Craig Parry to play in Satelindo tournament

JAKARTA (JP): Following England's Mark Calcavecchia's confirmed entry in the 1997 Satelindo Indonesia Open, Australian Craig Parry has accepted an invitation to play.

The 31-year-old Parry will be one of 144 professional golfers competing for US$250,000 in prize money in the tournament, which is part of the Asia-Pacific Golf Association's Omega Tour. The four-day event will be held at the Jagorawi Golf and Country Club in Bogor from April 24 to April 27.

"We are pleased that Craig Parry has accepted our invitation," said Matio Cardinali, the executive director of Satelindo.

"With Parry and Calcavecchia in this field, the tournament should be an exciting test of how Asia's best golfers fare against two of the top players in the world," he added.

Parry, who collected US$454,203 in 1996, has won 14 tournaments worldwide since he turned pro in 1985. He won the Australian Masters in 1992, 1994 and 1996.

He also had four wins on the European PGA Tour between 1989 and 1991. And he won the 1995 Australasian Tour Order of Merit.

World-ranked 43, Parry has represented Australia in the Dunhill Cup three times and the President's Cup twice.

At the 1993 US Open, he tied for third place after sharing the first round lead with a sparkling round of 66.

"It's a tremendous opportunity for Indonesia's top pros to compete against not only the top players in Asia but also two of the best in the world: Calcavecchia and Parry," said Taufik Aziz, the Indonesian Golf Association's secretary-general.

Parry shared the second-round lead in the 1992 US Masters with Ian Woosnam before slipping to 13th place. (yan)