Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, 01-07-2014
J&K Bank PGTI Pahalgam Masters presented by KEO marks the return of men's professional golf to Jammu & Kashmir after a decade
• First ever men’s professional tournament to be staged in Pahalgam
• Prize purse of Rs. 30 lakh
• Jyoti Randhawa, Rashid Khan, Chiragh Kumar, Shamim Khan, Mithun Perera to lead a strong field
The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), ‘the official sanctioning body of professional golf in India’, will make its debut in the state of Jammu & Kashmir with the staging of the inaugural J&K Bank PGTI Pahalgam Masters presented by KEO. The tournament carries a prize purse of Rs. 30 lakh and marks the return of men’s professional golf to the Kashmir valley, also known as ‘paradise on earth’, after a decade.
The event will be staged from July 2 – 5, 2014, at the Lidder Valley Golf Course in Pahalgam. The Pro-Am event will be played on July 6, 2014.
Some of the top names of Indian professional golf will tee it up at the first ever men’s professional event in Pahalgam. The strong field will feature one of India’s most successful professionals and former Asia no. 1 Jyoti Randhawa along with reigning Rolex Rankings champion Rashid Khan, a winner on the Asian Tour. The other leading Indian golfers in the fray include Shamim Khan, Chiragh Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Digvijay Singh, Chikkarangappa and Shubhankar Sharma, to name a few.
The foreign challenge will be lead by Sri Lankans Mithun Perera, K Prabagaran, N Thangaraja, Australian Kunal Bhasin and Bangladesh’s Md Zamal Hossain Mollah. Mithun Perera is currently second in the Rolex Rankings (PGTI Order of Merit) and thus the highest-ranked PGTI golfer in the field.
The tournament will also feature six professionals and four amateurs from the host state of Jammu & Kashmir. The professionals are Bhawani Singh Parmar, Showkat Maqbool Pandow, Fayaz Ahmed Langoo, Shabir Pandow, Rafiq Pandow and Raghav Wahi. The four local amateurs are Majid Khan, Sanjeev Singh, Zubair Hasan Zargar and Arsalan Aijaz.
Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad, Chairman & CEO, J&K Bank, said, “Even as we are commercial in nature, we are conscious of our responsibility towards holistic development of J&K State. As a responsible corporate citizen of the soil, among other things, our larger objective has been to promote sports culture in the state and sponsoring events like PGTI Pahalgam Masters is part of this objective. I fervently believe that these contests would provide a strong platform to our youngsters not only to learn from sportsmen of national and international repute but also to showcase their talent before the outside world. Besides, these events also serve to brand scenic places like Pahalgam further more than mere a tourist destination. It is quite heartening to note that with such events Kashmir is emerging as a coveted and prominent ‘Golf Destination’.”
Announcing the event, Mr. Padamjit Sandhu, Director, PGTI, said, “We are excited about making our first foray into the state of Jammu & Kashmir. The breathtaking surroundings of the Lidder Valley Golf Course, challenging course conditions, a highly competitive field and an impressive prize purse of Rs. 30 lakh, make for a riveting week of golf. We thank Mr. Mushtaq Ahmad, Chairman & CEO, J&K Bank, for partnering with us in staging this event and seek to build on our partnership with them with the objective of promoting professional golf in Pahalgam and the rest of the state.”
The Lidder Valley Golf Course is situated at an altitude of about 7250 feet. The course, designed by Ranjit Nanda, was inaugurated in 2011. The beauty of the venue is enhanced by the soaring mountains and snow-capped peaks surrounding it. The course is long and has changes in elevation. Its other features are the water bodies that come into play on six holes, bunkers of all shapes and sizes and a fair share of hazards and OB. It is a true test of skill, strategy and patience.
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. Kapil Dev (President), PGTI's governing body comprises leading Indian golf professionals. PGTI currently has over 300 members.
For information on PGTI, please contact:
Nikhil Kalaan
Media Manager - PGTI
Mobile: 9910974846
Email: media@pgtofindia.com
