Local hotshot Rory Hie will be hoping that home support will steer him through a successful week at the Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open which tees off on Thursday.    

After earning playing rights for the first time on the Asian Tour through the Qualifying School in January, Hie has now set his sights on another solid campaign at the New Kuta Golf Resort.

But the 20-year-old Jakarta-based golfer realises the tough task ahead in the US$1.25 million event, where he will against a strong lineup who include Thai stars Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant, Korea’s Noh Seung-yul, US PGA Tour player Daniel Chopra of Sweden, England’s Nick Dougherty, former winner Simon Dyson and defending champion Felipe Aquilar of Chile.

Hie, who picked up the game at the age of five, will be hoping to finish ahead of the pack through his past experience of playing at the New Kuta Golf Resort in December.

“I’ve played in a pro-am event on this course last December and coming back here again, I feel like I’m quite familiar with the conditions. I would aim to get it level par on the back nine while trying for as many birdies as I can on the front nine. That would be the plan for me this week,” said Hie.

Hie became the first Indonesian player to earn playing rights on the Asian Tour when he finished in the top-40 at Qualifying School. He had previously enjoyed a successful amateur career winning one title in United States. He was also the world amateur number seven in 2008 before deciding to turn professional in August last year.

“It’s always great to be competing in front of my home fans. I know there will be many Indonesians supporting me so I hope that will help inspire me to strive for my best this week,” added Hie.

After back-to-back wins at the Hana Bank Vietnam Masters and Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open in the closing stages of last season, Thailand’s Thongchai hopes to ride on a similar wave of confidence in the Asian Tour and European Tour sanctioned event.

“I like this course and the fairway is nice and wide. The greens are a bit tricky though but I feel good about my game,” said Thongchai, who had recently recovered from a throat infection.

“I had a throat infection and went back to Thailand to see a doctor. That infection started in Malaysia. I then had to withdraw from the Johnnie Walker Classic in Perth last Monday and I was resting since then, I hardly played any golf.

“But I’m feeling much better now and it’s great to be in Bali for the first time,” said Thongchai.

On the verge of recovering from a nagging flu, Sweden’s Chopra, with two wins on the US PGA Tour, is pleased to be back to a country where he had spent most of his days as a junior golfer.

“Other than India, Sweden and England, Indonesia is probably the place I’ve spent the most time. So I always feel comfortable coming back here because I have so many great memories.