More can be achieved for Indonesian golf: PGI chairman

Posted on March 1, 2009 by Ancora Sports | Categories: News | link

The development of golf in Indonesia has seen some progress, but can still be improved further, chairman of the Indonesian Golf Association (PGI), Jero Wacik, said Saturday.

He pointed out that last year four Indonesian golfers managed to make the cut at the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesian Open golf tournament.

“This year, only Rory Hie managed to make the cut. But that’s sports, there are ups and downs,” he said.

“But this year, the golf course is very tough. So we must also take this into consideration.”

This year’s event is being held at the New Kuta Golf and Ocean View in Pecatu, Badung regency, Bali, with most golfers saying the course was tough with tricky greens, and windy.

Wacik, who is also culture and tourism minister, was speaking after inaugurating a golf academy run by the Ancora Golf Institute at the

Bali Golf and Country Club in Nusa Dua, Bali.

“All in all, there is still room for improvement,” he said.

As for the golf academy, Wacik applauded the cooperation between Ancora and Bali Golf to produce more golfers with better achievements.

He also reminded all those involved in the sport to give their best to customers because “golf has become a tourism object nowadays”.

“We have plenty of Koreans coming to Bali just to play golf,” he said.

“Give them your best service and they will return and spread the good word.”

For Ancora, the Bali golf institute is its second academy after opening its first academy at the Damai Indah Golf Course at Bumi Serpong Damai in Serpong, Banten, in 2008.

The results of Ancora’s efforts can be seen in Ian Andrew and Rory Hie, playing in this year’s Indonesian Open.

Amateur Ian, who joined Ancora for six months, missed the cut after carding 88 and 75 for an aggregate of 163.

Meanwhile, pro Rory maintained a stable performance of two-under 214 after three rounds, earning him a share of 28th spot with nine other golfers. Rory shot a two-under Thursday and had to be content with even pars in the second and third rounds.

Ancora chairman Gita Wiryawan said he was aiming to open a third golf institute this year, either in Bandung, West Java, or Surabaya, East Java, where he said golfing talent abounded.