Classic Golf and Country Club to host new Asian Tour event

By Rahul Banerji 

The Asian Tour will have a third tournament in India in the form of the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship that will run from September 12 to 15.

The $300,000 event is sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and will be staged at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Classic Golf and Country Club near Gurgaon.

The picturesque venue will also host the $400,000 Panasonic Open India in mid-November for the first time as its traditional venue, the Delhi Golf Club, is in the process of renovating its greens.

Quality field

Most top Indian stars, along with leading lights of the other Asian countries, are expected for the Classic International.

The ‘Classic’ hosted the Indian Open back in 2000 and 2001 and in 2009 was the venue of the Sail Open and when Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat recorded the world’s lowest 72-hole score with a 32-under-par to win the third of his four Asian Tour titles.

Over the past few years, it has also played host to several tournaments on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).

Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Commissioner and chief executive, said, “We are looking forward to the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship as it gives our members another playing opportunity that allows them to gain valuable experience and have a potentially career-inspiring week. 

“Apart from having our best players compete for some of the bigger prize purses on Tour, full-field events such as the Classic International will also provide our emerging talents with the opportunity to shoot for glory and aim for their breakthrough on the Asian Tour.”

PGTI chief executive Uttam Singh Mundy added, “Indian golf is on the rise today and the staging of the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship will allow our players to compete on a bigger stage.

“It will give them a great chance to compete and showcase their talents. I am confident the Classic International will be a huge success.”

More than just the golf

Meanwhile, in Jersey City, the ongoing Northern Trust, the first of three FedEx Cup playoffs is attracting as much attention for its golf as the controversy surrounding world number eight Bryson DeChambeau’s pace of play that has kicked up a Twitter-storm.

Shared footage on the social media site showed him taking in excess of two minutes over an eight-foot putt after he had earlier paced off an approach shot.

Englishmen Eddie Pepperell and Ian Poulter were unsparing, the former calling DeChambeau a “single-minded twit” and Poulter saying the Amercian was among those who “continually disrespect their fellow pros and continue to break the rules without a conscience”.

Waved away

DeChambeaue was having none of it, saying, “When people start talking to me about slow play and how I’m killing the game, I’m doing this and that to the game, that is complete and utter you-know-what.”

And while Patrick Reed leads the field by one, Korea’s Byeong Hun An is proving that patience can pay off at top level.

On a tight leader-board, as many as nine players lurk within four shots of Reed, including past FedExCup champions Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and Brandt Snedeker. 

On Thursday, the 27-year-old An was 4-over through 10 holes at Liberty National Golf Club before a late eagle gave him a 2-over 73 start. In his subsequent two rounds, An has sunk 10 birdies against two bogeys to turn his week around.

Solid display

An fired a solid 68 in windy conditions on Saturday and now enters the final round in T24 on 6-under 207, eight shots back of Reed, who returned a 67 in the first of three Playoffs events.

“To be where I am now, I’m happy to be playing the weekend. I knew I had to sort of have faith after last week (at the Wyndham Championship). I wanted to keep the momentum going,” said An.

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An arrived in Jersey City in good form after challenging for a first PGA Tour win at the Wyndham Championship before being pipped by eventual winner J.T. Poston.

He is projected to progress into next week’s BMW Championship in Chicago which is limited to the top-70 players on the FedEx Cup points list but An is targeting a strong run to get himself into the Tour Championship in Atlanta, which is for the best 30 players.

Also read: Lahiri opens with steady round in Wyndham Championship