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Mardan predicts tough finish at Motorola

Fortune will favour the brave in this week's inaugural Motorola International Bintan, says Singaporean number one Mardan Mamat.

Mardan warned rivals that the spectacular Ria Bintan Golf Club's Ocean course, designed by golf legend Gary Player, will trip up title contenders down the final three holes, which offer some breathtaking views but not one for the weak-hearted.

Global Premier Sports, organisers of the Motorola International Open, have switched the nines around for the Motorola International Bintan, starting on Thursday, where players will face a tough 151-yard par three challenge with its green snuggled by the beachfront as the finishing hole.

"There are some exciting finishing holes this week," said Mardan, one of the favourites this week by virtue of his win in Ria Bintan during a Singaporean PGA event last year.

"The 16th is a strong par five, it's short but is very tricky as the green is surrounded by water. On 17, you can drive the green but you need to be very brave to carry the tall trees on the left and the green falls back into water.

"18 is such a tough par three. If you are leading by one stroke going into the last, it's not going to be easy. You need to hit a quality golf shot for a par. You can easily make double bogey. If the pin is tucked at the back, you'll be looking at a six or five iron in hand and there's a lot of wind around there," he added.

With Singapore being a 50-minute ferry ride from Bintan, Mardan feels right at home at Ria Bintan and is hoping to add the Motorola International Bintan onto his resume. A two-time winner in Asia, Mardan, 11th on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit last season, has posted two top-25 finishes in his last two outings but feels that a breakthrough is on the cards.

"It's nice to come back to a place where you've won a tournament. It's good to come back. In the last two weeks, I'm getting my confidence back in my game. Good things are coming back into my mind. I've been putting well but the ball is just not going into the hole.

"It's a matter of time before I hole more putts regularly. You have to be patient. I know the greens here and last week, I did roll a lot of good putts."

Filipino Juvic Pagunsan, last year's Rookie of the Year, said the par three 18th would be make or break for the Motorola International Bintan title hopefuls come Sunday. "It's a great finishing hole," he said. "A lot can happen there. You're either on the green or you're in the sea (on the left) or in a bad lie on the right."

Pagunsan is making a return from a shoulder injury which ruled him out of action for a month and after tying for 46th place in last week's TCL Classic in China, the Filipino, presently 72nd on the UBS Order of Merit, knows he must start putting in top performances to match last year's heroics where he enjoyed four top-10s.

"The shoulder is now 70 per cent," said Pagunsan. "I need to take it easy but I'm ready to have a good week here. I played nicely last week in China and after missing three big events, I'm eager to get my season restarted again."

Former US PGA Tour regular Scott Hend of Australia is also hoping to continue his recovery from a hand injury with a strong showing at the Motorola International Open. He tore muscles in his left forearm last year but is re-establishing himself slowly, but surely, on the Asian Tour.

After earning his card from Qualifying School, Hend finished second in the Pakistan Open in January and hopes to go one rung better in Ria Bintan. "Number one goal will be to win this tournament," said Hend, who played in America in 2004 and 2005.

"I want to try and wrap up my card in the first half of the season and have a stress-free year for the rest of the season. It's been tough. Since I came through from Q-school, it's tough to know which tournament I get starts in.

"It's hard to try to peak at the right time. But I'm getting there. It's been enjoyable so far, seeing a lot of countries in Asia and I'll play the best that I can. Hopefully it can spark up and I can be in contention this weekend.

"For me, this year is to rebuild the strength and confidence. If you can wrap up your card early, you will have somewhere to play. You can go out and aim for the pins in every tournament and feel confident. That's what it's all about. You want to reach a stage where you can relax and play the best golf that you can," he added.

March 20, 2007