Kasiadi alone atop leaderboard in E. Java Open

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Local favorite Kasiadi shot five birdies, three on the front nine and two on the back to go with two bogeys for a score of 4-under 212 (74 69 69) to stay atop the leaderboard in the East Java Open in Surabaya on Wednesday.

Playing on his home course, the par-72 Yani Golf Club seemed to be an advantage for Kasiadi as he birdied the third, eighth and ninth holes to go with a bogey on the fourth for a 3-under front nine.

Before heading into the clubhouse Kasiadi, who in 1989 made golf history in Indonesia by winning the US$100,000 Indonesia Open, fired two birdies on the 17th and 18th holes after a bogey on the 10th.

"My play today (Wednesday) was motivated from my victory at the PGPI Mini Tour at the Riverside golf club near Jakarta earlier this month," Kasiadi said. The Tour is being organized by the Indonesian Pro Golfers Association (PGPI).

Scores of local fans followed Kasiadi from hole to hole.

Soewarno K from the Bukit Darmo Golf Club, also located in Surabaya, who on Tuesday shared the lead with Kasiadi, had to be content with second place after even par on Wednesday for a total of 1-under 215 (72 71 72).

He was the virtual leader after firing an eagle on the par-5 second hole but those gains were negated as he shot two bogeys in a row, on the par-3 7th and par-5 8th.

The young gun from Jakarta's Matoa National Golf Club and only a second-year pro, Indra Hermawan, was third with a 1-over 217 (73 74 70). On Wednesday, he carded a 35 on the front nine and a 35 on the back with a total of four birdies and two bogeys.

Suyanto, an amateur golfer being groomed to represent East Java for the 2004 National Sports Games in Palembang, surprised his teammates when he also fired an eagle.

His tee shot landed dead on the green at the par-4 9th and ended up around 7 feet from the cup. A very cautious putt went straight into the hole for the eagle.

Thursday's final round will feature 40 of the 90 original players who made the cut, vying for the Rp 150 million in total cash prizes on offer.