Kolkata, December 12, 2016: McLeod Russel, the world’s largest tea producer, and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), today announced the McLeod Russel Tour Championship 2016, the PGTI’s year-ending Championship.
The tournament will be staged at the prestigious Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) from December 22 – 25, 2016. The tournament carries a handsome prize purse of Rs. 1.5 crore, the highest for a domestic event in India.
The event will see the top 50 players from the Rolex Ranking 2016 compete for the biggest prize purse of the season. Besides the top names on the Rolex Ranking, the field will also feature sponsor invites which will include a galaxy of top Indian stars such as Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal, former champion SSP Chawrasia, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Shiv Kapur, Jyoti Randhawa and Rahil Gangjee along with foreign players such as two-time Asian Tour winner Pariya Junhasavasdikul (Thailand), Mithun Perera (Sri Lanka), a multiple winner on the PGTI, Shintaro Kobayashi (Japan), Suradit Yongcharoenchai (Thailand), Choo Tze-Huang (Singapore), Choo Zhe Ming (Malaysia), Kemarol Baharin (Malaysia) and Naru Toshi Yamaoka (Japan).
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The tournament will be a 72-hole stroke-play championship and there will be no cut applied after 36 holes. All players will be guaranteed prize money. The Pro-Am event preceding the tournament will be played on December 20th and 21st.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Aditya Khaitan, Managing Director, McLeod Russel, said, “We are very happy to be hosting the 5thedition of the McLeod Russel Tour Championship. The response from the Top Golfers and also everyone who came out and supported this event has been excellent. This year we have a top 50 field from the PGTI order of merit, and we have international flavor as well. This will be a great opportunity for people to come and watch and learn from the Top Professionals in India and Asia.”
“This is our small way of giving golf a boost in this region and we hope that it will eventually lead to the growth of the game. We take this opportunity to thank the PGTI and the Royal Calcutta Golf Club for the opportunity to host the Championship this year. We are committed to the McLeod Russel Tour Championship and in the development of golf.”
Announcing the event, Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, Director, PGTI, said, “The McLeod Russel Tour Championship 2016 will make for an enthralling week of golf as the race for the Rolex Player of the Year title is too close to call with many contenders in the fray.”
“The added presence of some of the biggest international stars of Indian golf as well as some renowned foreign players will spice up the contest even more. The hallowed turf of the prestigious Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) provides the ideal setting for this grand occasion. We thank McLeod Russel for their enduring support to Indian professional golf and look forward to continuing our partnership with them in the years to come.”
Mr. Gaurav Ghosh, General Committee Member, Royal Calcutta Golf Club, said, “It’s a pleasure for the RCGC to host the McLeod Russel Tour Championship yet again. It gives an opportunity to all top professionals to play at the iconic golf course at its best.”
About McLeod Russel:
McLeod Russel India Limited (McLeod Russel) is the largest tea production company in the world in the private sector. McLeod Russel, along with its subsidiaries, currently produces about 120 million kilograms of tea over a cultivable area of 38,000 hectares, employing nearly 1, 00,000 in personnel.
The geographical spread of the tea estates of McLeod Russel and its subsidiaries are situated in Asia (India & Vietnam) and Africa (Uganda & Rwanda). McLeod Russel also has operations in the Middle East, through its subsidiary in Dubai, engaged in tea blending and trading activities. India, as a single geography, has the largest share of its produce – with the estates located in the states of Assam and West Bengal (Dooars).
About Royal Calcutta Golf Club:
The world-renowned Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC), affectionately known as the ‘Royal’, 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 7014-yard course favours long hitters and inaccurate shots are punished severely. The large number of water hazards makes this course a real challenge to master.
About PGTI:
Formed in 2006, Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) is the recognised official body of professional golf in India. PGTI's objective is to promote professional golf in the country, as well as to give players an opportunity to be involved in the decision making on all aspects of the game. Headed by Mr. Gautam Thapar (President), PGTI's governing body comprises leading Indian golf professionals. PGTI currently has over 300 members.
