By Rahul Banerji
The Tata Steel Professional Golf Tour of India on Friday inked a path-breaking deal with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, opening a door to the top levels of men’s professional golf.
In a statement, the PGA Tour said the association also included a commitment to developing golf in India.
Two events in India are already on the DPWT’s Challenge Tour, both next March in Bangalore. Each will offer PGTI players 60 spots.
They are the Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge (March 23 to 26) and The Challenge Presented by KGA (March 28 to 31).
The two tournaments will take place at the Karnataka Golf Association course as part of the Challenge Tour’s 2023 Road to Mallorca schedule released on Wednesday.
A day earlier, the DPWT and PGA Tour announced a near-identical partnership with the Korean Professional Golfers Association.
According to the PGA Tour, the PGTI would gain a range of benefits including strategic development and commercial growth, as well as increased prize money for a host of PGTI tournaments.
As part of the global pathway system, the leading player on the 2022 Tata Steel PGTI Rankings will earn membership into the DP World Tour’s 2023 campaign unless already exempt.
The next highest ranked non-exempt player in the top ten on the rankings will earn a spot in the Final Stage of the DP World Tour Q School, while three more will earn spots into the Second Stage.
Open doors
In June, the PGA Tour said it would offer cards to the top 10 on the DPWT Order of Merit, besides those already exempt, from the 2024 season.
And while LIV Golf fonds no mention, this series of worldwide steps by the PGA Tour are clearly aimed at checking its presence.
For its part, the parallel Saudi-funded tour is also in expansion mode, announcing events in Australia, Spain and the United States in the past few weeks.
There’s a history to links between the Indian tour and the one in Europe.
Six Indian players have between them won 16 events on the DP World (European) Tour, including four each by Jeev Milka Singh and S.S.P. Chawrasia.
In 2016 and 2017, the latter claimed consecutive victories at the Hero Indian Open, which return to the DPWT’s schedule in February next year after a four-year absence caused by the global pandemic.
Arjun Atwal remains the lone Indian to win on both tours, thrice on the European Tour before adding the Wyndham Championship to his trophy collection in 2010.
DPWT chief executive Keith Pelley, said: “Our global pathway enables players from different international Tours to compete on the DP World Tour, and we are delighted to extend that opportunity to players from the PGTI.
“We have already seen some terrific players from India establish themselves and win on our Tour.
“This partnership will give many more the chance to follow in their footsteps, as well as potentially go on to play on the PGA Tour too.
Growing the game
“We also look forward to working together with the PGTI and the PGA Tour to continue to develop golf in India in the years ahead.”
Added PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan, “It’s hard to believe over two decades have passed since Arjun Atwal made history as the first Indian golfer to win on both the European Tour and PGA Tour.
“This partnership, which further builds on the additional playing opportunities in the men’s professional game, will help make similar dreams come true for many Indian golfers to come.”
PGTI CEO Uttam Singh Mundy, said, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.
“This association is a watershed moment for the PGTI as it opens many doors for our professionals … and is a recognition of the growing stature of Indian professional golf and our tour.”
Also read: Atwal turns the clock back at Butterfield Bermuda Championship
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