Golfers upbeat on good results

JAKARTA (JP): Participants of the Rp 200 million (US$18,350) fifth JJGF Open Golf Championship expressed their eagerness to tee-off on Thursday, while expecting positive results from the new course at Jagorawi Golf and Country Club in Bogor.

"I'll have to sharpen my mental powers to master this course. I'll have to play aggressively and avoid playing safe to net a good result," Indonesian golfer Ilyassak told reporters.

"I used to play safe to avoid the out-of-bounds, but my fears always worsen my play so I've decided to attack the course," he added.

Ilyassak, currently third in money rank, was speaking at a news conference ahead of the four-day tournament, which starts on Thursday and Friday with the 36-hole cut-off. The final round will take place on Saturday and Sunday.

A pro-am tournament will take place on Wednesday prior to the open tournament.

Also present at the conference was another Indonesian golfer, Sanusi, fifth in the money rank, and Japanese invitee Yasuo Sone.

"We'll have to utilize a strategy to beat the course. At hole 3, for example, I won't use a driver but iron number three instead to keep the ball on the fairway. I'll use the driver for the second shot," said Sanusi.

The strategy, however, was criticized by Jagorawi golf course chairman Zakir, who said professional golfers should not play safe but aggressively instead.

"Professional golfers never play safe by aiming at an even par, but by always looking to reach under par," he said.

The tournament was organized by the Japan Jagorawi Golf Foundation (JJGF) -- a nonprofit organization comprising Japanese companies and individuals -- to boost local players' performance in international events.

This year the foundation invited an Australian, five Malaysian and six Japanese golfers to participate in the tournament.

"Playing on both Jagorawi's old and new courses has improved my skills to play in the Japanese senior tour. I've implemented several techniques that I picked up at Jagorawi to better my play back home," said Sone, who has played four times on the Jagorawi course.

"Currently, I am the fifth in money rank back home thanks to my experience playing at Jagorawi," he added. (nvn)