JAKARTA, Oct 9, 2008 (AFP) - The Indonesia Open, co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours, will move to Bali in 2009 with the prizemoney bumped up to 1.25 million US dollars -- the richest sporting event in the country.

The acclaimed Dream Land-New Kuta Golf Resort will be the setting for the February 26-March 1 championships after organisers decided to shift it from Jakarta.

Asian Tour Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han welcomed the decision to shift the tournament to the tropical holiday island resort, which overlooks Balangan Beach, Bali's best known surfing destination.

'The championship has been staged in Jakarta for the past four years and taking the event to Dream Land-New Kuta Golf Resort in Bali in 2009 will further spread the gospel of golf across Indonesia,' he said.

'The Asian Tour fully supports initiatives to move a national championship around a country as it will instil greater interests in the game amongst the masses.'

Last year's 1.2 million dollar event was won by Chile's Felipe Aguilar, who beat India's Jeev Milkha Singh by a stroke.