Local golfer Ilyasak falters in Johnnie Walker Classic
Local golfer Ilyasak falters in Johnnie Walker Classic
JAKARTA (JP): Ilyasak, Indonesia's only hope in the US$925,000 Johny Walker Classic, yesterday shot three bogeys and a solitary birdie over the 7,001-yard layout of the Tanah Merah Country Club, Singapore, to post an opening-round two-over-par 74.
Ilyasak, former caddie in a nine-hole course in Lhok Seumawe, Aceh, had back-to-back bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes and then played par golf until the 17th where he had another bogey. A fine birdie three at the final hole kept him in with a slim chance of making the final two rounds if he shoots below par in the second round.
Apparently it was lack of experience in big tournaments which affected the seasoned Jakarta Golf Club player, who, despite having little exposure to golf at this level, managed to finish in the top twenty at the 1994 Alfred Dunhill Masters in Bali.
Jakarta Golf Club Secretary S.M. Baharson said yesterday it was lack of sponsors which hinder Ilyasak from attending big golf tournaments abroad as he should.
Meanwhile, Australian world number one Greg Norman battled sickness to start the European PGA Tour season opener, but hit a one under par 71 that left him five shots behind leaders Bradley Hughes of Australia and Olle Karlsson of Sweden, AFP reported.
Ernie Else and John Daly were right behind the frontrunners, however, returning from a lengthy storm interruption to score five under par 67s.
Norman decided in the morning that he had recovered sufficiently from a chest infection that made him a major doubt on Wednesday.
On the course, he birdied the first hole, eagled the second but then had rather a stormy time.
Bogeys came on the third and ninth, canceled out on the 11th and 14th, but trouble really struck on the 15th where he hit the ball into the water and exploded at his caddie, Tony Navarro.
Norman then had his concentration broken by the storm which stopped play for two hours. (arf)
Selected leading scores: 66 - Olle Karlsson (Swe), Bradley Hughes (Aus) 67 - Ernie Els (RSA), John Daly (USA) 68 - Boonchu Ruangkit (Tha), David McKenzie (Aus), Fred Couples (USA), Bernhard Langer (Ger), Jay Townsend (USA), Zaw Moe (Mya) 69 - Perry Moss (USA), Wayne Smith (Aus), Fabrice Tarnaud (Fra), Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind), Ian Woosnam (Gbr), Chin-sheng Hsieh (Tpe), Ronan Rafferty (Gbr), Don Fardon (Aus), Paul Affleck (Gbr), Jean van de Velde (Fra), Darren Cole (Aus) 70 - Jack O'Keefe (USA), David Bransdon (Aus), Katsuyoshi Tomori (Jpn), Stewart Ginn (Aus) .... 74 - Ilyasak (Ina)