Indonesian Masters Returns to Royale Jakarta Golf Club
The Indonesian Masters returns to Royale Jakarta Golf Club for the 2nd year of the landmark tournament on the Asian Tour this April 19th through 22nd, 2012. Last year during the inaugural event, Lee Westwood regained the World #1 Ranking and focused the attention of the golf world on Indonesia. Mr. Westwood returns this year to defend his title along with notable professionals, Ian Woosnam, Thongchai Jaidee, Michael Campbell and Indonesian’s #1 professional golfer Rory Hie to compete for the largest tournament purse in Indonesian golf. The tournament is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Persatuan Golf Professional Indonesia (PGPI).
The 27-hole semi-private club, which opened in late 2008, is conveniently located within the thriving metropolis of Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia and home to over 9,500,000 people. According to the golf course architect, Bob Moore of JMP Golf Design Group, “The land provided a wonderful canvas of rolling terrain, scattered specimen trees, and facilitated the creation of a world-class golf course. The design style of this stand-alone golf course is parkland with a strong emphasis on long-range vistas, a rarity for the relatively flat topography if inner-city Jakarta.”
The golf course is planted from “tee to green” with Sea Isle Supreme paspalum and the surrounds of the course are accented with a colorful background of ornamental grasses and the introduction of both shade and flowering trees. Many of the original rice fields were cleverly incorporated into the design, providing both strategic and esthetic aspects to the layout.
Last year the tournament experienced a global television reach of over 749 million households. Funds raised during the 2011 Indonesian Masters provide opportunities to support a youth development program for promising young golfers throughout Indonesia and to build 11 homes for Habitat for Humanity.
Ballantine’s Championship Returns to Black Stone Golf Club
The Ballantine’s Championship once again returns to Black Stone Golf Club at Icheon this April 26th through 29th, 2012. The world-class field features Major Champions Darren Clarke and YE Yang, top world-ranked professionals Adam Scott, Miguel Ángel Jiménez, Ian Poulter and Dustin Johnson. Rounding out the international stars are Liang WenChong, Lin Wen-Tang, and local rising star Kim Kyung-Tae. The 5th Anniversary of this event is sponsored by the European Tour, Korea Professional Golf Tour Corp., and the Asian Tour.
This 27-hole high-end private golf club which opened in 2010 was awarded “Korea’s Best New Golf Courses 2010-2011” and a “5-Star” ranking by Golf Digest in 2010. It is located about 1 hour from Seoul and features magnificent ridgeline views, beautifully landscaped creeks & lakes and secluded forest glens.
Golf Course Architect Brian Costello, of JMP GOLF DESIGN GROUP, states, “Our goal for Icheon was to create a golf course that would set a new, high standard for world-class golf in the Seoul market. It is my personal belief that we have been successful in that endeavor and that we have created a ‘modern classic’. I share the Owner’s enthusiasm that the Ballantine’s Championship is returning to Blackstone Golf Club for a second successive year.”
Costello continues, “This golf course is an original creation founded on the centuries-old tradition of strategic golf…a philosophy that ensures a course that can be played and enjoyed by golfers at all levels of ability. The strategic design principles apply to both the member as well as to the world’s most accomplished players. The ‘thinking golfer’ will be rewarded by recognizing options and the risk versus reward factors. Length and power off of the tee are not the most important skills to play this course well. Finesse and quality shot-making will be equally rewarded.”
This tournament is representative of a thriving and robust interest in golf in Asia, played at the highest caliber venues by the world’s best golfers. The Ballantine’s Championship and their sponsors and partners expect another record-setting attendance given the tremendous support of the Korean golf community.