By Rahul Banerji
The Indian pro golf tour is stalled thanks to the ever-expanding footprint of the corona-virus and is all but off the table for year 2020.
In the circumstances, a large number of players have been left looking at difficult times, just to make ends meet.
And with no prospects of earnings anywhere in sight, some are in tough straits indeed.
At a rough estimate, probably the top 15 to 20 per cent of pros on the domestic tour – the Professional Golf Tour of India – make a living above a basic comfort zone.
The rest get by, sharing rooms, using economical travel arrangements and the like even as the PGTI seeks to expand its schedule of events.
This, of course, is currently on hold indefinitely.
Large number
Close to 400 professionals make a living from playing the game – on the main tour or feeder series – which is a sizeable number of people sitting idle.
And worse, with no prospects of an income anytime in the near future other than the odd coaching assignment. Or may be not even that.
To help tide over the growing crisis, a number of the top golfers are backing a mini-tour that will be funded by donations coming in from a series of amateur tournaments across the country.
Called the Ultimate National Pro Invitational Series – 2020, it will have events in the four primary zones and has received support from the likes of Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, Shiv Kapoor, Anirban Lahiri, S.S.P. Chawrasia and others.
Teeing off
Also backed by The Ultimate Foundation, the first of four fund-raisers tees off on Friday at the Classic Golf and Country Club, which will also host the initial professional tournament.
On board are in support of the initiative are Gaganjeet Bhullar, Diksha Dagar, Rashid Khan, Khalin Joshi, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Chikkarangappa S and 2019 Order of Merit topper Udayan Mane as well.
Randhawa and fellow senior pro Digvijay Singh are among founding members of The Ultimate Foundation.
A statement/appeal put out by the organisers noted, “We as professional golfers need to stay sharp in order to compete at the highest level – nationally and internationally.
“This is afforded to us by the Indian professional golf tour which runs through the year.
“The ongoing pandemic has disrupted our professional lives, as the national pro golf tour, which provides a livelihood to most of us, has been put on hold till 2021.
“While a section of us are financially stable, there are many of us who are struggling to make ends meet in these challenging times.
Zonal basis
“It is to aid such tour dependent professionals that we have come together and planned the series covering the four geographic zones of the country.
“We will commence with the first tournament of the Ultimate National Pro Invitational Series with North Zone, scheduled at the Classic Golf & Country Club in October.
“The purse from the funds raised will be distributed to the participating pro golfers as prize money as is done on the professional golf tour.
“Series 1 will conclude after covering all zones, and the success, we believe will lead to holding Series 2.”
The fund-raising amateur events will have three categories, juniors, ladies and men, and each will precede the professional tournament in a particular zone.
All events will be played keeping Covid-19 safety requirements in mind, organisers added.
Also read: Corona-virus hits golf as PGTI, PGA Tour suspend seasons
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