High five to the Malaysian qualifiers for the Iskandar Johor Open 2010
Johor Bahru, September 20, 2010 - C.M. Chong and Kemarol Baharin Kemarol Huda both fired even-par 72 to emerge as the top two finishers in the Malaysian Qualifier for the US$1.25 million (RM4 million) Iskandar Johor Open (IJO) 2010 at the 6,271-metre, par-72 Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club today.
Chong, 36, started on the back nine and was rather poor off the block with a bogey five on the 356-metre, par-four tenth hole. He recovered with five birdies at holes 11, 13, 18, 6 and 7 but bogeyed holes 17, 3 and double-bogeyed the 355-metre, par-four fifth hole to finish his round tie with Kemarol.
“I’m happy to have qualified although I know I could have scored better today if not for the three-putt double-bogey on the fifth. My putting only got better after that as I buried a 20-footer for birdie on the sixth. Overall, I’m satisfied,” said Chong who qualified for IJO for the third time.
He made the cut in 2008 but failed to make it to weekend play last year and this year, he’s hoping for a better showing at the full-field Asian Tour event scheduled to be played at Horizon Hills from October 14 to 17, 2010.
“Obviously, I need to work on my game to prepare for the championship. I’ve three more weeks to get my game in shape and I’m going to work really hard for it,” added Chong.
As for Kemarol, 25, the excitement in his round all happened on the first nine as he chalked up two birdies against two bogeys while he parred all the way on the second nine. Playing the course for the first time, he’s happy with his score although he admitted that he’ll have to practice his short game and work on his fitness to stand any chance come the championship week.
“My game is a bit rusty while my fitness level is a bit off. Needless to say, I need to work on that but I’ve high hope for the championship,” said Kemarol who will be competing in IJO for this first time. “The golf course suits me. It demands patience and precision. It is in great shape but I’m sure it will be more challenging during the tournament week.”
Lim Eng Seng and Nicholas Pua finished tied on two-over-par 74 to fill up the other two spots. Lim, 28, mustered four birdies against six bogeys while Pua, 29, carded two birdies and four bogeys.
Rounding up the Malaysian qualifiers was Kazuaki Tobuse, a 20-year-old of Malaysian-Japanese parentage. Tobuse finished his round tied with three other golfers on four-over-par 76 and won the final slot on the second playoff hole against V. Arumugam.
“I’m really excited to make the final cut for the Iskandar Johor Open. I’ve been playing the semi-pro circuit in Japan for the last two years and this will be a step-up against the big boys in the region,” said Tobuse who came back and played the domestic Tour at the start of the year having spent three years in Japan.
“To have the opportunity to tee-up against renowned players such as KJ Choi, Retief Goosen, Padraig Harrington and Colin Montgomerie is a dream for me. This is the first time I’m playing this event and I’m not going to put too much expectation on myself for the championship but I’ll definitely prepare for it,” added Tobuse.
The Malaysian Qualifier was exclusive for Malaysian professionals only and it attracted 24 players competing for the five berths.
“Congratulations to the five qualifiers for their superb effort to earn a place in the final field of the Iskandar Johor Open 2010. As we can see from the level of competition today, local players do have the potential to compete on a regional stage,” said Encik Ismail Ibrahim, Chief Executive Officer of the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA) , the title sponsor of the championship.
“This is what our sponsorship is all about. We are very happy that the IJO has given such great opportunities for local players to compete against some of the best players in the world. We are also very proud to have played our part in providing an ideal platform to spur the development of golf, particularly professional golf, in the state of Johor as well as the country,” he added.
The IJO 2010 final field is guaranteed to include a minimum of 15 Malaysian players. The five qualifiers today will be joined by the top ten players on the Professional Golfers Association of Malaysia (PGAM) Order of Merit, who are automatically exempted. In addition, a handful of players including Danny Chia and Iain Steel are exempted based on their current Asian Tour ranking. The final field will be announced closer to the championship.
Meanwhile, three more slots are on offer at the second qualifying round, the International Qualifier, which will be held on October 4, also at Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club. For this qualifying round, entry is open to regional, international as well as local professionals holding a valid Professional Card from recognised Golf Clubs and Professional Golf Associations.
The top three players who return with the lowest gross score will win the chance to play in the Iskandar Johor Open under the Qualifier Winners category.
The entry fee is US$70 inclusive of caddie fees and entry form is available from the Asian Tour and www.iskandarjohoropen.com. The last day of registration is on September 30.
The prestigious Iskandar Johor Open will be held from October 14 to 17, 2010 at Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club. Defending champion K.J. Choi of Korea, two-time major winner South African Retief Goosen, three-time major champion Padraig Harrington and 2010 Europe’s Ryder Cup captain, Colin Montgomerie are the leading players already confirmed for the championship.
Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the official regional sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia and the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia, the Iskandar Johor Open 2010 will be contested by 144 players consisting of the top 116 players on the Asian Tour ranking, the top 10 Malaysians on the PGAM Order of Merit, 10 sponsors invites, top five players from the Malaysian Qualifier and top three players from the International Qualifier.
The main sponsor of the Iskandar Johor Open is the Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA). It is also supported by platinum sponsor - UEM Land Holdings Berhad, the master developer of Nusajaya which is a key driver of Iskandar Malaysia and hosted by the Horizon Hills Golf & Country Club. Other co-sponsors include 100 Plus, Auto Bavaria Johor Bahru, Heineken, Kuok Brothers Sdn. Bhd, Pulai Springs Resort, Ricoh, Srixon, TaylorMade-adidas Golf, Telekom Malaysia, Titoni and Winston Wine. The official media partners are Fairways, Golf Malaysia and ParGolf. The tournament is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Johor Golf Association.
The Iskandar Johor Open
The inaugural edition of the Iskandar Johor Open kicked off in August 2007. Held at the Johor Country Club (RJCC) in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, it carried a prize purse of USD$300,000 and the honour of hoisting the trophy for the first time fell to Artemio Murakami of the Philippines. In October 2008, the championship offered an improved purse of USD$500,000 and South African Retief Goosen went on to clinch the coveted trophy at RJCC. 2009 marked a milestone in the history of the Iskandar Johor Open, with a 100% increase in prize money to USD$1,000,000, certainly pointing to the tournament’s growing stature. It was won by Korean K.J. Choi, who triumphed over rising Indian star Himmat Rai and defending champion Retief Goosen.
Iskandar Regional Development Authority (IRDA)
Iskandar Malaysia is set to become Southern Peninsular Malaysia's most developed region, where living, entertainment, environment and business seamlessly converge within a bustling and vibrant metropolis. The Iskandar Regional Development Authority is the statutory body tasked with realizing the vision of developing Iskandar Malaysia.
IMG Sports & Entertainment
Operating in 30 countries, IMG Sports & Entertainment’s diverse businesses include: consulting services; event ownership and management; fashion events and models representation; licensing; golf course design; and client representation in golf, tennis, broadcasting, speakers, European football, rugby, cricket, motor sports, coaching, Olympic and action sports. IMG Academies are the world's largest, multi-sport training and educational facilities, delivering world-class training experiences to more than 12,000 junior, collegiate, adult, and professional athletes each year.
More information about IMG is available at www.imgworld.com.
The Asian Tour
As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. This unique feature positions the Asian Tour at the pinnacle of professional golf in Asia; providing its events with Official World Ranking status. Tour Partners include J.Lindeberg (Official Apparel Partner), Ricoh (Official Office Solutions Provider), Inetol Headwear (Official Headwear Supplier), Royal Selangor (Official Trophy Supplier) and Srixon (Official Ball). Sentosa, Singapore’s premier island resort getaway, is the Home of the Asian Tour.
For Media Enquiries, please contact:
IRDA:
Balbeer Singh Jessy
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Email: balbeer@irda.com.my
