New Delhi [India], February 9 (ANI): Country’s National Open and flagship golf event Indian Open is ready to return later this month after a three-year break as a result of Coronavirus pandemic.
The Indian Open – to be held between February 23-26 on the DLF GolfCountry Club – will see a high-powered subject of star gamers, together with defending champion Stephen Gallacher, 2018 Ryder Cup-winning captain Thomas Bjorn, his fellow Ryder Cup teammate Thorbjorn Olesen, Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre and the rising star from Denmark, Nicolai Hojgaard.
This 12 months, the DP World Tour event will contact the landmark determine of USD 2 million as a prize purse for the primary time and host a subject of 120 gamers from over 20 international locations.
Pawan Munjal, Chairman and CEO of Hero MotoCorp, stated, “We are delighted to see the Hero Indian Open return to action. Hero MotoCorp has been associated with this marquee tournament for close to two decades and we have seen the tournament grow in stature during this duration. The tournament has made a significant contribution to growing the sport and providing a platform for Indian golfers to showcase their talent. We are also happy to see our association with the DP World Tour grow across the globe in addition to bringing innovation and new opportunities to the game. We wish all the players the very best and look forward to a week of exciting, world-class golfing action.”The event features immense significance with its 2750 ‘Race to Dubai’ rating factors and a couple of,000 ‘Ryder Cup’ factors. With the highest 10 gamers from the DP World Tour, who will not be in any other case exempt, additionally getting a card to the PGA Tour, there may be an added incentive for the gamers.
The winner will obtain a good-looking USD 340,000, whereas the runner-up selecting up US$ 220,000 and the third-place finisher pocketing USD 126,000. The fourth place fetches USD 1,00,000.
Gallacher, the primary Scotsman to win the Hero Indian Open, might be joined by fellow Scot, Robert MacIntyre, a left-hander with immense expertise and a Top-100 participant, who was within the Top 50 in 2021. MacIntyre received the 2022 Italian Open, which had World No.1 Rory McIlroy and Matthew Fitzpatrick within the subject.
Part of the 2014 Ryder Cup successful crew, Gallacher had his son on the bag when he received the Hero Indian Open in 2019. Gallacher, two years away from being eligible to affix the Legends Tour in Europe for gamers above 50, might be joined by one other legend, Thomas Bjorn, the successful Ryder Cup Captain in 2018 and 15-time DP World Tour winner.
Europe’s rising star, Nicolai Hojgaard, will make his first go to to India, in addition to six-time DP World Tour winner Thorbjorn Olesen, a member of the European Ryder Cup crew below Bjorn in 2018. Olesen ended a four-year title drought in 2022 with a win on the Betfred British Masters hosted by Danny Willett.
While Gallacher, a two-time winner of the marquee Dubai Desert Classic, received India’s National Open on his debut on the occasion, MacIntyre, Olesen and Hojgaard might be making their maiden journey to India.
Nicolai Hojgaard has two DP World Tour titles, one every in 2021 and 2022. He will flip 22 somewhat over two weeks after the Hero Indian Open and might be gunning for an early birthday current.
Brijinder Singh, President of the Indian Golf Union, stated, “I take pride in announcing the long-awaited Hero Indian Open 2023. It is our flagship event and we look forward to the excitement and bonhomie it brings. Let’s make this event a memorable one.”Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the DP World Tour, stated: “We are very excited to return to DLF GolfCountry Club for the first time in four years when the Hero Indian Open takes place later this month.””Our thanks, in particular, go to Hero MotoCorp Chairman and CEO, Dr Pawan Munjal, for both the commitment to this event and the overall DP World Tour. Dr Munjal is a great friend of the DP World Tour and we are very grateful for his support. This event has been a long-term beneficiary of Dr Munjal’s sponsorship and it is great to see it return to our schedule, along with the help of the promoter, the Indian Golf Union, who do so much for golf in India”, he added.
Tusch Daroga, AVP-Operations, DLF Golf and Country Club stated “We are delighted to host the Hero Indian Open for the fifth time. The Gary Player course at the DLF GolfCountry Club has the unique distinction of being the venue for both the men’s and women’s Indian Opens, which have been so well supported by Hero MotoCorp. We continually strive to deliver the best playing conditions year-round and this year is no different. The players can look forward to pristine playing conditions on a challenging course, which they have increasingly appreciated year on year.”Nicolai Hojgaard additionally performed on the successful Continental Europe crew beating Great BritainIreland within the Hero Cup final month. Interestingly, Nicolai changed his then-injured twin brother Rasmus within the crew after he was dominated out on account of harm.
Bjorn received the Mauritius Open on the Legends Tour in December.
Shubhankar Sharma, who acquired off to a flying begin on the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the primary strokeplay occasion of 2023 on the DP World Tour, will spearhead the sturdy residence problem, which is able to embrace Hero Brand Ambassador Shiv Kapur and two-time Indian Open winner, SSP Chawrasia. Sharma at one stage was in shared lead at Abu Dhabi, a Rolex Series occasion, during which he was runner-up in 2022.
Sharma has already certified for the 151st Open to be held at Royal Liverpool in the identical week during which he’ll flip 27.
Manu Gandas, who earned a card into the DP World Tour due to the newest alliance between the PGTI, DP World Tour and PGA Tour, will even be seen in motion. Gandas had an impressive season in 2022, when he received six home Tour occasions and topped the Order of Merit to earn a card to the DP World Tour.
The DLF Golf and Country Club returns because the venue for the fourth 12 months in a row.
After a vastly profitable take-off in January with 4 occasions within the Middle East, beginning with the Hero Cup and adopted by Rolex Series occasions, the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the Dubai Desert Classic, the DP World Tour additionally had a cease in Ras Al Khaimah.
The Tour has stayed on in Asia with new stops – the Singapore Classic (February 9 to 12) and Thailand Classic (February 16 to 19) adopted by Indian Open. It will then journey to Africa for 2 weeks, earlier than returning to Asia for its first journey to Japan for the ISPS Handa Championship (April 20 to 23) and make a return to Korea for the primary time since 2013 (April 27 to 30). (ANI)