Top golfers take part in Indonesia Open
Top golfers take part in Indonesia Open
JAKARTA (JP): American world rated golfers Hale Irwin and Todd Hamilton, and New Zealand's Frank Nobilo will lead a field of more than 150 players at the Sampoerna Indonesia Open due to tee off this morning.
They all agreed that the posh par-72 Pantai Indah Kapuk course was in good shape following few rounds practice yesterday for the US$250,000 tournament.
Irwin, the Phoenix Open champion this year and the U.S. Open winner in 1974, 1979 and 1990, who will be 50 next June, said he is set to win the event.
"My visit here is to win the championship title though the weather and humidity may pose a threat," Irwin said yesterday.
He said Hamilton, 29, Nobilo, 34, -- champion of last year's Sampoerna Open also played at the same layout -- and Australian Stephen Leaney, 26, who are "still young and very strong may also hinder my ambition. But I think I could overcome all those challenges if I play the whole four-day round well."
The Sampoerna Open is the sixth leg, of the scheduled 12, of the 1995 Asian Tour, with the Thailand Open held in Bangkok from Feb. 2 to 5 being the first in the series.
Nobilo, who ranked 30th in the Sony World Ranking, found the 416-m par-4 of the 18th the most difficult hole at the Kapuk Indah after yesterday's practice.
The New Zealander, following his success in Kapuk Indah last year, notched a brilliant try by taking the lead until the third day of the 1994 U.S. Open. Nobilo, however, had to be content with the 10th placing in the final.
"I found the course at Kapuk Indah is good. I hope I can retain the title I won last year," Nobilo said.
Host Indonesia has the right to field its best 10 golfers without going through the qualifying round held at Pattaya, Thailand early this year.
The nation's best hope, Maan Naasim, will head the local golfers who will try to get a portion of the cash prizes with US$41,650 being the first winner's check.
The other nine local players for the annual event are Kasiyadi, who rewrote Indonesia's golf history by winning the title in 1987, Gimmin Suwiryo, veteran Sumarno, Gemi Subagio, Ilyasak, amateur players Sukamdi, Dana Mahmud, Sofyan Gerungan and Wayan Tetep. Amateur golfers are not eligible to get the cash prizes. (rsl).