Asian golfers head for Berlin tourney

JAKARTA (JP): Eight Asian amateur golfers from Thailand, Malaysia, Chinese Taipei, South Korea and Singapore won berths at the 1995 Berlin Mercedes Trophy world championship in October.

Sixty-four golfers, who also own Mercedes, battled it out at Bumi Serpong Damai Golf and Country Club on Thursday for eight slots in the Berlin tournament. Eight Indonesians qualified for the event.

They were picked at national selection competitions held simultaneously in their home countries last month.

PT Star Motors Indonesia, the Mercedes agent in Indonesia, staged the Indonesian selection tournament on July 6 and 7 at the newly established Riverside Golf Club near Bogor.

The eight Indonesians participating were Mardi Gaharu, Andi Djajanegara (Group A winner and runner-up), Santoso Senangsyah and Soebiyanto, Eddy Suryaputra and Abdawira Anhar and Bachrum Budiman.

"It's a pity that none of them made it into the World Finals in Berlin," Wim Ekel of Fortune PR lamented.

The one-day, 18-hole stroke play tournament used the stableford scoring system.

Indonesia's best hope, Mardhi Gaharu, was beaten by a point by Malaysian Elmer S.B Tan. Mardhi who scored 36.

The Malaysian's collected 144 points, beating Singapore by two points for the Challenge Trophy.

The eight Asian golfers eligible for the Berlin World Finals are Peera Tantasirin (Tha), Elmer S.B. Tan (Mal), I Yao Chang (Tpe), M. Mustapha Madina (Sin), Mrs Chong Suk-kwak (Kor), Chin Chang-Chang (Tpe), Rosli MD Zain (Mal) and Hee Byung-yoon (Kor)(rsl).