Coimbatore, April 1 (IANS) As many as 120 professionals, besides five amateurs, will be participating in the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) Players Championship commencing at the Coimbatore Golf Club, here Wednesday with a total prize-money of Rs.30 lakh on offer.
The field will feature some of the top professionals including reigning Rolex Rankings and defending champion Rashid Khan, Chiragh Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Chikkarangappa, Angad Cheema, M Dharma, Harendra Gupta, Om Prakash Chouhan and Shankar Das while Karan Taunk, one of India’s top amateurs, will play his first event as a professional.
The field also has foreign professionals such as Mithun Perera (Sri Lanka), N Thangaraja (Sri Lanka), Shivaram Shrestha (Nepal) and Md Zamal Hossain Mollah (Bangladesh).
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The local challenge will be led by Coimbatore-based professionals Joseph Chakola, S Muthu, Ilayaraja C and M Rajesh Kumar.
The last edition of the PGTI Players Championship at Coimbatore witnessed a thrilling finale as Rashid Khan claimed a playoff victory against Vikrant Chopra to clinch his first professional title on Indian soil.
R Shyam Sunder, Golf Captain, Coimbatore Golf Club, said: “Coimbatore Golf Club is happy to welcome the PGTI golfers. The course is at its best since inception and is sure to challenge the golfers’ skills. The summer heat this year is an addition to the famous winds of Coimbatore.”
Padamjit Sandhu, PGTI director, said: “We look forward to returning to the Coimbatore Golf Club after two years. The strong field and tough playing conditions are likely to produce an exciting week of golf.
“Coimbatore has over the years been an important centre for golf in India and it will be our endeavour to further promote professional golf in the region in partnership with the Coimbatore Golf Club.”
Founded in 1977 by leading industrialist K. Rajagopal, the Coimbatore Golf Club is home to one of the most scenic courses in the country. The narrow fairways, lined by thick bushes and well-placed hazards make the course challenging. The undulating greens are huge and fast.
