New Delhi, 13-02-2018
HERO INDIAN OPEN 2018 TO HAVE STRONGEST-EVER FIELD WITH FORMER PGA TOUR WINNER & 2017 PRESIDENT'S CUP PLAYER EMILIANO GRILLO & EUROPE'S RYDER CUP CAPTAIN THOMAS BJORN
STRONG INDIAN LINE-UP TO FEATURE DEFENDING CHAMPION SSP CHAWRASIA, FORMER WINNER ANIRBAN LAHIRI, TWICE EUROPEAN TOUR WINNER SHUBHANKAR SHARMA
The Hero Indian Open, the country’s marquee golf tournament - which enters its 54th edition this year - will have the strongest-ever field with a galaxy of Indian stars vying for top honours with some marquee names from around the world.
Defending champion SSP Chawrasia, former champion Anirban Lahiri and twice European Tour winner and emerging talent Shubhankar Sharma will lead the Indian line-up at the European and the Asian Tour co-sanctioned tournament - to be played at the Gary Player layout of the DLF Golf and Country Club from March 8 to 11, 2018.
Emiliano Grillo of Argentina, who is a PGA Tour winner and member of the 2017 Presidents Cup team, will head the global list. The marquee names also include Andrew Johnston, one of the most popular players around the world, and the Ryder Cup captain, Thomas Bjorn, who has 21 worldwide wins including 15 on European Tour. Bjorn led a strong European team last month to a fine win over Asia in the EurAsia Cup in Malaysia.
The highest-ranked Indian player in the tournament will be Shubhankar Sharma, who, with two European Tour wins in less than two months, has broken into the Top-100, with a world ranking of No. 72. Lahiri, PGA Tour player and World No. 76, will try to reclaim the Hero Indian open trophy that he won in 2015.
The tournament will also see a strong Indian challenge including Shiv Kapur, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Team Asia captain Arjun Atwal, Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, Mukesh Kumar, Chiragh Kumar and many others.
Chawrasia will be attempting the first-ever hat trick of wins in the 54-year long history of the tournament. Chawrasia had finished runner-up at the Hero Indian Open on four occasions - in 1999, 2006, 2013 and 2015 - before piping countryman Anirban Lahiri and Korea’s Jeunghun Wang to take the coveted title for the first time in 2016. He successfully retained his title last year to claim his fourth European Tour win.
Past champion Thongchai Jaidee and Ryder Cup player, Chris Wood, who won the 2016 BMW PGA Championships, are also in the field.
Picture Caption: (From L - R) Indian golfers Rashid Khan and Shiv Kapur with the Hero Indian Open trophy
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
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Email: media@pgtofindia.com
