Price beats Norman at Bogor exhibition

Price beats Norman at Bogor exhibition

Jakarta (JP): World number one golfer Nick Price of Zimbabwe tamed world number two, Australian Greg Norman, in an exhibition match at the just-completed Riverside course in Gunung Putri, near Bogor.

Price finished with a two-under-par 70 and outshined Norman on the fourth, ninth, 10th, 14th and 18th holes. Norman, on the other hand outdid Price at the third, seventh, 12th and 16th holes.

Price said he enjoyed the game and found the course to be in good condition, which supported his play.

He said the course offered an equilibrium in terms of the degree of difficulty. "The first seven holes are quite difficult, but the rest are fairly easier," Price added.

Though losing the game, Norman, who designed the par-72 layout, did not seem to be upset. The five-time British Open champion said he was delighted to see so many (around 1,000) people watching the game, which, he believed, showed that golf has found many enthusiasts in Indonesia.

After the match, the two world-renowned golfers did their part in the coaching clinic for Indonesian junior golfers.

Kosaido Asahi

Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Hayono Isman meanwhile is scheduled to open the US$100,000 Kosaido Asahi Ladies Asia Circuit Golf Tournament today at the Pantai Indah Kapuk course, in North Jakarta.

At the open tournament, three Indonesian amateur golfers, including Retno Mustari, champion of the Ladies Amateur Open last year, will face 117 opponents from 19 countries, including Australia, the USA, Canada, Austria, France, the Netherlands, Japan and South Korea.

The event is the third of the tournament's five legs, two of which were held in Malaysia from Jan. 19-21 and Singapore from Jan. 26-28. The other two legs will be held in Bangkok, Thailand, from Feb. 8-10 and in Taipei, Taiwan, from Feb. 15-17. (arf)