Maan surges ahead at Epson Cup by three shots
JAKARTA (JP): Maan Nasim extended his lead by three strokes after two rounds as 46 players survived the cut for the remaining two rounds fight for a total of Rp 370 million (US$38,900) in cash prizes at the sixth JJGF Golf Championship at the Jagorawi Golf & Country Club near Bogor, West Java, on Friday.
Maan carded a three-under 69 on the day for a five-under 139. Tied in second place were M. Rashid Ismail of Malaysia and Anthony Sinclair of Australia, each with a two-under 142.
Eleven amateurs were among the 46 survivors, who, except for the leading trio, rounded off the days with over pars, including out-of-form Sanusi, winner of the fifth JJGF Open in May, on nine-over 153.
Meanwhile, committee chairman Takeshi Abe pledged a Rp 2 million (US$206) bonus, not Rp 10 million as reported in The Jakarta Post of Friday edition, to Sofyan Idup Jum, who scored a hole-in-one shot on the opening day.
"The Rp 10 million will be provided for an ace on hole number eight, because it is the most challenging hole on the course," Abe said.
After booking a two-under on the opening day, Maan managed to overcome yet another hurdle when he birdied on the closing hole, on which he had broke out. "I could have made the same mistake but I had pinpointed the difficulties," he said.
In all Maan fired five birdies against two bogeys.
"My tee-off was at fault. I had the ball somehow outswinging to the left," he said about his bogey on hole 3, adding that a gust of wind was to blame for his only other bogey on the 14th.
The 39-year-old Maan, who has been heading the national golf rankings since 1997, cautioned about his own high-flying mood, which could probably backfire.
"I will play the way I did in the previous rounds. I will not rush aggressively. Just play safely," he said.
He opted for a low profile despite the great chance of winning the event.
"We can't be certain yet until after it finishes. I will just allow myself a try," he said.
It was Rashid who put in the most impressive performance of the day. Even the leader could not match him.
The Malaysian, who had been two-over going into the second day of competition, notched up the best under-four 69 to leapfrog a pack of players ahead of him overnight.
He carded a bogey-free run in the back nine, while his only defect was his bogey on the 351-meter par-four second hole.
Meanwhile, Sanusi was economical in his account of the play. "I might be overly confident," he said, tied in 20th place with seven other players.
Jakarta-based Stephen Atako-Lindskog of Sweden conceded his concentration had deserted him while he was attempting a series of shots on holes number 3, 5, and 17.
He slipped up while trying to slot home a one-meter putt in the first two.
"I was two on and with another two shots I would have parred. But I needed three shots instead," he said recalling his ordeal on the 17th hole. He ended in joint-seventh place with Sumarno, I Nengah Dharma and non-pro Irwansyah.
Irwansyah topped the amateur standings with three-over 147, after running out even par on the day. Djunaedi made seven-over 151 with Lapana Saragih five strokes behind the leader. (01)