- Prize money of Rs. 40 lakhs
- Golf returns to Shillong after two years
- The leading names include Shankar Das, Shamim Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Sanjay Kumar, Udayan Mane, Om Prakash Chouhan, M Dharma
The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), “The official sanctioning body of professional golf in India” with the support of Hon’ble Chief Minister – Dr Mukul Sangma, Govt of Meghalaya and in association with Meghalaya Golf Promoter’s Society (MGPS), is all set to bring professional golf back to the state of Meghalaya after a gap of two years with the staging of the 2nd edition of the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Open Golf at the historic Shillong Golf Club.
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The event will be staged from November 10 - 13, 2016. The Pro-Am event will be played on November 9th, 2016. The tournament is being conducted by Meghalaya Golf Promoters’ Society (MGPS) with the support of Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, local MLA – Mr AL Hek , Mr David Nongrum (MLA) and the Shillong Club Ltd. The tournament is expected to feature some of the leading Indian professionals. The 2014 event was won by Mr Sanjay Kumar.
The leading Indian names in the field are Shankar Das, Shamim Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Udayan Mane, Om Prakash Chouhan, defending champion Sanjay Kumar, M Dharma, Harendra Gupta, Feroz Ali Mollah and Amardip Sinh Malik, to name a few. The two foreign players in the field are Sri Lankan, Anura Rohana and Australian, Kunal Bhasin.
Mr Uttam Singh Mundy, Director of the PGTI said, “The PGTI is delighted to be back in the sports-loving state of Meghalaya for the second edition of the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Open Golf. We thank the Government of Meghalaya for partnering with us in staging this event and thereby contributing towards the growth of professional golf, not only in Meghalaya but the entire North-Eastern region of the country. We look forward to an engrossing week of golfing action at the pristine Shillong Golf Club.”
The Tournament Committee has appealed to the public to refrain from littering the golf course and keep away from the greens. This year’s event will have special golf classes for juniors to be conducted by former national champion, Mr Indrajit Bhaloita along with the tree plantation drive initiative being conducted at the Shillong Golf Course. This will also prepare our youth for the 2022 National Games where Meghalaya state has submitted a bid.
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Mr Gaurav Bajaj, organising secretary said that this event has brought the Shillong Golf Course on the national golf map of the country. Mr Chibor Shullai, Secretary of Shillong Golf Club is putting in his best efforts to make the course conditions even better as compared to the 2014 event.
With the formation of MGPS, golf is growing in the state of Meghalaya. MGPS already runs an academy with a special focus on junior golf. The Indian Golf Union has sanctioned a Junior Feeder tour event to Meghalaya in 2017 and also Mr Gaurav Bajaj has been inducted in the East Zone Committee of the Indian Golf Union.
Mr Daniel S Jyrwa (Vice President – MGPS) further added that Meghalaya will be represented by 6 amateurs and 8 local professionals in this event namely, Mr Gaurav Bajaj (A), Col H Panging (A), Mr Michael Hek (A), Mr Jonathan Iawphniaw (A), Dr KI Singh (A) Mr Batkupar J Synrem (A), Mr Jeevan Sharma (P), Mr Naeem Akhtar (P), Mr Akash Roy (P), Mr Gautam Lama(P), Mr Anil Ram (P), Mr Jeet Bahadur (P), Mr Bishnu Chettri (P) and Mr Tatu Baruah (P) respectively.
The Shillong Golf Club is home to one of the oldest golf courses in the country. The course is scenic and enjoyable and challenging at the same time. The course is set in an undulating valley covered with thick groves of pine and rhododendron trees. The tight fairways are difficult to negotiate in any case, but the task is made even more trying by the number of ‘out-of-bounds’ streams that criss-cross almost every fairway.
About Meghalaya Golf Promoters’ Society (MGPS)
MGPS was formed with the main intention of promotion of junior golf. A lot of encouragement was given by Mr Gaurav Ghosh of the Indian Golf Union and Mr Indrajit Bhalotia (former National Champion. The Shillong Club was kind enough to allow the use of the Driving Range at the Shillong Golf Course for the MGPS Golf Academy
About PGTI
Formed in 2006, Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) is the recognised official body of professional golf in India. PGTI’s objective is to promote professional golf in the country, as well as to give players an opportunity to be involved in the decision-making on all aspects of the game.
Headed by Mr Gautam Thapar (President), PGTI’s governing body comprises leading Indian golf professionals. PGTI currently has over 300 members.
The event will be covered by TEN GOLF HD which will promote tourism of the state of Meghalaya. During the tournament week, approximately 120 players are expected to travel to Shillong which will definitely contribute revenue to the various stakeholders of the Tourism Industry of the state.
