Hie Dreams of Success

Source: Asian Tour

The 21-year-old is bidding to become the first Indonesian to triumph on the Asian Tour and he will rely on home advantage to sparkle at the Damai Indah Golf – Bumi Serpong Damai (BSD) course.

Australian Scott Hend defends his title against a strong field which includes inaugural winner Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines, Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, Noh Seung-yul of Korea and Adam Blyth of Australia.

All eyes will also be on Singaporean prospect Quincy Quek, who will play in his first Asian Tour event as a professional.

Hie, who enjoyed an impressive amateur record with three wins in the United States, has practised regularly at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course over the last few months and even imagined himself taking a victory stroll on the 18th fairway.

“I think about victory all the time. When I started playing this golf course two months ago, I would imagine walking up the 18th hole with a one stroke lead and I will get chills in my skin. But I’ll try to not look too far ahead and will tell myself to take it day-by-day,” said Hie today.

Hie made his professional debut at last year’s Indonesia President Invitational and has since developed into an exciting talent on the Asian Tour. He enjoyed a maiden top-10 at the SAIL Open in India early this season, finishing tied ninth.

“I’ve been lucky enough to play on the Asian Tour. Some people don’t have anywhere to play so I consider myself to be pretty lucky,” said Hie. “My game is coming around. The toughest part is keeping my game consistent as it seems to change every week. This week I feel like everything is coming around together so I have to keep patient and stay focussed,” he added.

Hend is looking forward to his defence although he won his maiden Asian Tour title on a different venue last year. The big-hitting Australian struggled to make an impact in the front half of the year due to injuries but he is confident of getting his season back on track at the Indonesia President Invitational.

“It is good to come back and see the trophy. It brings back some good memories,” said Hend. “To be honest, I’ve played very average in the first six months of the year but my health and my game is coming together again. I’m looking forward to a good finish to the year.”

During the summer break, Hend kept his golf bag in the storeroom and spent most of his time playing father to his children. He said his game may not be as sharp as he likes it to be for his title defence. “I don’t expect to win this week. On the outside I have low expectations but inside of me, I have high expectations. It’s all about not getting frustrated when you’re not playing well,” said Hend.

Quek is gunning for a strong showing in Jakarta. “I’m quite excited. I am here on an invite so hopefully I can play well. I’m looking forward to this debut,” he said.

“The pressure is different but I’ll try to not think about it. They say that before you start a tournament, you’re already down because you’re paying for flights and hotels and I don’t have a sponsor yet. But if you let this things affect you, it won’t be good. Now that I’ve been given this opportunity, I hope to make full use of it,” added the 22-year-old.

Quek has sought the advice from experienced players to get his career off on the right track. “There are a lot of guys based in Singapore – from Kyi Hla Han to Lam Chih Bing and Mardan Mamat, Zaw Moe and Unho Park and they share a common mindset and tell me that I have to take the knocks and ups and downs. It has been very encouraging,” said Quek.

Leading Indonesian amateur golfer, Benny Kasiadi is raring to tee off with the best from Asia as he believes it will be an eventful experience for him. “It is a rare opportunity for amateurs in Indonesia to play on the Tour. I believe this tournament will enhance the reputation of amateurs and my goal is to be named as the best amateur player,” said Kasiadi.

Source: Asian Tour