Local golfers to play for Peugeot challenge sports

JAKARTA (JP): About 140 local golfers will battle for two spots to represent Indonesia at the Peugeot Challenge World Tour '97 in France in June.

The amateurs, with handicaps of 18 or less, are all members of golf clubs in Greater Jakarta. They will contest a one-day selection tournament on May 4 at the Pantai Indah Kapuk Golf and Country Club in North Jakarta.

"We will select one lady golfer and one male player for the tour in France to be played at St Nom-La Brereche Golf Course near Paris." said committee official Avie K. Utomo yesterday.

They will compete on June 24 against golfers from Thailand, Malaysia, Cameroon, Senegal and other African countries and South American countries.

The top 50 percent of the men and women with the best net scores in the June 24 final will qualify to play in the pro-am of the Peugeot French Open 1997 on June 25.

Peugeot, represented in Indonesia by Mutlifrance, a subsidiary of car assembler Astra International, sponsors two major professional golf tournaments -- the Peugeot French Open (since 1984) and the Peugeot Spanish Open (since 1986). It recently created the Peugeot Challenger World Tour, a high-level amateur competition played on five continents.

The 1997 Peugeot Spanish Open concluded Sunday in Madrid. It was won by England's Mark James after a sudden death playoff against world number one golfer Greg Norman of Australia.

Peugeot says it appreciates golf because it demands a high level of self-control, respect of others, elegance, intelligence and greatly developed tactical skills.

Peugeot invites its distributors, clients and guests to play in the Challenge World Tour. (rsl)