Jaipur, 12-12-2023

Bhawani Singh Rathore presents Jaipur Open 2023 powered by AU Small Finance Bank tees off on December 13

 

• Prize purse of INR 1 crore, the highest-ever for an event in Jaipur

 

• Field to feature Manu Gandas, defending champion Om Prakash Chouhan, former champions Khalin Joshi & Aman Raj, Sachin Baisoya, Rahil Gangjee, Udayan Mane & presenting partner Bhawani Singh Rathore

 

The TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) will be staging the Bhawani Singh Rathore presents Jaipur Open 2023 powered by AU Small Finance Bank at the Rambagh Golf Club in Jaipur from December 13 – 16, 2023. The tournament carries a prize purse of INR 1 crore, the highest-ever for an event in Jaipur. The Pro-Am event will be played on December 17.

Mr. Bhawani Singh Rathore is the Presenting Partner for the tournament, AU Small Finance Bank is the Powered By Partner and Rambagh Golf Club is the Host Venue.

Mr. Bhawani Singh Rathore, who has his origins in Rajasthan, is a professional golfer and a PGTI Member. He has played events on the PGTI in the past. He holds a law degree from Oxford University and was part of the Oxford University Golf Team.

Founded by Mr. Sanjay Agarwal, a distinguished Chartered Accountant and first-generation entrepreneur, AU Small Finance Bank has been a catalyst for empowering entrepreneurial ambitions among India's unserved and underserved segments since its inception in 1996.

A total of 126 players are participating in the tournament including 123 professionals and three amateurs. The tournament features some of the leading Indian professionals such as Manu Gandas, defending champion Om Prakash Chouhan, former champions Khalin Joshi (2021), Aman Raj (2018) and Shamim Khan (2017), Sachin Baisoya, Rahil Gangjee, Udayan Mane and Presenting Partner Bhawani Singh Rathore, to name a few.

The prominent foreign names in the field are those of Sri Lankans N Thangaraja, Mithun Perera, Anura Rohana, K Prabagaran, Bangladeshis Jamal Hossain, Badal Hossain, Md Akbar Hossain, Md Dulal Hossain, American Varun Chopra, Andorra’s Kevin Esteve Rigaill, Nepal’s Sukra Bahadur Rai and Canada’s Sukhraj Singh Gill.

The Jaipur-based professionals in the field are Vishal Singh, Hemendra Choudhary, Prakhar Asawa, Girraj Singh Khadka and Mahesh Yadav. The field also features Jaipur-based amateurs Manoviraj Shekhawat, Anas Shamsi and Deep Karan Singh.

Mr. Bhawani Singh Rathore, the Presenting Partner for the event, said, “As a professional golfer, I know the standard of golf on virtually every tour in the world including PGTI is the same so the product is undervalued and the depth in professional golf is huge these days and even top amateurs and collegiate players in America are at the same level. It is great to be back in Jaipur. It is a beautiful place and having roots in Rajasthan it is great to be back in this beautiful city.”

Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, PGTI, said, “We thank Mr. Bhawani Singh Rathore and AU Small Finance Bank for partnering with us in staging the sixth edition of the Jaipur Open, Rajasthan’s premier professional golf event. We expect stiff competition this week as the race for the TATA Steel PGTI Ranking champion is still wide open with multiple claimants. The event also provides the professionals with one last opportunity to finish inside the top 60 of the Order of Merit in order to seal their cards for next season. The immaculate playing conditions at the Rambagh Golf Club provide the ideal setting to this contest as we get to the business end of the season.”

Mr. Sanjay Agarwal, Founder, MD & CEO, AU Small Finance Bank Ltd., said, “AU SFB, as a sports-enthusiast bank, strives to support sports-driven initiatives. We have always been passionate towards sports and the transforming power it holds in shaping lives. Our association with the Jaipur Open Golf Tournament fosters a sense of unity while aligning our spirit of precision, passion, and winning strokes with the game.”

Mr. Shriesh Sacheti, Captain, Rambagh Golf Club, said, “We look forward to hosting India’s leading professional golfers at the PGTI's Jaipur Open 2023. We are confident that the professionals will relish the excellent playing conditions at the Rambagh Golf Club. Golf fans in Jaipur and members of the club are in for a treat as they can expect to witness top-class golfing action during the week. The tournament will go a long way in inspiring the budding young golfers of Jaipur.”

Rambagh Golf Club, the premier golfing venue of Rajasthan, is a challenging Par 70 championship course with a yardage of 6303. The course is strategically designed on sandy loam soil and has a picturesque location with beautiful surroundings. Moving around the course, one is afforded with a view of the Rambagh Palace Hotel, Moti Doongri Fort, Nahargarh Fort and the Birla Planetarium.

Picture Caption:

L - R: Mr. Saurabh Tambi, Executive Vice President, Marketing, AU Small Finance Bank, Mr. Shriesh Sacheti, Captain, Rambagh Golf Club, Mr. Deepak Jain, Chief Risk Officer, AU Small Finance Bank, Presenting Partner and Professional Golfer Mr. Bhawani Singh Rathore, leading Indian professional golfers Aman Raj and Sachin Baisoya, Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, PGTI, pose with the trophy at the Press Conference on Tuesday