Jakarta, Indonesia: Indonesia’s top-two ranked male amateur golfers are gearing up for what promises to be an intriguing head-to-head showdown in the ninth edition of the Faldo Series Indonesia Championship.
While highly-rated Tirto Tamardi is an overwhelming favourite in the Boys’ Under-16 category, Kevin Caesario Akbar is expected to sweep to victory in the Boys’ Under-18 segment.
Both teenagers are also tipped to be in the running for overall honours at the Damai Indah Golf’s BSD Course in West Java in what is the 18th leg of the record-breaking 2015-16 Faldo Series Asia season.
Currently, Tamardi is 724th in the R&A’s men’s World Amateur Golf Ranking. The next best placed Indonesian in the listing is Akbar in 916th.
Winner of the Faldo Series Indonesia Championship in 2014 and runner-up last year, Tamardi, now aged 16, underlined his standing as his country’s foremost male amateur with a series of good results in 2015.
Most notable were his seventh place finish individually in the Southeast Asian Games in Singapore and a share of 19th spot in the Asia Pacific Amateur Championship in Hong Kong. On both occasions he led the way for Indonesia.
Further kudos came last August when he tied for 44th in the Asian Development Tour’s Ciputra Golfpreneur Tournament, a four-round professional event at Damai Indah’s BSD Course.
Now, Tamardi is anxious to emerge as one of the age-group winners at Damai Indah on January 7-8 and earn a trip to Mission Hills China for the 10th anniversary Faldo Series Asia Grand Final, to be hosted by Sir Nick Faldo from March 2-4.
In last year’s Grand Final, Tamardi posted a three-day total of one-under 215 over the award-winning Faldo Course at Mission Hills to finish third in the Boys’ Under-16 and 11th in the overall standings.
Six-time Major championship winner Sir Nick, Britain’s most successful golfer, said: “Over the past two years, Tirto has proved himself to be a talented player. The challenge for him now is to show even greater consistency and to contend in all events in which competes.
“My thanks to the Indonesian Golf Association and everyone at Damai Indah for their support and commitment to develop elite junior golf.”
Supported by The R&A and Mission Hills and endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation, the 2015-16 Faldo Series Asia campaign stretches over 11 months and will include a minimum of 21 events in 17 countries.