By Rahul Banerji
The European Challenge Tour, Tata Steel Professional Golf Tour of India and Black Bull Scotch Whisky will host the inaugural Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge in Bangalore.
The tournament co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour and the Tata Steel PGTI, carries a purse of $300,000 and will be played at the KGA course from Thursday.
It was launched in the presence of three-time The Open winner Nick Faldo.
The event is the first one to be jointly staged by the Challenge Tour and the PGTI after the strategic partnership between the DP World Tour and the domestic tour earlier this year.
Leading Indian players in the field include former PGTI Order of Merit champions Udayan Mane and Khalin Joshi, current PGTI Order of Merit leader Sachin Baisoya, Yuvraj Singh Sandhu and Aman Raj, and others.
From the Challenge Tour, the likes of Irishman John Murphy, Frenchman Ugo Coussaud and Italian Matteo Manassero, the youngest winner in DP World Tour history, will tee it up in India this week.
Towering presence
Black Bull is the lead sponsor of the tournament’s pro-am which will be played on Wednesday and see brand ambassador, Sir Nick lead the sponsor team.
Said Duncan Taylor chairman Euan Shand, “We are delighted to be sponsoring this event as we launch our new range ‘Tale of Two Legends’ with Sir Nick Faldo.
“Golf and whisky have their roots in Scotland and we’re proud to be showcasing Black Bull Scotch Whisky in association with a Challenge Tour event.
“Together with Sir Nick, we’ve handpicked some of the best whiskies within our archives and blended them meticulously to create four stunning blends that are worthy of celebrating some of the iconic times in his life, and what better way to launch these.”
Added six-time major winner Faldo, “I’m extremely excited about launching this event as the brand ambassador of Black Bull Scotch Whisky. The most important thing is to give golfers an opportunity to compete.
“Then it’s down to the professional to prove himself. The partnership between the DP World Tour and the PGTI provides a great opportunity for Indian professionals to compete on the DP World Tour and at Challenge Tour events.
Step forward
“It provides a path for them. I see this alliance as a big step forward for Indian professional golf.
“I’ve been following Indian golf for a long time. The country has produced some outstanding golfing talent such as the likes of Jeev Milkha Singh and Anirban Lahiri.
“But I feel India can produce many more champion golfers through opportunities provided by events such as these.
“Golf has a longer lifespan than many other sports, you can survive 30 years in golf. So a lot of Indian golfers, if they’re good enough, can make a career out of it.
“I’m really looking forward to playing the Pro-Am at the KGA tomorrow. I haven’t played here before but the course looks in excellent shape and the weather is just perfect for golf.”
Said KGA president Prithviraj Urs, “It’s an absolute honour for us at KGA to be part of this Challenge Tour golf tournament.
“Coming at a time when we are celebrating our golden jubilee is wonderful. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and will be a moment in KGA’s history that will always be remembered.
“Having Sir Nick Faldo in attendance to mark this historic moment makes it extremely special.”
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