ASEAN golf tournament begins on BSD course

Eva C. Komandjaja, Jakarta

Junior golfers from six countries in the South East Asian region are set to take part in the 10th Junior ASEAN Golf Championship which begins on Tuesday at the Damai Indah Golf Course, Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) in Tangerang.

The six-day championship, officially opened by Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso on Monday afternoon, features 121 players from Malaysia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia.

As the host, Indonesia is competing with the bulk of the participants. Malaysia has come with the most players among the visiting teams with seven followed by Thailand (five), the Philippines (three), Singapore (two) and Vietnam (one).

The tournament, which is being held to coincide with Jakarta's 477th anniversary, will have four age categories for boys and girls: class A (age 15-17), class B (age 13-14), class C (age 11- 12) and class D (age 10 and below).

The boys class A and B plays 72 holes of stroke-play while the boys C and D and the girls will play 54 holes.

Trophies from the governor and the golf course are up for grabs.

Among the participants is last year's champion Abhinawa Sahari of Indonesia. The 14-year-old is competing in the boys class A division.

"I hope I can win the trophy back this year and I will still be using the same strategy like last year's although the weather is a bit unpredictable lately," he said.

Chairman of the Indonesian Golf Association (PGI) Haryanto Dhanutirto said that the event was also part of PGI's yearly program to promote youth golf.

"There are around only 500 young golfers in Jakarta and we have 35 golf courses in Jakarta. We have to come up with programs to improve these young golfers' skill and ability so they can compete internationally in the future," Haryanto told reporters during press conference.

He added that currently most Indonesian professional golfers were originally working as caddies before they became players.

"None of them has come from the golf youth system. Famous international golfer Tiger Woods started to play when he was six or seven years old, therefore, we have to get junior golfers starting around that age as well," he said.

According to Haryanto, competitions such as the ASEAN Junior Championships are important for young golfers to gauge their abilities against other foreign golfers.