JAWS BALI INVITATIONAL 2022

Day 1: 14th October at New Kuta

Days 2-3: 15-16th October at Bali National

22 JAWS Sharks headed east to Bali, the island of the Gods, for their annual Golfing pilgrimmage to Bali for the second installment of the JAWS Bali Invitational.

With heavy rain falling on Java and news on the radio reporting flooding in some area’s of Bali’s Southern Peninsula, the admin team prayed for more favorable weather come the start of the event, as all participants were told to bring their rain jackets, just in case.

 With a slightly smaller field then the inaugural event the trophies, winners categories on offer were as follows: Best Nett Overall, Best Gross Overall, Best Nett Runner Up up for grabs.

Despite some light drizzle before tee off on Day 1 at New Kuta, most of the events 54 holes were basked in blue skies, warm weather and sunshine… global warming has made the weather patterns very unpredictable, but to our blessings most of our players returned home after the event darker then when they arrived.

A big thumbs up to via.com who selected the Nusa Dua Novotel as the accomodation for particpants, a hotel so close to Bali National that one could practically roll out of bed and land on the tee box. Nonetheless, being able to walk to the course was refreshing and helped reduce the carbon footprint of our golf event.

The Novotel was also the venue for the Welcome Dinner on the first night, where one of the JAWS founding members, Simon, welcomed all participants to Bali, with an outdoor dinner and drinks enjoyed by all on the hotel’s lawns, and a great spread was put out by the Novotel’s F&B department. While Willi G welcomed his golfing friends from Austria with G&T’s and Cigars into the early hours.

The Play:

DAY 1 at New Kuta, Pecatu:

The light drizzle before tee off soon passed as our players tee’d off and got the event up and running. Strong winds blew in off the Indian Ocean and with the greens a little slow and shaggy the scoring was on the higher side. However the magical views of the Indian ocean and Dream Land Surf spot from Holes 14-16 were breathtaking as always, reminding us all is well.

Fernando and Jeremy set the pace for the 54-hole event both firing nett 68’s, 81 and 78 gross respectively.

Dinner, and Apres Golf was at Don Juan, Tex-mex in Kuta, Greg White being well connected to the owners wisely choose this lively spot as the players, partners and wags enjoyed some top quality tex mex food and some very thirst quenching margarita’s, to celebrate day 1 of the event, cheers Greg!

DAY’s 2 & 3 at Bali National:

A big thanks to Jeremy and Willi G for sponsoring the Bloody Mary’s before tee off on Day’s 2 and 3 before tee off, much needed lubricant for the old engines to fire up before tee times.

After the slow and shaggy greens and New Kuta, the greens were a real treat at the National and as always the course and landscaping were all in very good condition. The pace of the scoring slowed down after day 1 with Jeremy and Fernando in close pursuit by Rosie, Greg and Mel Meeds.

Going into the final round Fernando led the pack on 141 nett, Jeremy on 143 nett, Greg 149 nett, Rosie 151 nett and Mel 152 nett.

With a huge lead out front the frontrunners slipped up on a few fences recording a few doubles and triples, nerves perhaps, with Fernando getting over the line to lift the trophy for Best Nett and Jeremy securing Low Gross with Rosie’s valiant final day charge securing Best Nett Runner Up just 1 stroke behind Fernando, making up 9 shots on day 3.

Great to see one of the Austrian contingent on the podium, with Reinhardt firing at the pin, on the par 3, hole #9 to just 105 cm to pick up Nearest to the Pin.

JAWS 2022 Golf hats were awarded to our oversea’s particpants as souvenir’s: Florian, Walter, Reinhardt, Anton from Austria and Mel Meeds from Australia.

Before the Trophy Ceremony back at the Hotel to wrap up the event, we all celebrated Cucu’s Birthday with a Black Forest Cake on the Clubhouse terrace overlooking the 18th Hole, Happy Birthday Cucu!

Congratulations to the JAWS Invitational 2022 Winners:

Best Nett Overall: Fernando Gaggino // Total: Nett 224

Best Nett Runner Up: Rosie Tjaden // Total: Nett 225

Low Gross Overall: Jeremy Oberoi // Gross Total: 247

Nearest to the Pin (Final Day): Reinhardt // 105 cm / Hole #9

A big thank you to Srinivas Murthy and his via.com team led by Soumik In Bali who took good care of the golfing touring party for the our long weekend stay in Bali and who also sponsored the Lavendar Golf shirts for Day Day 1 made by Good Game Golf. Thanks to Outstation Captain Willie Goldschimdt for making this memorable trip happen for the 2nd year running, a really thankless job with so much work behind the scenes.

Thanks to JAWS regular player Willie Noronha for arranging and sponsoring the trophies for the event, and a huge thank you to Yarub representing Eithad Airways in the Asia-Pacific region who generously supported the event with the overall grand prize: 1 x return business class flight to Europe on Eithad Airway’s for the Best Nett overall winner, along with the event goody, and an Addidas Golf shirt, which was worn on Day 3.

Bon Voyage Fernando! Enjoy your trip to Italy.

Happy Golfing Sharks, see you at the next Outstation Event.