Inaugural Ericsson Masters tees-off in world class style
Inaugural Ericsson Masters tees-off in world class style
By Bobby Allen Wilson
BINTAN, Riau (JP): Asia-Pacific pro golfers will get to see the Jack Nicklaus-designed Championship Course at Bintan Lagoon Golf Resort here when the US$500,000 Asia-Pacific Ericsson Masters tees-off tomorrow.
The inaugural Ericsson Masters has all the trappings of a truly world class event in terms of the venue, prize money and the caliber of golfers as top players from the world's leading professional circuits will compete from Sept. 11 to Sept. 14.
The high profile status of the tournament has attracted many big name players from the PGA Omega Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia to Bintan, just a 45 minute ferry journey from Singapore.
The tournament is being jointly sanctioned by the two tours so includes the region's finest players.
"The Asia-Pacific Ericsson Masters will be one of the showpiece events on the Asian golf calender," Asian PGA executive director Ramlan Harun said.
"The tournament is being held in an outstanding setting and, with so many leading players competing, the Masters should really capture the imagination of the golfing public," the Malaysian said.
Top ten
Seven of the top-10 players on the Omega Order of Merit will be playing including American Gerry Norquist, who holds top spot.
Myanmar's Zaw Moe, in second place and winner of last month's SingTel Ericsson Singapore Open, will also compete.
Number three American Mike Cunning, number five Chinese Cheng Jun, number seven American Fran Quinn, number eight South African Des Terblanche and number 10 Thai Boonchu Ruangkit will all be gunning for glory.
Omega Tour regular Kyi Hla Han will also be among the favorites. The Myanmar man, winner of this year's Rolex Masters in Singapore, is Bintan Lagoon's Touring Professional.
The number one player on the 1996/97 PGA Tour of Australasia Final Order of Merit list, Australian Peter Lonard, will lead the line-up from Down Under and will be joined by New Zealand's Michael Long, who ended the season third on the merit list.
Another major contender for the Asia Pacific Ericsson Masters title will be one of the world's most exciting young golfers, New Zealand's Michael Campbell.
The 28-year-old Maori already has a winning connection with Indonesia having won the Alfred Dunhill Masters in Jakarta in 1995, the same year he ended joint third in the British Open at St. Andrews.
The Masters, 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.
Indonesia, as the host country, has the right to field five of its best with Kasiadi being the leader of the five who will be trying to grab the $80,750 winner's check.
The other four Indonesian golfers will be Burhan Bora, Maan Naasim, Bahtiar and Iljasak.
Burhan produced a course record 66 to win the East Java Open title at the Ciputra Golf Club in Surabaya on Aug. 24.
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 Tour events -- the Indonesian Open at Jagorawi last April, the Sabah Masters, and the Singapore Open last August.
Kasiadi, who came equal 30th in the Indonesian Open, finished second in the Sabah Masters and equal fourth in the Singapore Open on Aug. 17.
Burhan, who was seven strokes behind overnight leader Kasiadi as he entered the final round of the East Java Open, beat Kasiadi by one shot after a tremendous finishing the round of a 66 (33 33). This was Burhan's first major title since turning pro three years ago.