Diana takes early lead by one stroke

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