Five RI golfers in Erickson Master

JAKARTA (JP): Victory at the East Java Open won Burhan Bora a chance for more a prestigious and richer cash prize as he and four top national golfers join the US$500,000 Asia-Pacific Erickson Masters in Bintan Lagoon Golf & Beach Resort, in Riau next week.

Burhan produced a course record of 66 to win the East Java Open title at the Ciputra Golf Club in Surabaya, and will play in the Indonesian team in the Bintan championship from Sept. 11 to Sept. 14.

"We decided to include Burhan in the Erickson Masters because of his achievement in winning the East Java Open. We hope he plays even better in Bintan when he faces world rated players from Europe, the U.S. and Asia," Indonesia Golf Association secretary-general Taufik Aziz told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

The Asia Pacific Erickson Masters tournament is the 14th stop on the 24-leg 1997 Omega Tour being played in 16 Asia-Pacific countries. It offers total cash prizes of nearly US$7 million.

The other four Indonesian golfers to tee off in the Bintan tournament are Kasiadi, Maan Naasim, Bahtiar and Iljasak.

Kasiadi made Indonesian golf history in 1989 by becoming the first local player to win the Indonesian Open.

Maan and Kasiadi have played in three Omega Tours -- the Indonesian Open at Jagorawi last April, the Sabah Masters, and the Singapore Open last August.

Maan played in the BMW International Open in Germany last week, but was eliminated after the second round with 165 (66 69).

He has been invited to challenge the world's great golfers Ernie Els, Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam in the annual US$350,000 Johnnie Walker Super Tour from Dec. 9 to Dec. 14.

Kasiadi, who came equal 30th in the Indonesian Open, improved his game to finish second in the Sabah Masters and equal fourth in the Singapore Open.

Burhan, who was seven strokes behind overnight leader Kasiadi as he entered the final round of the East Java Open, defeated Kasiadi by one shot after a tremendous finishing the round with a 66 (33 33). This is Burhan's first major title since turning pro three years ago. (rsl)