates Australian Open +The Australian Golf ClubA$1.25m
TBAAustralian PGA Championship +RACV Royal Pines ResortA$1.25m

* Co-sanctioned by the JGTO
^ Co-sanctioned by the European Tour
+ Co-sanctioned by PGA Tour of Australasia