Denny beats Ilyassak in play-off to win PGPI Minitour title

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Denny Supriadi won the 2003 PGPI Minitour Quartasonni Putri at the Halim I golf course on Tuesday, holding off Ilyassak in a tense seven-hole play-off.

Denny, playing out of the Batam golf club, carded a two-day total of 4-under-par 140 (72 68) to tie Ilyassak at the top of the leader board after the second round.

Ilyas, playing for the Serpong golf club, took the first-round lead after firing a 68, but a disappointing round of 72 on Tuesday allowed Denny back into the event.

Denny fired three birdies on the front nine on Tuesday, with his only bogey coming on the fifth hole. On the back nine, he shot birdies on the 11th, 15th and 16th holes, offset by a bogey on the 12th.

In the play-off, the two golfers halved the 16th, 17th and 18th holes. Denny and Ilyas went back and replayed the 16th and 17th holes, again halving them. After halving the 16th hole for a third time, Denny overcame Ilyas' stubborn challenge by sinking an eight-meter birdie putt on the 17th, while Ilyas could manage only a bogey.

For his victory, Denny received Rp 10 million (US$1,200). Ilyas went home with Rp 7 million.

Indra Hermawan, a former leading amateur from the Matoa Nasional golf club, finished in third after carding a two-day total of 142 (70 72), receiving Rp 5 million for his efforts.

The minitour is organized by the Association of Professional Golfers of Indonesia (PGPI), with events taking place every three months. The aim of the minitour is to give local golfers the opportunity to play in more competitive events.

Rizal Arya from the Jakarta Golf Club was the top amateur with a two-day total of 150 (73 77).

Despite offering less prize money than the two-day minitour events at the Riverside Golf and Country Club near Bogor in June, there are more golfers taking part in the event at Halim. There were 118 golfers, including 26 pros, in the field. They come from Bandung, Surabaya, Bali, Batam and Jakarta.