Maan to take on champ Els in Super Tour opener<\/p>\n
By Robert Soelistyo<\/p>\n
CIMANGGIS, West Java (JP): Local golfing hope Maan Naasim, who
\ntops the domestic money list, will challenge defending champion
\nErnie Els from South Africa in the opening round of the Johnnie
\nWalker Super Tour tees off at Emerarlda Golf and Country Club
\nhere this morning.<\/p>\n
\"I realize it will be a daunting job to try to crack a world
\nbeater like Ernie. But playing at home on a course I've been
\npracticing on for the last seven days hopefully will help me play
\nbetter,\" Maan told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
Maan, who tops the national Order of Merit after winning two
\nmajor events and finishing as runner-up in two other
\ncompetitions, was named to represent Indonesia after his
\nexcellent performances in 1997. He, together with Kasiadi from
\nYani Golf Club in Surabaya, took part in four of the 27 Asian PGA
\nTour events.<\/p>\n
Maan was drawn to play with Els, Ian Woosnam (Wales) and Hong
\nChia-Yuh (Taiwan); they will tee off at 9.30 a.m. Nick Faldo
\n(England), Jesper Parnevik (Sweden), Boonchu Ruangkit (Thailand)
\nand Felix Casas (the Philippines) make up the other group and
\nare scheduled to tee off 10 minutes later.<\/p>\n
Els, Faldo, Woosnam and Parvenik, who have just finished
\nplaying in the Million Dollar Challenge in Sun City, South Africa
\non Sunday, went directly to Australia and then on a special
\nflight to Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Prime form<\/p>\n
Despite such a long journey, the 32-year-old Els is reportedly
\nfeeling fine as he prepares to defend his Super Tour title at
\nEmeralda this morning.<\/p>\n
In the space of six days, the Tour will take the eight golfers
\non a whirlwind tour, playing four rounds of golf in four
\ndifferent nations. The player with the best aggregate score
\nfollowing the usual 72-hole strokeplay format will be declared
\nthe winner.<\/p>\n
Commencing at Emeralda, 35 kilometers south of Jakarta, the
\ntour takes off for Panya Indra Golf and Country Club in Bangkok
\nfor round two, then to the Bluewater Resort, Bocacay, the
\nPhilippines, with the champion being crowned at the Ta Shee Golf
\nClub in Taipei, Taiwan.<\/p>\n
World-number-three Els has been in a victorious vein of form
\never since his Super Tour win last year. He started 1997 with a
\nvictory at the Johhnie Walker Classic in Queensland, Australia
\nand then went on to claim his second U.S. Open at the
\nCongressional Country Club.<\/p>\n
Within a week of becoming U.S. Open champion, he won the Buick
\nClassic for the second consecutive year and became the first
\nSouth African to hold the world No. 1 position since the world
\nrankings began.<\/p>\n
In October he produced a true captain's performance to inspire
\nSouth Africa to its first Alfred Dunhill Cup triumph and recently
\nfinished two strokes ahead of Tiger Wood to clinch the PGA Grand
\nSlam.<\/p>\n
This year's Super Tour is shaping up to be yet another
\ncaptivating tournament. First place in the Tour is worth
\nUS$100,000 with the runner-up receiving $65,000. And to make it
\nmore unique in terms of collecting cash prizes, no player goes
\nhome empty-handed with eighth position worth $10,000.<\/p>\n
The Super Tour is one of the many ways the scotch whisky
\ncompany supports the growth and development of international
\ngolf. Other major golfing events supported by the company include
\nthe Ryder Cup, the Johnnie Walker Classic -- the 1998 event to be
\nstaged at Phuket, Thailand in January -- and the Johnnie Walker
\nInternational Club Championships.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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