Diana takes early lead by one stroke

JAKARTA (JP): The absence of national young top golfers due to SEA Games duty gave Diana Soewandi a chance to take the early lead at the Indonesian Ladies Amateur Open by one stroke after carding a 77 (37 40) at Cikarang Golf and Country Club near here yesterday.

An eight handicapper, Diana is playing under the banner of Jagorawi Golf and Country Club (JGCC), the host of last year's event, which was rated one of Asia's best and prestigious golf links. Three years ago she played for Indonesia in the BMW International in Spain.

Last year's winner of the Srikandi Cup with a three-day total score of 224, Titi Puryanti, and Jamila, who won the Kartini Cup after carding a two-day total best net score of 144, were not able to play in Cikarang yesterday. They and Ani Iman, third overall winner of last year's event with a 228, held at the JGCC, were asked by the Indonesia Golf Association to concentrate on the SEA Games.

"We decided not to field them at the Open, as they are fully needed to concentrate on the SEA Games golf competition due to tee off in two weeks' time," IGA secretary-general Taufic Aziz told The Jakarta Post.

One shot behind the leader at 78 (41 37) for second place was Dewi Suhartati of Deli Golf Club, Medan, North Sumatra. Two strokes further back tied for third place were Agustia Kaligis from Manado (41 39) and Jane Supriadi of Pondok Indah G & C (38 42). Agustia was among five young hopefuls called in to train at the SEA Games golf training center, but was not named to the Indonesian team.

The SEA Games golf championships, which will offer four gold medals to winners, will be contested at the par-72 Matoa Nasional Golf and Country Club, a favorite golf link used by President Soeharto, himself a keen golfer, for a round of golf each week.

The Indonesian Ladies Amateur Open, inaugurated in 1978 at the Rawamangun Golf Club, has for many years attracted players from ASEAN countries. The three-day event, split into three groups, features two major competitions vying for the Srikandi Cup, contested over 54 holes, and the Kartini Cup, a prestigious trophy for the winner of the 36-hole event.

Today, a field of 140 women golfers will grace the newly built layout designed by British golf legend Nick Faldo. The par-72, 5,293-meter course, located some 45 kilometers northeast of the capital, was built in 1994 and will be officially inaugurated this December after 16 months of trial operation.

PANASIA

In the PANASIA Young Champions golf tournament held in Bandung, Indra Hermawan of Pondok Cabe G & C took over the lead from overnight leader Gunawan, with a two-day score of 155 (83 72).

Gunawan, who had a 77 which put him on top of the leader board on the opening round on Tuesday, finished yesterday with a poor 82 for a two-day score of 159.

Third place was shared by two players, they were Suprapto of Pegas GC Malang, East Java, and Eric Yunus from West Java. Suprapto, winner in the 5th stop of the Association of Indonesian Golf Champions, carded a 160 (81 79). Eric also scored after an 83 in the first round on Tuesday and a 78 yesterday.

A limited field of 23 players will continue today for their third day of competition, playing at the par-72 Giri Gahana G & C at Jatinangor near Bandung.

After Bandung, the series of golf championships for young players will move to Kedaton in Tangerang.

Selected results

Indonesian Ladies Open: 77 - Diana Soewandi (JGCC) 37 40 78 - Dewi Suhartati (DEL) 41 37 80 - Agustia Kaligis (MDO) 41 39, Jane Supriadi (PIGC) 38 42 81 - Neneng K (PGB) 41 40 82 - Sri Daud Yudarana (YANI) 42 40, Jo Ann Scheid (JGCC) 41 41, Elly Mulani (JGC) 38 44 83 - Hawani Tobing (JGC) 44 39, Murni Rusli (JGC) 39 44