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Golf gaining momentum in Indonesia

Golf in Indonesia is on the fast track and will start producing top players soon, says its leading professional Ilassyak.

The return of the Indonesia Open last year has brought back renewed hope for golf enthusiasts in the country and sparked keener interests in the game.

Ilassyak, preparing to compete in this week's US$1 million Enjoy Jakarta HSBC Indonesia Open at Emeralda Golf Club, said the return of top class tournaments will not only boost the interests within the golfing public but also allow Indonesian players to compete against international fields.

“Golf is a growing sport here and my involvement in this year’s Indonesia Open will give me a big edge over the rest of my compatriots when we face off in the domestic front,” said Ilassyak today.

“The amount of exposure and experience that I will gain here is beyond anything I can ever get from playing in local events. I hope that the Indonesia Open will be the springboard to the creation of many more local competitions which is something we lack at the moment,” he said.

Chinese ace Zhang Lian-wei, whose maiden international victory was here in Indonesia 10 years ago, is optimistic about the development of golf in the country. He firmly believes that the sport will spiral to new heights with the continuous support of the media, players, sponsors and the government.

“There is tremendous room for the development of golf in the country. It is heading in the right direction. I am so impressed with the level of support the media has shown and the interest generated from the public. The golf course here is great, as good as any other course in Asia,” said Zhang, a five-time winner on the Asian Tour.

“There is no doubt that golf in Indonesia will continue to grow and definitely some time soon, the country will be at par and be able to be where Thailand is right now in terms of producing good golfers,” he said.

March 1, 2006