RI putter to compete in USA National Championships

JAKARTA (JP): Becoming a professional golfer is no longer a dream for Indonesians as they have a great chance to compete in the 40th Annual Professional Putters Association (PPA) National Championships at Fayetteville, North Carolina.

It may sound impossible but the public, not only golfers, can grab the chance as long as one of them win the Indonesia Putt- Putt Golf Championships from July 14 to July 16.

A winner from the three-leg tournaments will get Rp 4.5 million (US$515) cash prize and tickets and accommodation to compete in the PPA championships offering $100,000 prize money, which will be aired live by ESPN.

Participants must complete the three series; the first is on July 14 at the Putt-Putt Goro Kelapa Gading, the second is on July 15 at the Putt-Putt Pasar Festival, Jl. Rasuna Said South Jakarta, and the final leg is at Putt-Putt Gelora Senayan.

Ron Mullers, CEO of PT Setiamandiri Mitratama Tbk which manages Putt-Putt here, told a press conference Sunday that more than 100 persons are expected to compete in the event stage for the first time here.

Besides Indonesia, winners from Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Australia, Lebanon and host United States will compete in the championships from July 31 to Aug. 5.

Chairman of Gelora Senayan, Yasidi Hambali, said the cooperation between Gelora Senayan and Putt-Putt was meant to fulfill the ambition to create an "athletes gathering point" in the Senayan sports complex.

"When foreign athletes are competing in a multi sports or single event here, as long as there's a recommendation from the National Sports Council (KONI), they are allowed to play at Putt- Putt for free," he said at the conference.

"We don't want to make Gelora Senayan a facility only to support our athletes achievement in international events but we also want to make the complex a sport and leisure venue for the public." (yan)