Jakarta, Indonesia, August 31: Indonesian amateur Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan Putra stands on the verge of becoming the first Indonesian in almost 30 years to win their National Open after he fired a third round nine-under-par 63 to take a six-shot lead into the final round of the Bank BRI Indonesia Open on Saturday.

Indonesia has not welcomed a local winner since 1989 when Kasiadi emerged triumphant on home soil. And the country’s long wait for another homegrown champion could possibly end on Sunday as Naraajie’s commanding four-day total of 18-under-par 198 surged him right to the top of the leaderboard.

The confident 19-year-old knows he is carrying the weight of the nation and is relishing the challenge of what lies ahead in his final 18 holes at the Pondok Indah Golf Club.

Argentina’s Miguel Carballo, who is the reigning Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit champion, knows he has to bring out his ‘A’ game to have any glimmer of hope of catching up with the local hero after he signed for a 66 to take second place.

Overnight leader Itthipat Buranatanyarat of Thailand slipped to third place after carding a 71 and admitted it would take a herculean effort to clinch his Asian Tour breakthrough at the Bank BRI Indonesia Open.   

Did you know?

• Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan Putra is currently ranked the number one amateur in Indonesia and number 163 in the world.
• He finished tied-second in this year’s Putra Cup, the South East Asian Golf Amateur Championship, in Hanoi, Vietnam.
• The 19-year-old was in contention after three rounds of last year’s Asia-Pacific Golf Championship but settled for tied-24th after carding a 77 in the final round.
• Naraajie won two professional events on the PGA Tour of Indonesia during the 2018 season.
• A win for him tomorrow would see him become the first time an amateur has won a full-field Asian Tour event since Chinnarat Phadungsil won the Double A International Open in 2005, and the first time in any Asian Tour event since Danny Lee won the 2009 Johnnie Walker Classic.
• Argentinian Miguel Angel Carballo won the Asian Development Tour (ADT) Order of Merit in 2018 to secure a card for this year’s Asian Tour season.
• A two-time champion on the ADT, Carballo won the Singha Laguna Phuket Open in 2019 and the Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament in 2018.
• Since turning pro in 2002 the 40-year-old Argentinian has also won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, the 2007 Movistar Panama Championship and the 2011 Children’s Hospital Classic.
• His best year on that tour was in 2011 when he finished 10th on the Money List securing a card for the 2012 PGA Tour, where he also played in 2014 and 2016-2017.
• The Bank BRI Indonesia Open is the first cut Carballo has made in six starts on this year’s Asian Tour season.
• Itthipat Buranatanyarat is a three-time champion on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), winning the Boonchu Ruangkit Championship (2019), The Players Championship (2016) and the ICTSI Sherwood Hills Classic (2015).
• He is currently ranked third on the ADT Order of Merit after a win and two other top-10s.
• The 26-year-old is just coming off his best-ever Asian Tour event, finishing tied-sixth in the Sarawak Championship two weeks ago.
• Since turning pro in 2014 he also notched two wins in his native Thailand, the Singha Championship (2015) and the PGA Thailand Tour #10 (2014).

Ends.

Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan Putra (Ina) Third round 63 (-9) Total 198 (-18)

I didn’t feel much pressure today as I was just focusing on my own game and trying to play good golf. I played each shot at a time, hole-by-hole and was just trying to do my best. It’s going to be interesting tomorrow and it’s going to be a different day, different feelings so I’m looking forward to tomorrow. I know Indonesia has not welcomed a local champion for almost 30 years already and hopefully I can deliver. I’ve brought along my A game this week and hopefully it shows up again tomorrow too. I don’t feel any pressure. Tomorrow’s just going to be another day of golf for me.

Miguel Carballo (Arg) Third round 66 (-6), Total 204 (-12)

I’m very happy with how I played today especially my putting. I was very consistent in my back-nine and was hitting the ball well too. Whatever it is, I need to really play well tomorrow. My form has been good. The last couple of weeks, I played well every round. They were all under-par rounds and I’m happy I’m able to control my game very well.

Itthipat Buranatanyarat (Tha) Third round 71 (-1), Total 205 (-11)

I need a really good round tomorrow to stand any chance. I did not have a good round today. I could not putt well and miss several birdie chances. Naraajie is playing really well and it’s hard for anyone to catch him if he continues to play like this. I just hope for the best tomorrow and hopefully I can catch up with him, if some luck on my side.

Linkou, Chinese Taipei, August 31: Sweden’s Daniel Chopra will be looking to rekindle his fond memories of Chinese Taipei when he returns to the popular Yeangder Tournament Players Championship (TPC) for the first time since 2016 next week.

The 45-year-old Chopra, who has claimed two of his 15 professional victories in Chinese Taipei, is ready to challenge for top honours again at the Linkou International Golf and Country Club, where he enjoyed a tied-fourth place finish in his debut appearance in 2014.

Buoyed by a recent victory in Florida, Chopra, also a regular golf commentator now, is looking to replicate that success when he tees off for the US$500,000 full-field event, where he will play on a sponsor’s invitation.

“I like the golf course at the Linkou Golf and Country Club. The first time I played there, I finished tied-fourth. I am looking forward to return to Chinese Taipei for the event. Mr. Emmet Hsu (Chairman of the Yeangder Group) is very nice to offer me an invite.

“I won twice in Chinese Taipei and the next time I went back, I came in tied-fourth at the Yeangder TPC. Chinese Taipei has been a good slump breaker for me over the years,” said Chopra, who won the 1995 Taiwan Open and the Mercuries Taiwan Masters for his first Asian Tour title in 2001.

Born in Sweden to an Indian father and a Swedish mother, Chopra moved to India when he was seven where he was raised by his grandparents. In 2015, he returned to ply his trade in Asia and won the Asian Tour Qualifying School.

“I just won one of the small events in Florida recently. The game’s been pretty good. Started to figure out a few things on my game, telling myself to do what I need to do when I see shots in my head. Obviously looking for a good result to play my way back to the Asian Tour,” Chopra added.

Chopra also sang praises for the emergence of talents on the Asian Tour, having followed the rapid rise of Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Justin Harding of South Africa over the last couple of years.

“I’m always happy to see guys progressing to play on the world stage through the Asian Tour. I always thought the Asian Tour is a wonderful place for the next generation of golfers to hone their skills and get tested against some of the most amazing players from all over the world.

“I’m not surprised that they do well on the big stage because the variety of challenges you face on the Asian Tour, like the conditions, cultures, type of grasses, etc. You learn so much more when you play on the Asian Tour than any other Tours as a young golfer,” said Chopra, who has also won twice on the PGA TOUR.

Other notable players who will feature in the 2019 Yeangder TPC include India’s Shiv Kapur and Thailand’s Prom Meesawat, as well as Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang, Chan Shih-chang and Lu Wei-chih, the only local player to have won the event in 2011.

The Yeangder TPC will celebrate its ninth consecutive edition on the Asian Tour next week. It will be the Tour’s first stop in Chinese Taipei this season.

Ends.

Jakarta, Indonesia, August 30: Thailand’s Itthipat Buranatanyarat snatched the outright second round lead after signing for a three-under-par 69 at the Bank BRI Indonesia Open on Friday.

Despite being distracted by the loss of his mobile phone, the Thai still managed to return with a bogey-free round that was highlighted by birdies on holes five, six and 18 at the Pondok Indah Golf Course.

Itthipat’s two-day total of eight-under-par 134 gave him a slender one-shot advantage over South Africa’s J.C. Ritchie and Indonesian amateur Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan Putra, who trailed closely behind after signing for a 66 and 69 respectively.

Ritchie lived up to his billing as one of the contenders for this week with a more composed showing while Naraajie kept alive the hope for Indonesia to welcome its first local winner in almost two decades.

Australia’s Zach Murray, an Asian Tour rookie who won his maiden Tour title in New Zealand earlier this year, showed no effects of feeling under the weather, as he made up for his opening round 70 with a 66 to make up move up the leaderboard in the morning.

Murray is among the group of four players that include compatriot Jake Higginbottom, Thailand’s Kwanchai Tannin and India’s Aman Raj, who share fourth place, two shots back of Itthipat.

Like Murray, Raj is also playing in his rookie season on the Asian Tour and he showed no signs of nerve as he also surmounted a charge with a 69 that kept him in contention heading into the weekend rounds.

Did you know?

• Itthipat Buranatanyarat turned professional in 2014 and earned his 2019 Asian Tour card after finishing third at the Qualifying School last December.
• He secured his third Asian Development Tour (ADT) victory at the season-opening Boonchu Ruangkit Championship on home soil in January.
• Itthipat finished tied-sixth at the Sarawak Championship a fortnight ago.
• JC Ritchie turned professional in 2013 and is currently leading the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit.
• He holds three wins on the Sunshine Tour is ranked 120th in the world.
• The South African is visiting Indonesia for the first time.
• Ranked 120th on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Ritchie is the second highest-ranked player after Jazz (58th) and is playing on a sponsor’s invitation, which has been extended as part of the closer collaborations and reciprocal opportunities with the Sunshine Tour.
• Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan Putra is the number one amateur player in Indonesia. He won the prestiguous Saujana Amateur Championship as his first international win.
• He was part of the International Team for Junior Presidents Cup in 2017 and his best ranking on the Official World Amateur Rankings was 52 in 2017.
• In 2018, Naraajie won two Indonesian Golf Tour titles, making him the most successful amateur since the Indonesian Golf Tour started in 2014.
• Zach Murray of Australia is the third fastest rookie to win on the Asian Tour after Kane Webber (2006 Macao Open) and Todd Sinnott (2017 Leopalace Myanmar Open), who both won on their second starts on Tour.
• Murray secured his 2019 Asian Tour card at the Qualifying School last December after finishing fourth in the 90-hole event.
• Murray led from start to finish when he won the Nexus Risk TSA Group WA Open (an event on the PGA Tour of Australasia) as an amateur golfer in October 2018. One month later, he made his professional debut at the Australian Open. Murray claimed another wire-to-wire victory for his first professional title at the 100th New Zealand Open earlier this month.
• Murray was ranked as high as 19th on the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
• Aman Raj’s best finish in an Asian Tour event to date is a tied-fifth in last year’s Panasonic Open India.
• His best result in 2019 is a tied-second in the Golconda Masters Championship on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), and he also has two other to-10s this year on that Tour.
• Formerly ranked as India’s number one amateur in 2015, the 24-year-old came through Qualifying School last December by finishing tied-13th after a final round 65.
• During his amateur days Raj represented India at the Nomura Cup in 2015 and Asian Junior Golf Team Championship in 2012.

Ends.

Itthipat Buranatanyarat (Tha) Second round 69 (-3) Total 134 (-10)

I started the day badly because I discovered I left my mobile phone in the taxi and I couldn’t focus. But I’m happy the taxi driver managed to drive back to the hotel and returned it. I’m so relieved. I missed lots of birdie opportunities today because I think I lost my focus. But luckily I still managed to play okay. If I was not distracted, I think I would have done a lot better! Now that I know my phone has been returned, I’m ready for the weekend!

JC Ritchie (Rsa) Second round 66 (-6), Total 135 (-9)

I drove the ball a little bit better today and made some putts as well. I’m starting to get a feel for the greens. I’m still trying to figure out certain holes but overall it was good and I felt I could have gone even lower. There’s a lot of good golf waiting for me out there. I prefer to be leading but I also have a good record coming from behind.

Naraajie Emerald Ramadhan Putra (Ina) Second round 69 (-3), Total 135 (-9)

Playing in the afternoon session meant that I had to face a stronger wind and that’s why I have to stay patient. My first nine was not so good, but fortunately I gave myself birdie chances on the back-nine and made the most of it, but still I really needed to stay patient. Other than that, my short game and putting was very helpful since my ball striking today went right and left. We’ll see how the condition is for tomorrow, hopefully I can play my best tomorrow.

Zach Murray (Aus) Second round 66 (-6) Total 136 (-8)

I played pretty steady the first day but just make those putts. But today I putted really well and that made all the difference. It’s the first time having my girlfriend on my bag and she’s making that difference too. It has been really good and she has been a calming influence. She actually studies psychology and it’s really nice to have her here. I haven’t been feeling good the last couple of days and sometimes that can be a blessing in disguise as you don’t really want to look that far ahead. That’s what it has been like this week.

Aman Raj (Ind) Second round 69 (-3) Total 136 (-8)

It has been good for me so far. Couple of putts were falling in for me but I would say today was more of a recovery round after two bogeys early in the round. I managed to recover well and I’m pretty happy with that. The conditions were pretty windy today and I was trying to hold on to my shots. My form’s good actually and I’m hitting the ball well although I wished my putting could be better. I feel more familiar and comfortable playing on Tour since earning my card from Qualifying School. I’m just trying to give my best and see how it goes.

Johannes Veerman (Usa) Second round 70 (-2), Total 138 (-6)

I didn’t see that coming as I was really playing very well until that triple on five. I had a good rhythm going and I haven’t made a bogey all tournament yet. So, that kind of blindsided me in a way. I got too aggressive with my chip and I paid the price for that. But it’s comforting to know I have a very good track record here and that’s why I still have that belief that I can do well this week.

Catch up with the day’s highlight from this week’s Bank BRI Indonesia Open.