By Rahul Banerji
Viraj Madappa headed the field after the first qualifying round for the Asian Tour’s season-opening PIF Saudi International at Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.
A 42-strong field is competing in the two-day qualifier for the $5 million event that is headlined by defending champion and former world no. 1 Dustin Johnson of the United States.
Madappa, who cut his golf teeth at Kolkata’s Tollygunge Club course, led the way with a 6-under par 66 at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club’s National Course.
Khalin Joshi of Bangalore’s KGA, the only other entrant from India was tied sixth on 2-under 70.
Madappa’s error-free round on Wednesday included four birdies on his outbound nine and a further two on the way back to the clubhouse, while Joshi had four birdies against two dropped shots on the day.
Four others – Paul Dunne, Lorenzo Scalise, Todd Clements and George Baylis – shared second place three shots behind Madappa on 3-under 69s.
Rashid Khan, Veer Ahlawat and Shiv Kapur are already in the main draw of the Saudi International on the basis of their top-30 placing on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit.
The UAE qualifier will see two Arab national amateurs and two professionals qualify for the $5 million event at the Royal Greens Golf & Country Club, in Jeddah from February 3 to 6.
Big opportunity
According to the Asian Tour, the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers will have six Asian Tour number ones and over 50 Asian Tour players competing in the season-opening event.
Among them are 2020-21 Order of Merit topper Jooyhung Kim, the 19-year-old rising star from Korea, who finished joint second in the SMBC Singapore Open last week.
Also in the field are Merit list champions Thongchai Jaidee from Thailand (2001, 2004, 2009), compatriot Jazz Janewattananond (2019), Shubhankar Sharma (2018), Malaysia’s Gavin Green (2017), and Australian Scott Hend (2016).
Best-ever field
The tournament is slated to feature the strongest field ever assembled for an Asian Tour event.
Besides Johnson, the $5 million Saudi International will see world top-10 members Bryson DeChambeau, and Xander Schauffele (also Olympic champion) in action.
Six-time Major winner Phil Mickelson of the US, 2020 champion Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, Spanish ace Sergio Garcia, and England’s Lee Westwood, Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, and Ian Poulter, are the other big draws.
Recently, organisers announced the inclusion of Americans Patrick Reed, Matthew Wolff and Tony Finau besides Cameron Smith, recent winner of the Sentry ToC in Hawaii and Marc Leishmann of Australia.
“The tournament will give our members an incredible opportunity to play with many of the game’s global stars,” noted Asian Tour chief executive and commissioner Cho Minh Thant.
“This is one of the biggest events in the history of the Asian Tour.”
Also read: Late dropped shots cost Veer Ahlawat an Open opportunity
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