Dayu golf meet gives entry for PON 2004

Yoni Astuti Contributor Surabaya, East Java

The Indonesian Amateur Golf Association (PGI) will use next month's Indonesian Open as a qualifying event for the 2004 National Sports Championships (PON).

The Indonesian Open, a national amateur golf tournament, will be held at the Taman Dayu Golf Club in Pandaan, East Java, from July 8 to July 11.

The competition will be divided into two events. The 72-hole Event A will be for players with a handicap under nine, while the 36-hole Event B will be for those with a handicap of between 15 and nine.

Each event is limited to 140 players. The practice round will be on July 7.

Abdul Hamid, the chairman of PGI's East Java chapter, said the 2003 Indonesian Open, where between four and five players from a number of provinces will be given tournament entries, would be the first-stage qualifying event for the next PON, which is scheduled to be held in Palembang, South Sumatra.

The second stage of qualification will follow in Jakarta, though no date has yet been set.

He said to qualify for PON players would have to shoot better than eight-over-par during the four-day tournament.

"If the players succeed in shooting this they will automatically pass the qualification requirement and will not have to play in the second qualifying event in Jakarta," Hamid said.

The women's selection will be held in Palembang next year.

PON will be limited to 86 men's golfers, a significant increase from the 2000 PON in Surabaya where only 56 berths were provided.

Hamid said the PGI would study the possibility of the Indonesian Open amateur golf championship being held annually as part of the PGI's campaign to improve golf in the country.

Meanwhile, Hausman T. Babu, a member of the management team of the Taman Dayu Golf Club, said they would ready the golf course to provide the challenge level needed for a professional golf tournament.