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).