By Rahul Banerji
Even as fresh fears arise from Covid concerns, the iconic Delhi Golf Club is set to welcome back the Asian Tour with the DGC Open from March 24 to 27.
This $500,000 championship is the first international tournament to wear the DGC name and promoted by the club itself with plans to expand in the future.
Mastercard is the presenting partner of the event that sees the Asian Tour back in India after an over two-year hiatus.
Nine-time Major winner Gary Player, who redesigned the DGC layout that was completed in 2019 will be in attendance event organisers said on Thursday.
Post-renovation, the DGC’s Lodhi course will pose a different challenge with the re-done greens and re-shaped bunkers.
“We are extremely proud of the storied history of the DGC and the role it has played in the growth of the game in the country,” DGC president Manjit Singh said.
“The developmental programmes for junior golf and women’s golf through the years have been among the many feathers in its cap.
“The re-design, while ensuring that the original character of the course has been left untouched, will make it more engaging and challenging at the same time.”
The DGC Open presented by Mastercard will be the first international competition on the renovated course.
New start
“The DGC Open is a new tournament and, in many respects, represents a new start for everyone involved with golf in India,” said DGC golf captain Major General Anil Dere (retd).
“It is an exciting opportunity for the DGC to help play a key role in the return of international tournament golf to India.
“We feel it is extremely important that we set the wheels in motion to restore tournament golf in India and help the game we are all so passionate about,” he added.
“The addition of the DGC Open to our 2022 schedule is a massive boost for the Asian Tour and something we have been working very hard on behind the scenes to facilitate,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of the Asian Tour.
“The DGC has been a regular host venue on the Asian Tour for many years, and we are extremely grateful for their continued support, which is especially important to us in these unprecedented times.”
The Delhi Golf Club has dedicated the first DGC Open to the memory of its former president, Siddharth Shriram, who had conceived this tournament as well as the relaying of the green complexes.
The DGC and the Asian Tour have signed a five-year agreement with the intent to make it a million-dollar event with some of the world’s best golfers vying for honours, a statement on the occasion said.
Enforced break
The event signals the return of the Asian Tour to India after a gap of two and a half years.
The last Asian Tour event staged in India was the Panasonic Open India, won by Korean teenager Joohyung Kim in November 2019 at the Classic course near Gurgaon.
The previous edition, held at the DGC, was won by Khalin Joshi in 2018.
The Asian Tour resumed after a 20-month break caused by the pandemic in November and December last year with back-to-back events in Phuket, Thailand.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang won the Blue Canyon Phuket Championship before Phachara Khongwatmai from Thailand was victorious in the Laguna Phuket Championship.
The Tour will be releasing its 2022 schedule before the season-opening $5 million Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers at the Royal Greens Golf and Country Club from February 3 to 6.
Also read: DGC to host new PGTI event; Chawrasia, Kapur are top draws
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