Maan takes one shot lead at Epson Cup 2001

Maan takes one shot lead at Epson Cup 2001

BOGOR, West Java (JP): Maan Nasim took a one-stroke lead over
Anthony Sinclair of Australia after the first round of the Rp 370
million (US$38,900) Epson Cup at the Jagorawi Golf and Country
Club in Bogor, West Java, on Thursday.

The tournament is organized by the Jagorawi Japan Golf
Foundation (JJGF) and is fielding 95 participants, comprising 57
local professionals, 6 foreign invitees and 29 amateurs.

The 2001 Epson Cup is the sixth tournament organized by the
JJGF.

Maan carded a two-under 70 compared to Sinclair's 71 at
Jagorawis's Old Course, about 30 kilometers south of Jakarta.

But the big-money winner on the first day was Sofyan Idup Jum,
who scored a hole-in-one on the 13th hole. The ace earned him a
Rp 10 million cash prize.

Opening his campaign, Maan parred the first two holes before
conceding a bogey on the par-three 3rd. He steadied over the next
six holes, scoring two more birdies to exit the front nine in 35
strokes.

"I faltered when teeing off. It looked like I was losing
concentration," Maan, the country's number one ranked golfer,
said about his shot on the third hole.

Going into the final nine holes, Maan began impressively with
a birdie and looked like carding a bogey-free back nine until a
stray shot on the closing hole spoiled his run.

"I appeared to have selected the wrong club with the number
four iron. I should have relied on the number one. It resulted in
inaccuracy and the ball was just a shy off the target," Maan
said.

Sinclair reveled early in his opening day's challenge with a
strong three-under 33 front nine but, coming home, a bogey on the
par-three 11th and double-bogey on the 12th saw him end up one
stroke behind the leader.

Four players, Burhan Bora, Bahtiar Sanja, Denny Supriadi and
Tatsuya Kihara of Japan were all tied after even-par 72s.
Jakarta-based Steven Atako-Lindskog of Sweden, who won the pro-am
competition on Wednesday, had to share joint 14th place with four
players after a three-over 75.

Meanwhile, Sanusi, who won the fifth JJGF tournament in May,
has yet to show the form which earned him a title at the 2000
championship. He carded a four-over 76, for which he blamed bad
putting.

"I can't understand why it turned out so badly. My putting was
just dreadful," said the 32-year-old champion, who at one stage
shook his head in disbelief after missing a 1.5-meter putt on the
14th hole.

"I couldn't even get a putt from one meter on the 5th," said
Sanusi, who's score was matched by another nine players,
including hole-in-one scorer Sofyan Idup Jum.

The players will take to the fairways again on Friday with
their minds set for a tough second round that will determine who
survives the cut for the final two days of play.

In the amateur category, Irwansyah and Ruswin Naszir were
joint leaders on 75 strokes, with Maragalo Soweleah, Lapana
Saragih and Park Il-dong of South Korea sharing third place on
76. (01)