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Bangalore, Sep 9 (IANS) About 500 players will be seen in action in the sixth Toyota Karnataka Golf Festival commencing at the KGA course here Thursday. The golfers will be battling for a berth in the Indian team for the World Golfers' Championship which will take place in South Africa from November 1 to 8, it was announced here Tuesday at a media conference.
Among those participating in the festival, presented by the state tourism department, are former cricketers Venkatesh Prasad, Syed Kirmani and Sunil Joshi as well as former Indian hockey captain Ashish Ballal.
The Golf Festival is the official India Qualifier for the World Golfers Championship in which one winner from each of five different handicap categories (0-5, 6-10, 11-15, 16-20 and 21-24) will participate. The five-member Indian team will compete with over 200 amateur golfers from 40 countries over four rounds of competitive golf in four different courses around Durban.
Karnataka Tourism felicitated India's No. 2 lady amateur, 16-year old Bangalorean Aditi Ashok who will be representing the country at the Asian Games, and rookie on the PGTI Tour, Karan Taunk on the occasion. Arvind Jadhav, additional chief secretary, tourism, said: "After seeing a great response and the success of the past five years, it's our pleasure to be associated with this festival for a further period of three years, up to 2016."
N. Raja, senior vice president and director, marketing and sales, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said: "We are proud to continue our association with this event for the sixth consecutive year. Being associated with the event also gives us the opportunity to interact with our existing and prospective customers and bring more value to our relationship.
"At Toyota, we always believe in promoting sports and we have been very active in this space. Be it motorsports or golf. We welcome all participants to an exciting week and an opportunity to represent amateur golfers from India on the world stage at the World Golfers Championship."
