Maan extends his lead in Tering Bay Open

BATAM, Riau (JP): Favorite Maan Naasim extended his lead in the US$50,000 Tering Bay Golf Championships to five strokes after carding a 70 yesterday for a two-day score of 137.

The battle for top honors heated up considerably yesterday as the fate of many players was in the balance.

The field of the original 85 pros was reduced to 21 while in the amateur event only 10 players were allowed to continue.

Despite only managing a 2-under par-70 (35 35) it was enough for Maan from Sawangan Golf Club to keep the lead over his closest rival, Kasiadi from Surabaya's Yani Golf Club.

"After playing two-under-par until hole number eight I had a problem with my drive, which landed in the rough," Maan said by way of explanation of his bogey putt on the 9th.

"I hope tomorrow (today) I can play much better and hopefully I can win this event," Maan said.

Current leading Indonesian golfer Kasiadi, who tops the money list as he has joined the Omega Tour, inched one shot closer to Maan after carding a 69 (34 35) yesterday, following a disappointing opening 73.

He birdied the 5th and 8th on the front nine and shot two birdies and a bogey on the back nine.

"I played a little bit better today. I will do my best to play much better tomorrow (Thursday)," said Kasiadi who has already collected some US$48,000 from his exploits on the Omega Asian Tour.

Kasiadi was in joint second place with Malaysia's Perriasamy Gunasagaran, who carded a 72 yesterday.

In the amateur event held concurrently with the pros' competition, national players being groomed specially for major events took command with Denny Supriadi and Dana Mahmud shared the lead.

The long-hitting Denny yesterday shot an eagle at the 495m par-five 8th after a brilliant drive. The eagle putt followed three birdies putts in the 2nd, 5th and 6th and a bogey putt on the 4th for a marvelous outward 33. Looking satisfied with the birdie feasts, he, however, only managed to shot one birdie on his way back to the club house.

With that score he together with Dana, who also made a two-day total of 144, put themselves in fourth place with Burhan Bora, a pro from Makasar Golf Club, who won the Prasidha East Java Open last September.

"This will be my second last match as an amateur," Dana told The Jakarta Post, saying that by next year he will try to grace the greener fields of professional competitions.

He said that having helped Indonesia win its first gold in the recently concluded SEA Games and later playing in the Putra Cup, "I decided to play as pro by next year."

The Putra Cup, one of the coveted ASEAN amateur men's team competitions will be contested in Papua New Guinea later this month. Indonesia has won the trophy named after the first Malay prime minister, Tungku Abdul Rahman Putra, several times. (rsl)

Selected results: 137 - Maan Naasim (Ina) 67 70 142 - Kasiadi (Ina) 73 69, P. Gunasagaran (Mal) 70 72 144 - Burhan Bora (Ina) 71 73, Dana Mahmud (Am Ina) 71 73, Denny Supriadi (Am Ina) 76 68 145 - Andrew Morrow (Aus) 72 73 146 - Stephen Lindskog (Swe) 71 75, M Murugiah (Sin) 76 70, Muhammad Din (Mal) 72 74. Benny S (Ina) 76 70, Hamzah Rahmadi (Ina) 71 75 147 - Andre Hasan (Mal) 73 74, Ilyasak (Ina) 76 71, Sukamdi (Am Ina) 75 72