Bogor, Indonesia, March 15: The Asian Development Tour (ADT) received a welcome boost with the inaugural OB Golf Invitational set to provide the region’s emerging stars with another playing opportunity in Indonesia next week.

The US$70,000 ADT event, which will be the Tour’s first stop in Indonesia this season, is slated to get underway from March 21 to 24 at the highly-rated Gunung Geulis Country Club, located in Bogor, about 50 kilometres from the national capital of Jakarta.

A 144-man field, made up of 80 players from the ADT, 55 players from the PGA Tour of Indonesia and nine invitees, will feature in the tournament, which marks the fourth leg of the ADT schedule this season.

Danny Masrin, highest-ranked Indonesian in 795th position on the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), will spearhead the local charge alongside one-time ADT winner George Gandranata.

They will be vying for honours against an international cast from the ADT, which features young Malaysian Shariffuddin Ariffin, South African Mathiam Keyser and American John Catlin, who claimed his breakthrough ADT victory on the same venue two years ago.

Jimmy Masrin, owner of OB Golf, is thrilled to provide players with another playing opportunity which can also improve their world rankings as that will be key to their qualification bid for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

“The ADT has been a great platform for aspiring golfers to gain playing experiences and to sharpen their skills. I believe this new tournament will provide another great opportunity for players to further excel in the game, especially with the world ranking points on offer.

“A couple of players had qualified for the Olympic Games through playing on the ADT two years ago. With the launch of this tournament, we hope to help more players realise their dreams and represent their countries in the Olympics in 2020,” said Masrin.

Reigning Asian Tour Merit champion Gavin Green of Malaysia and Chinese Taipei’s Lin Wen-tang qualified for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, thanks largely to their exploits on the ADT. Green claimed two wins prior to the cut-off date in July that year while Lin finished inside top-three twice.

Cho Min Thant, Chief Operating Officer, Asian Tour, hailed the launch of the OB Golf Invitational on the ADT, saying it will positively impact the professional golf scene across Indonesia and Asia.

“We are honoured and privileged to welcome the OB Golf Invitational onto the ADT schedule. George Gandranata became the first Indonesian to win on the ADT in 2016 and we hope to see more young and exciting talents bursting into the scene through this new event.

“On behalf of the ADT, I would also like to thank OB Golf and the PGA Tour of Indonesia for their strong commitment and support. I believe we can provide the platform for Indonesian golf to grow and develop through the staging of this event,” said Cho.

The ADT was launched in 2010 as a gateway to the premier Asian Tour. All ADT events are afforded with Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points. The winner receives a minimum of six points and the leading six players and ties earn points based on a sliding scale.

The top five players on the ADT Order of Merit at the end of the season will earn playing rights on the Asian Tour in 2019. The winner of the OB Golf Invitational will take home a prize purse of US$12,250.

For more information on the ADT, please visit www.asiandevelopmenttour.com.

Ends.

About Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.