GolfPlus Aug 2018 Digital Edition (August 2018) | Page 61
In what can be described
as a landmark moment for
Indian golf, the Professional
Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the
offi cial sanctioning body for
men’s professional golf in
India, has been approved for
inclusion in the Offi cial World
Golf Ranking (OWGR) system.
A
t its recent meeting during the
147th Open Championship, the
Governing Board of the OWGR
approved the inclusion of the PGTI into the
OWGR system.
PGTI’s elevation to OWGR status means
that all its events will carry world ranking
points from the 2019 season onward. This
moves PGTI into the elite list of tours that
are eligible for world ranking points. The
list currently includes 20 established tours
from across the globe such as the PGA
Tour, European Tour, Japan Golf Tour,
Asian Tour, PGA Tour Australasia and
Sunshine Tour, to name a few.
The PGTI will be introduced to the OWGR
at a minimum level of 5 ¿ rst place points
for their tournaments that are played over
72 holes.
Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, PGTI,
said, “The inclusion of PGTI in the
OWGR system is a game-changer for
Indian golf. We see it as the international
gol¿ ng fraternity’s recognition of PGTI’s
sustained growth since its inception 12
years ago and its emergence as the premier
tour of the South Asian region. The several
accomplishments of our professionals on
the global stage have been a key factor in
raising India’s stature to a major power-
centre of Asian golf that has in turn drawn
the attention of international bodies such as
the OWGR.
“The PGTI, under the astute leadership of
its President, Mr. Gautam Thapar, had made
focused efforts towards aligning itself with
the OWGR system over the last few years
which included the all-important decision
of making the PGTI an ‘Open Tour’ from
the 2018 season onward. Our persistence
towards the cause has borne fruit as the
decision to transform into an ‘Open Tour’
has paved the way for approval of world
ranking points for the tour.
“The tour is now set to become more
competitive than ever before as world
ranking points will ensure better ¿ elds
at all events and also attract quality
international talent. We thank the Asian
Tour for their support and guidance through
the application process. The timing of the
GolfPlus
OWGR approval couldn’t have been better,
as the Olympics, that also have a world
ranking criteria for quali¿ cation, are not too
far away in 2020.”
This major development is one of the most
important milestones achieved by the PGTI
in its 12-year long journey so far.
The PGTI came into existence in 2006 and
staged 10 events in its inaugural 2006-07
season with a combined prize purse of Rs.
4.6 crore. Over the next decade, the PGTI
embarked on a path of positive growth as it
emerged as the biggest tour in South Asia.
In 2017, the prize money on offer had risen
to Rs. 10.5 crore and the average number of
events had gone up to 20.
PGTI has expanded its geographical
footprint with each passing year as
tournaments have been staged across 17
States and one Union Territory in India as
well as in neighbouring countries such as
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal.
This year the PGTI is slated to co-sanction
¿ ve international tournaments in India, two
in partnership wi th the Asian Tour and three
AUGUST
2018
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