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With just two professionals to its name, one of whom has yet to even play in the country, women’s golf in Indonesia is in need of a kick-start.

Lidya Ivana Jaya and Ni Ketut Raniasih may be just the people to do that. They will lead Indonesia’s first professional women’s tournament when the Ladies Indonesian Open tees off today at New Kuta Golf Resort in Bali.

Despite playing on home soil, both golfs set modest goals.

“There are a lot of world-class golfers in the tournament, so it’ll be stiff competition out there,” Lidya said. “I just want to hit good drives and try to make the cut.”

The 96-player list for the tournament includes Zhang Na of China, a four-time winner on the Japan LPGA tour, Thailand’s four-time LPGA tour winner Phatlum Pornanong and last year’s Thailand Open winner Sattayabanphot Onnarin.

Since turning pro in 2008, Lidya’s best achievement was a top 10 finish in the 2008 Women’s Indian Open. She has yet to play on the Ladies Asian Golf Tour since finishing 39th at the 2009 Thailand Open.

“It’d be a great boost for my career and women’s golf in Indonesia if I could win in Bali,” she said. “But it’ll be difficult, especially because I find the golf course a hard one. I’ve played here several times but have never scored under par.”

On top of facing professional competition, Lidya also faces a challenge from within her own family.

Alfie Setiono, Lidya’s 14-year-old niece, is one of 12 Indonesian amateurs in the field. Alfie will also be the youngest player in the tournament.

“I don’t think [Alfie] will do any better than me but, then again, who knows what may happen?” Lidya said. “I’m not going to be influenced by her presence.

“I want to try and win this event to boost the sport among the women’s golfers in Indonesia. I’ll be proud of Alfe if she does well as she hopes to build up a career in professional golf, too.”

Undaunted, Alfie replied, “It’s not just my aunt, but finishing ahead of other established professionals will certainly ignite my zeal to be a strong player.”

For 29-year-old Raniasih, the tournament will be her first professional event in Indonesia.

She moved abroad in the early 1990s, following her husband to Peru and beginning to play golf there. After her divorce in 2001, she moved to Hong Kong and began playing professionally in 2004 in domestic tournaments.

Her Asian Tour debut came at the Thailand Open, where she missed the cut by a stroke.

“I’m an Indonesian, but I’m also a stranger here. Nobody in Indonesian golf knows about me, and the only way to introduce myself to the people of Indonesia is to have a good finish in the inaugural Ladies Indonesian Open,” she told the LAGT Web site.

“I’ve not played in any of the golf courses in Indonesia. I hope to do well. I was working overtime in Hong Kong to impress back here. It’s going to be an event thay I will remember forever, as I will be playing on homesoil for the first time.”

Reuters, JG