McLeod Russel Tour Championship Prize purse of Rs. 1.25 Cr

McLeod Russel Tour Championship - Race to Royal Calcutta Golf Club to tee-off on November 28^th 

·         PGTI’s Year Ending Championship:      Prize purse of Rs. 1.25 Cr, highest-ever in India

·         Only top 60 players on the Rolex Rankings to be eligible

·         Top names in the field include Jyoti Randhawa, SSP Chowrasia, Anirban Lahiri, Chiragh Kumar, Rahil Gangjee, Digvijay Singh, Shamim Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Ashok Kumar

Kolkata, November 26, 2012: McLeod Russel, the world’s largest tea producer, and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), will stage the McLeod Russel Tour Championship, the PGTI’s Year Ending Championship, from November 28^th to December 1^st, 2012. The tournament will be staged at the esteemed Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC). The tournament’s prize purse of Rs. 1.25 crore is the highest-ever in India.

The event will see the top 60 players from the Rolex Rankings 2012 compete for top honours. 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 biggest names in Indian professional golf will be teeing it up at the RCGC including the likes of three-time Indian Open champion Jyoti Randhawa, local favourite and a two-time winner on the European Tour SSP Chowrasia, Asian Tour regulars Anirban Lahiri, Sujjan Singh, Digvijay Singh, reigning Rolex Rankings champion Chiragh Kumar and current Rolex Rankings leader Shamim Khan. The other established names from the PGTI include Mukesh Kumar, Ashok Kumar, Gaurav Ghei, Rashid Khan, Harendra Gupta, Om Prakash Chouhan, Vinod Kumar, Sri Lankans Mithun Perera and Anura Rohana and Bangladesh’s Md Zamal Hossain Mollah.

The local challenge will be led by SSP Chowrasia, Rahil Gangjee, former Indian Open champion Feroz Ali Mollah, Shankar Das, Raju Ali Mollah, Rafick Ali Mollah, Ranjit Singh Rathore, Md Sanju, Divyanshu Bajaj and Karan Singh.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Aditya Khaitan, Managing Director, McLeod Russel, said, “McLeod Russel’s heritage is based on values, culture and commitments. We have always strongly believed in supporting and backing the right talent and moving forward. This association will hopefully give a boost to Indian Golf and take it from strength to strength on a global scale. The city of Kolkata and The Royal Calcutta Golf Club are etched in tradition and culture, and it is our small way of giving back. We thank the PGTI for giving us this opportunity and we are committed to the McLeod Russel Tour Championship for the next three years.”

Announcing the event, Mr. Padamjit Sandhu, Director, PGTI, said, “The McLeod Russel Tour Championship provides the ideal setting for the culmination of a successful PGTI season. The top names in Indian professional golf will be vying for the highest prize purse on Indian soil at one of the most prestigious golfing venues in India, the RCGC.

I would like to thank McLeod Russel for their strong support to Indian professional golf, and we look forward to building on the event year on year. We are confident, the McLeod Russel - PGTI partnership will give a strong boost to the growth of the sport in the region, and help create new champions in the coming years.”

Mr. Gaurav Ghosh, Committee Member (In-Charge of professional golf), RCGC, said, “It’s a matter of pride and privilege to host the McLeod Russel Tour Championship at the RCGC. It’s the return of big ticket golf to RCGC and we would like to thank McLeod Russel and PGTI for bringing the tournament to RCGC. This tournament has been possible due to the support of the committee members and all other members of the RCGC.”

About McLeod Russel:

McLeod Russel India Limited (McLeod Russel) is the largest tea plantation company in the world. McLeod Russel, along with its subsidiaries, currently produces about 100 million kilograms of tea over a cultivable area of 38,000 hectares, employing nearly 1,00,000 in personnel. The geographical spread of 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 recognized 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.

For information regarding PGTI please contact:

Nikhil Kalaan, Asst. Manager - Media, PGTI
M – 09910974846, E - media@pgtofindia.com