New Delhi, June 14, 2008: The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) has announced the PGTI Players Championship at Royal Calcutta Golf Club which will be played in Kolkata from 18-21 June, 2008 with the Pro-Am event scheduled to be held on 22nd June. This event boasts of prize money of Rs. 30 lakh and is supported by the Royal Calcutta Golf Club, TaylorMade, Pepsico, Gatorade, Aquafina, Tropicana and Sport18.
The PGTI Players Championship at Royal Calcutta Golf Club promises to enthrall golf fans in Kolkata as all the prominent names of Indian professional golf will be vying for top honours at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club from 18th June, 2008. The stellar field includes leading Indian professionals such as SSP Chowrasia, Gaurav Ghei, Rahil Gangjee, Ashok Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Rahul Ganapathy, Harendra Gupta, Arjun Singh, Digvijay Singh, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Feroz Ali Mollah to name a few. PGTI’s initiative has ensured that the sports-loving city of Kolkata hosts its first professional golf tournament in about two and a half years.
The world-renowned Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC), the venue of the PGTI Players Championship, is steeped in history as it is the oldest golf club outside of the British Isles having been established in 1829. It is widely regarded as the founder of the game in the country and has staged some of the most prestigious tournaments on Indian soil, including the Indian Open and the All India Amateur Championship. The RCGC has also been one of the nurseries of Indian golf over the decades having produced top class professionals such as former Indian Open champions Arjun Atwal and Feroz Ali Mollah, reigning Emaar MGF Indian Masters champion SSP Chowrasia, Asian Tour regular Rahil Gangjee, the legendary Basad Ali and Indrajit Bhalotia to name a few.
Mr. Manmohan Singh, CEO, RCGC, said, “The course is in great condition and all the competing professionals will enjoy their outing at the RCGC. The handsome prize purse on offer will ensure there is stiff competition for the title."
Mr. Ajai Gupta, Tour Commissioner, PGTI, added, “Kolkata has a great golfing legacy and we’re delighted to be bringing the PGTI to this city for the first time with the PGTI Players Championship at Royal Calcutta Golf Club. We are grateful to the RCGC for partnering us in staging this tournament. PGTI members are excited about playing at one of India’s premier championship venues after a long gap of about two and a half years. This tournament is a result of our commitment to provide maximum playing opportunities to our players and promote golf across various regions of the country.”
The PGTI Players Championship at Royal Calcutta Golf Club comes close on the heels of the highly successful inaugural PGTI Players Championship played in Chandigarh which witnessed the first three-way playoff for a title on the PGTI. We can therefore expect another exciting finale in Kolkata as the country’s best golfing talents would be eager to make a mark on the challenging course of the historic RCGC.