Local amateur Naraajie in three-way tie for lead at the BNI Indonesian Masters
Jakarta, December 12: Amateur Naraajie Emerald Ramadhanputra flew the flag for Indonesia by carding a solid seven-under-par 65 to share the opening honours with South African Keith Horne and Steven Jeffress of Australia at the BNI Indonesian Masters supported by Bank BRI and MedcoEnergi on Thursday.
The talented 19-year-old, who is the highest-ranked amateur in the country, got off to a flying start with five straight birdies from the 11th hole before adding three more birdies against a bogey on his way home at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.
Jeffress, who played without a practice round this week, rediscovered the spark in his game as he closed with three straight birdies from the seventh to seize a share of the lead in the US$750,000 Asian Tour event, which forms the third leg of the 2019/20 Panasonic Swing.
Veteran Horne launched his relentless bid for a breakthrough title by firing nine birdies against two bogeys in the Indonesian showpiece, which is celebrating its ninth straight edition on the Asian Tour this week.
Korea’s Doyeob Mun and Josh Younger of Australia trail the leading trio by one in fourth place following matching rounds of 66 in what is the penultimate event of the 2019 Asian Tour season.
Newly crowned Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand battled to a 68 to tie in eighth place while countryman and defending champion Poom Saksansin posted a 73 to sit in tied-85th place.
By being the flagship event of the Asian Tour, the BNI Indonesian Masters will award the winner with no less than 20 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, ensuring more players benefit from the points breakdown.
The winner of the 2019 BNI Indonesian Masters will again receive a coveted spot in the World Golf Championships – FedEx St. Jude Invitational in 2020.
Did you know?
- Naraajie Emerald Ramadhanputra is currently ranked the number one amateur in Indonesia and number 136 in the world.
- The 19-year-old came close to becoming the first Indonesian in almost 30 years to win their National Open earlier in August. He had held a six-shot lead heading into the final round but a closing 78 saw him settle for a fourth-place finish.
- He finished tied-second in this year’s Putra Cup, the South East Asian Golf Amateur Championship, in Hanoi, Vietnam.
- The young Indonesian was in contention after three rounds of last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship but settled for tied-24th after carding a 77 in the final round.
- Naraajie won two professional events on the Indonesian Golf Tour during the 2018 season.
- Naraajie navigated his way around the greens in only 25 putts for his solid round of 65.
- Keith Horne of South Africa locked up his Asian Tour card for 2020 earlier in the season, thanks to two top-10 finishes in India and Chinese Taipei. He sits in 38th place on the current Order of Merit.
- Horne has won nine tournaments on the Sunshine Tour, the latest of those wins came in 2017 at the Vodacom Origins – Arabella.
- That same year, he also had his best result in an Asian Tour event finishing tied-second at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, improving on his previous best of three tied-third finishes.
- The 48-year-old South African turned pro in 1996 and has been a regular figure on the Asian Tour since 2003. His best season to date was in 2010 when he finished 14th on the Order of Merit.
- In today’s first round of seven-under-par 65 that included nine birdies, Horne hit 15 greens in regulation and only needed 25 putts.
- Steve Jeffress did not play any practice round this week. He played in the Japan Golf Tour Qualifying School last week and arrived in Jakarta yesterday.
- The 44-year-old Australian enjoyed a tied-17th place finish at the BNI Indonesian Masters last year.
- Jeffress is playing in only his seven start on Tour this season. He sits in 107th place on the Order of Merit.
- Doyeob Mun also did not play a practice round this week. He arrived in Jakarta only at 2.30am on Thursday morning.
- The 27-year-old Korean enjoyed a tied-fifth place finish at the season-opening SMBC Singapore Open, which helped him secure one of the four spots on offer to The 148th Open where he made his Major debut in July.
- Mun also made an albatross, which is the first and only one on the Asian Tour so far this season, in the second round of the Singapore Open.
Jakarta, December 12: Read what players have to say following the opening round of the BNI Indonesian Maters supported by Bank BRI and MedcoEnergi on Thursday.
Naraajie Emerald Ramadhanputra (a) (Ina) – First round 65 (-7)
I got off to a solid start today. I wasn’t expecting that at all. The game felt really good. I was just riding on the momentum out there. Really happy with that five birdies in a row and the way I played overall today.
I wasn’t thinking much coming into this week actually. My goal was just to play golf and have fun out there. I won’t say this is a course that I’m familiar with. I play here like only once a year.
But today’s 65 is the lowest round I have ever shot here. I’m very happy. I learned a lot from the Indonesia Open earlier. I had a good result there and the experience helped me a lot.
Keith Horne (Rsa) – First round 65 (-7)
I enjoyed it thoroughly out there. Nice to finish with three birdies in my last four holes. I actually struggled with the driver a little bit today. But I putted very well and gave myself a chance. Putting was key for me today.
I had many 20 to 30 feet putts today and I probably made about four or five of them. Conditions were perfect out there. I don’t know what it was like this morning but it was barely a breath of wind. It wasn’t too hot too.
I have played well here in the past but I just can’t seem to sort of push it through to a great finish you know. I would like to try and finish better this week.
I did lock up my card earlier in the season but I am actually a little frustrated with the season. I would like to be in contention a lot more. I had too many mediocre finishes and when I have an opportunity to contend, I haven’t been able to push through so it has been a little disappointing. Hopefully things will change this week.
Steven Jeffress (Aus) – First round 65 (-7)
I didn’t have a practice round this week. I flew in from Japan and got in yesterday morning. I was really tired after playing eight rounds in Japan so I decided to take a rest yesterday.
I am glad I played nicely today although I missed a couple of short ones. I think I delivered pretty well. It was nice to finish with three straight birdies too. I almost holed my wedge shot on the ninth for eagle but it went past the hole.
This is my second time playing here. I really like this course. You got to use your brain a bit on this course and you can really smash it here which suits long hitters. The course’s in amazing condition.
I had a good start to the year in Australia and I played well in Perth and New Zealand. But then after that, to be honest, I haven’t played well for close to nine months.
I played really well last week in Japan but missed everything on the greens but my caddy last week told me if I can hole a few putts, the result will show. It was nice to do that today.
Liu Yanwei (Chn) – First round 67 (-5)
I played well today, especially the three birdies at the start. I was able to ride on that momentum. I started early today so it was an advantage. It was pretty calm on the first few holes and the greens were rolling well.
It was a pity to bogey the last hole but overall, it was a good round. I made all six birdies from within 12 feet today. I hit my irons really well today. I love playing on this course. This is my fourth time here. The conditions here are pretty much the same every year.
I am familiar with this course already. I haven’t played much on the Asian Tour this year. I probably need at least a top-five finish to give myself a chance to break into top-60 and secure my card for 2020. But I won’t think about that. I just want to try and play my best.
This is my last event for the year so I just hope to play better day by day. Although I didn’t play much this year, my results were consistent. I missed only one cut in eight starts. I guess the past experiences of playing on Tour has helped. I hope to end the season with a good finish this week.
Miguel Tabuena (Phi) – First round 68 (-4)
I got off to a slow start. I have been struggling with my putting for awhile so it was nice to get the feeling back again today. I am striking the ball well and I putted better. I left a couple out there from inside four feet though but I made it up.
It looks like it was going to pour down out there. I thought we will stop playing after nine holes but the wind blew in the opposite direction and that actually worked in my favor. I finished strong and hopefully my putting can be better the next few days.
Putting has really been a key factor for me in the last few tournaments. I have been returning with 33 and 34 putts to miss the cut. So I really want to putt well this week.
Danny Masrin (Ind) – First round 68 (-4)
I had a good game plan going out there, hit some good shots the first three holes but couldn’t really make a putt. I had a two putt for birdie on the 12th. Had a good opportunity for eagle there. So it’s really just getting a feel of the greens out there.
Usually, I take some time to reflect on the course and then practice it to get a feel for the speed the first few holes and the round finally picked up on the 18th. I was able to make a few putts from there.
I think it’s all about speed to me this week. Sometimes if you don’t have the right speed they can kind of just turn at the last minute so the green speed is very important. I had a strong finish today, birdied the eighth from about seven feet and made a five-footer for birdie on ninth.
I hit it good today. I hit 16 greens and gave myself a lot of chances. I think I really could have shot, you know, much better than I did but to shoot four-under today, I am really happy.
Alex Cejka (Ger) – First round 68 (-4)
I had a good look at the course. You know it’s a little bit soft luckily we’re playing with preferred lies with rain every afternoon but it’s in an excellent condition. The greens are fast. I hit a lot of good shots today. And I hit a lot of fairways which gave me a lot of opportunities, although I missed a couple. But I’ll take it, I’m pleased with the way I played given that it’s my first time here.
It’s been a tough year. I have had a lot of injuries, didn’t really have great success all season long but I feel good now and I feel healthy, so I am still enjoying it. I like coming to play in Asia. That’s why I always come here for one or two tournaments at the end of the year.
I am looking forward to going to the Champions Tour next year and be a young 50, instead of a veteran on the PGA Tour, playing against those young kids. But I still got to play a few tournaments on the PGA Tour before I turned 50, just to kind of keep my game sharp and then hopefully I can tear it up on the Champions Tour.
Jakarta, December 11: Thailand’s Poom Saksansin will set his sights on completing a hat-trick when he takes on the elite field at the BNI Indonesian Masters supported by Bank BRI and MedcoEnergi which starts on Thursday.
Poom, a two-time winner of the BNI Indonesian Masters in 2016 and 2018, returns to his happy hunting ground at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club this week, bidding to equal Lee Westwood’s record of having three victories in the US$750,000 Asian Tour event.
The 26-year-old Thai hopes to renew his affinity for the course as he takes aim at a fine showing to redeem himself from a lacklustre season where he had made only five cuts in 11 starts to sit in 59th place on the current Asian Tour Order of Merit.
He will headline the talented 144-man field from 21 countries alongside countryman and newly minted Order of Merit champion Jazz Janewattananond, as well as American John Catlin and local hero Rory Hie, who have all won on Tour this season.
Jazz, the highest-ranked player in the field at 57th place on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), will have the goal of breaking into the world’s top-50 at the back of his mind when he tees up for the popular event, where he came in runner-up 12 months ago.
Catlin, who claimed his fourth Asian Tour title in Thailand last month, will be looking to improve on his tied-17th place finish last year when he resumes his chase for more glory at the event, which forms the third leg of the 2019/20 Panasonic Swing.
Hie reckoned the pressure to perform well in front of his home crowd will not get to him this week, having already won his first Asian Tour title in India three months ago. The 31-year-old, however, will have to battle with a recovering thumb injury when he spearheads the 26-man strong local charge at the Indonesian showpiece.
By being the flagship event of the Asian Tour, the BNI Indonesian Masters will award the winner with no less than 20 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, ensuring more players benefit from the points breakdown.
The 2019 BNI Indonesian Masters, which is celebrating its ninth straight edition on the Asian Tour this week, will be the penultimate event of the 2019 season.
The winner of the event will again receive a coveted spot in the World Golf Championships – FedEx St. Jude Invitational in 2020.
Did you know?
- Poom Saksansin will be defending his title this week and will be chasing for a hat-trick to match Lee Westwood’s winning record in the tournament.
- Poom fended off the challenges from his more illustrious rivals to win the Indonesian Masters by three shots for his third Asian Tour victory last year.
- It was a class act by Poom as he showed that he would not be cowed into submission against an elite field which included marquee players Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson, who were ranked number one and 27th respectively on the OWGR then.
- Poom had won by five shots for his first Asian Tour win at the same event in 2016. He is the second player following Lee Westwood to win the event more than once.
- Jazz Janewattananond sealed the 2019 Habitat for Humanity Standings crown last week after his closest rival Scott Hend of Australia opted not to tee up at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open, making his Merit lead unassailable with only two events left to play for the 2019 season.
- The 24-year-old Jazz is the fourth Thai after Thongchai Jaidee, Thaworn Wiratchant and Kiradech Aphibarnrat to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit. He will tee off as Asia’s newest number one golfer at the BNI Indonesian Masters supported by Bank BRI and MedcoEnergi this week.
- Jazz will be looking to break into the world’s top-50 by the end of the season to secure his place at The Masters next April. A win at the BNI Indonesian Masters will help him achieve the feat.
- Jazz closed with an eagle on the 18th to finish second on his own at the 2018 BNI Indonesian Masters.
- Jazz was also crowned the 2019 Rookie of the Year following a commendable season on the Japan Golf Tour.
- American John Catlin, who won his fourth Asian Tour title at the Thailand Open last month, will also be making his fifth straight appearance in the BNI Indonesian Masters this week.
- Catlin claimed three victories on the Asian Tour in 2018 to finish in a career-best sixth place on the final Order of Merit. He was the only player to achieve the feat last year.
- Catlin was also named the Players’ player of the year in 2018, thanks to his breakout season. Apart from the three wins on the Asian Tour, he has also won the Singha Chiang Mai Open on the All Thailand Golf Tour last September.
- Catlin marked his best result at the Indonesian Masters with a tied-17th place finish last year.
- The 29-year-old, who hails from Sacramento, California, started playing in Asia in 2015. Prior to his Asian Tour breakthrough in China last year, Catlin has won twice on the Asian Development Tour (ADT), including one in Indonesia.
- Catlin has based himself in Hua Hin, Thailand since 2017.
- Rory Hie, who became the first Indonesian to win on the Asian Tour in September, will spearhead the 26-man local contingent at the BNI Indonesian Masters this week. He remains the best local finisher in the tournament with a tied-ninth place result in 2011.
- Hie is also the highest-ranked Indonesian in the field this week.
- After earning First Team All American golf honors at Cerritos High in California, Hie played college golf as a freshman and sophomore at University of Southern California 2006-2008 before turning pro in 2009. Hie was ranked as high as sixth as an amateur before he turned professional.
Jakarta, December 11: Read what players have to say ahead of the BNI Indonesian Masters which starts on Thursday.
Poom Saksansin (Tha) – Defending champion
I am very happy to be back glad. I haven’t had a good season to be honest but I hope to regain my confidence with a good result this week. I love the greens here and I feel familiar with the type of grass here.
I can putt well on these greens. I think that’s the key reason why I can play well here. I like this grass when I hit irons and I can putt on these greens. The conditions are pretty similar to last year so it feels pretty much the same.
I will try and do my best again. Hopefully I can defend my title successfully. That will be a great boost to my confidence. The game is getting better. I feel like I can play better now, compared to the earlier in the year.
I have worked on a few things over the last few months. I changed my coach and we’re trying to figure out something about my new swing. Hopefully the efforts will pay off this week. I had a good break last week so I’m feeling refreshed coming here.
I pretty much changed my entire game. I changed my set up and my swing and everything. My putting helped me in both of my wins here so that is the key. If I can putt well this week, I should be able to do well.
I like the golf courses here. It can get quite hot out there but I’m okay with the heat. I rather play in the heat than in the cold. The courses in Indonesia are generally good I thought. The greens are good and it’s quite the same as what you get in Thailand.
I will always remember my win here in 2016 because it is the first time I won here and also my first Asian Tour title. The most memorable hole I have played here was the par-four 13th in the final round of the 2016 Indonesian Masters.
I missed my first shot into the bunker and I had to lay up from about 70 yards. I pulled it but still managed to save par. I was lucky then. I still remember until today.
Jazz Janewattananond (Tha)
This week is quite an important week for me. Even though I have won the Order of Merit already, I still have a bonus to play for and that is to try and break into top-50 on the world rankings before the year ends.
I had a good finish here last year. I really like this place and I have a lot of good memories here. I played here since I was young so I’m glad to be back. I hope I can get my game going again because this golf course always sparks something in the score card.
I had good fun here last year, closing with an eagle on the last to finish second. I will try and see if I can do something like that again this week. I need to play really good here to give myself a chance to break into top-50. Maybe a win or a top-three finish at least since I still have next week to play. It’s definitely on the back of my mind. I broke into top-100 after winning in Singapore earlier in January and I told myself to try and finish the year inside top-50. I have a chance now and I’m definitely within reach of it. Something that I planned to do, but if I can’t achieve, I still have some time left to catch up. I just want to try my best.
I’m a bit sick right now. I just came here from Japan and it was really cold there. I just want to try and get some rest first and pace myself, take it day by day and try to finish strong. We’ll see what happens from there
I’m very honored to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit. I didn’t think I was going to achieve it this soon and breaking into top-100 in the world. I still feel very surreal. It’s a great feeling.
John Catlin (USA)
I have played this tournament since five years ago. It’s one of the best tournaments around and we’re always looking forward to play at the end of the season. It’s one of my favourites too.
The course is always in a fantastic shape. We enjoy playing here. The people are nice and I always enjoy coming here. Almost feels like a second home. I won my first title on the Asian Development Tour in Indonesia in 2016 and I always love to come back since.
The course feels pretty similar to last year. It’s still gettable and you will have lots of chances to make birdies. The Asian Tour is full of great players now. You have to play really well out there to outshine the others but I feel very honoured to be competing alongside these guys.
This course can play very differently when the wind is up. I remember the first year I played here was when Lee Westwood won for the third time. I only played two rounds then unfortunately. It was crazy windy that week and the greens were so firm. It’s been different every year but as golfers, we’ll take whatever comes.
Rory Hie (Ina)
It feels good to be back. I love playing in my home country. It’s nice to come into this tournament as an Asian Tour champion for the first time too. I feel like I’ve proven myself already and it’s easier to play this week.
I have been looking forward to playing this tournament since the beginning of the year. It’s always at the end of the season and a lot of good players always come out here to play. Everyone will be trying to finish the season well with a good result here too.
I’m still recovering from a tendon injury on my thumb from three weeks ago. I’m not 100% right now but I’m getting better. I started practicing on Monday and it feels alright, so we’ll see how it goes.
I have played well in this tournament before and I also played well here in the ADT event a few months ago. Definitely a lot of good vibes coming back here.
Joohyung Kim (Kor)
I came here for the Asian Development Tour (ADT) event earlier this year so I feel pretty familiar with this course. The tee boxes are a bit different from before but obviously the course is playing in different condition now where it’s softer greens. The fairways are good and if we play preferred lies, the scores are going to be low.
I obviously have good memories in Indonesia. I played my first Asian Tour event in Indonesia earlier and came in third so it’s nice to be back. After the Sabah Masters, I took some time off. I feel like I’m well rested now hopefully I can finish good this week.
I am actually not sure what my next goal is because I feel like I still have a long way to go. I have gotten a lot better but I’m still learning every single week. A lot of good players are here this week and these are the guys whom I used to watch from outside the ropes a few years back.
Now I’m playing head to head with them. It’s going to be fun for the future to be out there playing with these guys. I feel like I’m not really that far off from them when I am playing well. I’m happy to be in the running for the Rookie of the Year award, having played only four events so far while the rest of the guys started earlier this year.
Unfortunately, I won’t be able to play the season finale in Thailand next week. So this week will be my last event on the Asian Tour this year. I wish I am playing but I have some stuff to do in Korea next week. So I really hope to finish the year strong with a good result this week.
The experience I have gotten this is great. I learned a lot and my confidence level grew as well. I think my mental game has improved a lot too. Playing on the ADT helps as well.
Wang Wei-lun (Tpe)
I played well on this course when we had the ADT event here in May. I came in top-three then so it’s nice to be back. Feels pretty familiar with the course now. I won’t say I am very confident of playing well this week but I do feel much comfortable now.
I have had some solid top-five finishes recently so that has definitely gave me a lot of confidence as well. It was disappointing to miss out on the win as well but I know where my problems are now so I have been working on it. Hopefully, it won’t happen during the tournament again.
I’m pretty happy with my season so far. I think I’ve been quite lucky too. I managed to get in to quite a few events and I played well early in the year too. I was able to take advantage of the opportunities I had.
I have been learning a lot, every week there’s something new for you to learn, whether it’s techniques or mental. I try and tell myself not to think too much when I’m out there. My focus has been on the Asian Tour for the past few years. I must say the experience has really helped my game.
I actually wasn’t feeling well after playing in India earlier. I was battling with a cold at the Sabah Masters. I decided to take last week off to get some good rest. I think it’s a good decision made because I’m well and ready to go for the last two events of the year.
The goal for me at the start of the year was to finish inside top-60 and secure my card for 2020. I think I should be pretty safe now. But I will still try for another good result this year and I can end the season on a higher note.
Danny Masrin (Ina)
This is definitely a course that I am comfortable playing. This is where I practiced the most. My friend is on my bag again this week. I practiced with him all the time here so we’re really comfortable and we’re just looking to make some putts this week.
The course is in a better shape than I thought it would be. I played here before going to Mauritius and the greens didn’t look like they are going to be ready but they seemed pretty good right now. I played well here for an ADT event earlier as well but they set it up quite differently this week.
I know I’m 55th on the Order of Merit right now. I don’t want to feel the pressure. I just want to play well and hopefully everything take care of it. If I play decent, it should be good enough to keep my card for next year. Obviously, the higher I can finish on the final Order of Merit, the better it is for me. I’ve been working a lot more on my short game this year. I changed my putter in August right before I played started playing well so I think that has made a difference.
Jakarta, December 10: Young Korean talent Joohyung Kim will be looking to continue his impressive run on the Asian Tour when he tees off for his debut appearance at the BNI Indonesian Masters supported by Bank BRI and MedcoEnergi starting Thursday.
The 17-year-old freshman has been living the dream this year, having won three times on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) to earn playing rights on the Asian Tour in October and found immediate success on the region’s premier Tour with a victory in India last month.
Kim, playing in only his fifth start on Tour this week which is also his last event of the year, hopes to close his dream rookie season on a high note when he steps up to the tee at the highly acclaimed Royale Jakarta Golf Club, home of the Indonesian Masters since 2011.
Kim’s challenge, however, will be put to test as he faces a strong field of players that include defending champion Poom Saksansin, a two-time winner of the BNI Indonesian Masters, as well as newly crowned Order of Merit winner Jazz Janewattananond.
The talented 144-man field from 21 countries also features more than 50 Tour champions and six Order of Merit winners and they will all be vying for top honours in the US$750,000 event, which is celebrating its ninth straight edition on the Asian Tour this week.
Danny Masrin will spearhead the local charge alongside Rory Hie, who became the first Indonesian to win on the Asian Tour in September. Together with 24 other Indonesians in the field, they will be vying to keep the Indonesian Masters trophy on home soil for the first time in the tournament’s history.
Chinese Taipei’s Wang Wei-lun, who has shown great potential with three top-five finishes in seven starts this season, will continue his chase for a breakthrough victory on the Asian Tour this week. The 26-year-old enjoyed a tied-third place result when he played on the same course for an Asian Development Tour (ADT) event earlier in May.
Other notable players in the field are John Catlin of the United States, Scott Hend of Australia, India’s Shiv Kapur and S.S.P. Chawrasia, as well as Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert and Phachara Khongwatmai.
The BNI Indonesian Masters will form the third leg of the 2019/20 Panasonic Swing and the winner of the event will again receive a coveted spot in the World Golf Championships – FedEx St. Jude Invitational in 2020.
By being the flagship event of the Asian Tour, the BNI Indonesian Masters will award the winner with no less than 20 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, ensuring more players benefit from the points breakdown in what is the penultimate event of the 2019 season.
Did you know?
- Joohyung Kim claimed his breakthrough at the Panasonic Open India last month. It was only his third start on the Asian Tour this season. He had posted a third-place finish at the Indonesia Open and a tied-sixth place result at the Thailand Open prior to his breakthrough.
- The talented 17-year-old had earned his playing rights for the remainder of the 2019 Asian Tour season after clinching his third title on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) this season in Pakistan in October.
- Placed 161st on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), Kim is the second highest-ranked player following Jazz Janewattananond (57th) in the field this week. He started the year in 2006th place on the OWGR.
- The BNI Indonesian Masters will be Kim’s last event on the Asian Tour this season as he will not be teeing up for the season-finale in Thailand next week.
- Kim hopes to ride on his good memories in Indonesia for another fine showing this week. Apart from the top-three finish at the Indonesia Open in August, Kim also won his second ADT title in Indonesia.
- Danny Masrin, placed 923rd on the OWGR, is the second highest-ranked Indonesian in the field this week. He sits in 55th position on the 2019 Asian Tour Habitat for Humanity Standings and needs to stay inside top-61 on the final rankings to secure his card for the 2020 season.
- The 27-year-old Masrin enjoyed a top-10 finish on the Asian Tour in Chinese Taipei three months ago and has also notched three consecutive top-10 results on the ADT in May and June.
- His best result in the BNI Indonesian Masters is a tied-52nd place finish in 2016.
- Wang Wei-lun is a one-time winner on the ADT. He won on home soil in 2017 and finish fourth on the ADT Order of Merit that year to secure his Asian Tour card for 2018.
- Although he did not manage to retain his card for 2019, the 26-year-old Wang made full use of his limited playing opportunities to notch three top-five finishes in only seven starts so far this season.
- He is placed 56th on the current Merit rankings and has a good chance to secure his Asian Tour card for 2020 for the first time in his burgeoning career.
- Wang was crowned the Order of Merit champion on his domestic circuit in 2017.
By Olle Nordberg, Former Asian Tour and European Tour professional
The Tournament
The US$750,000 BNI Indonesian Masters will be played for the ninth consecutive year and during its history has seen two of the game’s top players and former world number ones win the title.
When Englishman Lee Westwood won the inaugural edition in 2011, the victory brought him back to the number one position on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) two months after losing the top spot to Martin Kaymer of Germany.
Westwood successfully defended his title in 2012, and also won the event in 2015, becoming the only three-time winner of the BNI Indonesian Masters.
While countryman Justin Rose did not reach number one on the OWGR with his win here in 2017, he did have a chance at last year’s event to reclaim the number one ranking he had briefly held twice earlier in 2018.
In tied-fourth place and in prime position to do so after three rounds, a tied-16th with one player would have allowed him to snatch the number one spot for at least one week, while a tied-12th or better would have guaranteed Rose the coveted world number one spot at the end of the year.
However, in an uncharacteristic final round that included a double-bogey on the second hole and a fatal triple-bogey eight after a four-putt on the par-five 12th, Rose settled for a tied-17th and saw his chance to end the year on top of the rankings disappear.
A player that did not make many mistakes in the final round last year was overnight leader Poom Saksansin of Thailand who fired a four-under-par 68 to claim the trophy by three shots over compatriot Jazz Janewattanond on 20-under-par 268.
Poom, already a winner of this title in 2016, also received the added bonus of an invitation to the WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational in Memphis, Tennessee for winning the event, along with 24 important OWGR points.
At last year’s event there were no fewer than five Thai players in the top eight spots, in addition to Jazz in second, Panuphol Pittayarat finishing third, Thitiphun Chuayprakong fifth and Jakraphan Premsirigorn in tied-seventh place.
The Course
The Royale Jakarta Golf Club has hosted the BNI Indonesian Masters every year since its inception, and this prestigious club on the outskirts of Jakarta will play as a par-72 at 7,368 yards from the championship tees this year.
The course rewards accurate tee-shots and staying out of the rough in order to take advantage of the scoring holes, the par-fives should be attacked from the fairway rather than the rough. It also has some strong par-fours where distance off the tee is an advantage, but from recent results it has also been proven that you do not have to be a long hitter to win here.
For example: two-time winner Poom ranked 136th in driving distance on the Asian Tour in 2018 with 266 yards, and at last year’s event he was ranked 100th with 263.5 yards off the tee.
Thai players have had more success here than any other nationality in the last five editions of the event. Out of the 54 players who has finished inside the top-10 in the last five years, 20 (or 37%) have been from the Kingdom.
The Contenders
Poom Saksansin
The defending champion has proven his ability to win at this course and will likely feel energized and very confident coming back to the venue which has rewarded him with two out of his three Asian Tour victories.
Even though the season has not been what Poom was hoping for after his big win here in the end of 2018, the good memories of Royale Jakarta Golf Club could help him finish the year on a good note and rescue an otherwise forgettable season.
Jazz Janewattananond
Having just secured the Asian Tour Order of Merit title last week after his closest pursuer Scott Hend elected not to play in Mauritius, Jazz now has an even bigger target to shoot for this week: finishing the year inside the top 50 on the OWGR and thereby earning himself a place in the Masters field next year.
A win this week will be worth a minimum of 20 OWGR points, which would likely be enough to ensure that he finishes the year inside the top 50. He is also scheduled to play next week at the Thailand Masters, so two second-place finishes (depending on number of ties) could also be enough.
His record this year speaks for itself, with two wins at the SMBC Singapore Open and Kolon Korea Open and 13 other top-10 finishes in the region. He clearly also likes the course as shown by his runner-up finish last year and tied-fifth back in 2014.
Scott Hend
Even though Hend can no longer catch Jazz in the Order of Merit race, the 10-time Asian Tour winner will be looking to add to this tally and finish the year in style.
When the big-hitting Australian is in form he is very difficult to beat, and after a two-week break he should show up in Jakarta well rested and refreshed after a long season playing the Asian and European Tours.
Pavit Tangkamolprasert
The winner of the Sabah Masters, who triumphed in a four-way playoff two weeks ago, has been in fine form the last month, having lost in a playoff at the Thailand Open and finishing tied-14th at the Panasonic Open India. He also had another top-10 finish at the Bank BRI Indonesia Open in September where he finished tied-sixth.
Pavit has also been playing great golf at home on the All Thailand Golf Tour (ATGT), posting eight top-10s in 10 events so far this season.
Currently in 14th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, a high finish this week could ensure that he eclipses his previous best year-end position of 12th from 2016 when he won the Venetian Macao Open.
Joohyung Kim
Korean “young gun” Kim has been one of this season’s breakout players, with a win at the recent Panasonic Open India and two other top-six finishes in only four Asian Tour starts this season. His worst result of the four events was a tied-12th at the Sabah Masters, missing out on another top-10 by only one shot.
He also won three times on the Asian Development Tour (ADT) this year to earn a battlefield promotion to the Asian Tour and has four other top-five finsiheson that tour since the year began.
Kim has been getting some global attention on Twitter thanks to OWGR guru Nosferatu, or @VC606 as his handle is called, who has pointed out that Kim’s career top-10 percentage of 52.0% is second only to Tiger Woods at 57.6%. An extremely impressive start to his young career as a professional.
Rory Hie
Hie is enjoying his best season on the Asian Tour and became the first Indonesian to win an Asian Tour event at the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship in India in September. He opened the event with an eight-under-par 64 and won the event wire-to-wire.
Since taking his maiden title nearly three months ago, Hie has been playing very solid golf and is coming off a tied-12th at the Sabah Masters and a tied-fifth at the Panasonic Open India in his last two events.
He also has a top-10 in this event previously when he finished tied-ninth in 2011, the best result for an Indonesian player since the event started.
Mauritius, December 8: Denmark’s Rasmus Hojgaard announced his arrival on the biggest stage when he sunk an eagle on the third play-off hole to win the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open on Sunday.
At 18, the Danish teenager secured his European Tour card at Qualifying School last month and his breakthrough at the Heritage Golf Club came very quickly in what was only his fifth appearance on the European Tour.
It took a crucial birdie on the 72nd hole for the young Dane to force his way into a three-way play-off with Italian Renato Paratore and Frenchman Antoine Rozner after closing with a four-under-par 68 and 19-under-par 269 total.
Hojgaard missed a 12-foot eagle putt for the title on his first trip back up the par-five 18. With Parattore bowing out after hitting his ball into the water then, it was left to Hojgaard and Rozner to battle for top honors again.
Both made birdies on their second play-off hole but Hojgaard’s moment of glory would come soon after when he eagled the hole in his third attempt for an emotional triumph on the paradise Indian ocean island.
China’s Wu Ashun and India’s Jyoti Randhawa flew the Asian flag when they finished in a share of 13th and 17th place respectively at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open which was inaugurated in 2015.
It was the first tournament to be tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, Sunshine Tour and European Tour.
Did you know?
- The Heritage Golf Club was staging the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open for the third time (2015, 2017 and 2019) and each time a play-off was always need to determine the winner.
- Alongside twin brother Nikolai and John Axelsen, Rasmus Hojgaard led Denmark to a first World Amateur Team Championship win at the 2018 Eisenhower Trophy
- The Hojgaard brothers also played in the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup.
- Victory for Italy’s Renato Paratore would have been his second win on the European Tour in his 152nd appearance after his maiden win at the 2017 Nordea Masters.
- Antoine Rozner finished seventh in his only previous appearance at the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open last year.
- Jyoti Randhawa recently celebrated his career milestone on the Asian Tour when he teed up for his 300th event at the Panasonic Open India last month.
- He once reached a career high of 70th place on the Official World Golf Ranking in March 2008.
- Randhawa enjoyed his best finish of 2019 when he finished tied-14th at the Thailand Open in November.
Rasmus Hojgaard (Den) Fourth round 68 (-4) Total 269 (-19)
I’m loss for words. It’s amazing and I’m over the moon. This is a dream come true for me. I just kept telling myself to believe in yourself and trust the number. I did what I could and it was enough for me to win. I was obviously nervous, playing in my first play-off but I was in a situation where I had nothing to lose. So I was confident especially with my shots coming in. It was pretty cool to close out the 18th hole today. My approach shots were all very good there and I just managed to do what I had to do. It’s cool to win so early in my career and it’s something just very amazing and I’m looking forward to the next challenge. I’m going to celebrate this victory when I get home to my family and friends.
Antoine Rozner (Fra) Fourth round 69 (-3) Total 269 (-19)
Everything comes down to one playoff hole. I made some amazing birdies on the first two playoff holes. I have nothing to regret. I gave my best. Congratulations to Rasmus. He hit some amazing shots down the stretch. That bunker shot, I told my caddie right before that this can go in the stand or stay in the trap because I was trying to catch it so clean. But yeah it was probably one of the best bunker shots I’ve ever hit. All the hard work is paying off. It’s a very good result and I’m very happy.
Renato Paratore (Ita) Fourth round 67 (-5) Total 269 (-19)
I pulled my second shot too much to the left. It was not the best shot I made and it landed off the green and I knew I had no chance. I could have aimed more to the right. I played really solid all week and even though I didn’t win in the play-off, overall it has been a good week.
Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) Fourth round 65 (-7), Total 274 (-14)
I’m pleasantly surprised with my result this week. I played well today and I was really comfortable with my swing and the pace of play. I was playing with Mercel and he was very quick so I didn’t have to hurry that much too. I made several good putts and I’m happy with the week. I’m swinging much better and feeling much better. I did some swing changes before coming here. I went back to what I should do when I was playing my best golf and that helped. I hope to keep this going. I’ve got two more events left and I’m feeling good about the game.
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