Edited by Anand Datla
Take Solutions Partners With Asian Tour And Pgti To Launch India’s First Adt Event – The ‘Take Solutions India Masters’
New Delhi, September 30: India will host its first ever Asian Development Tour (ADT) tournament with the launch of the TAKE Solutions India Masters from October 29 to November 1, 2014, officials announced today.
TAKE Solutions, the Asian Tour and PGTI have come together to launch the TAKE Solutions India Masters where this joint initiative tournament will receive Official World Golf Ranking status, with the winner earning six world ranking points.
The newest addition on the ADT, which is the gateway to the premier Asian Tour, will raise this season’s ADT Schedule to an unprecedented 21 tournaments. This inaugural US$70,000 tournament will be staged at Eagleton Golf Resort in Bengaluru.
Srinivasan HR, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, TAKE Solutions said: “We are delighted and honoured to partner with the Asian Tour and PGTI to launch India’s very first Asian Development Tour tournament. Through this association, it is our vision for the TAKE Solutions India Masters to provide the impetus for aspiring professional golfers from India to succeed on the ADT, and subsequently on the Asian Tour.
“For almost a decade, we have been the proud sponsor of the official Indian qualifying tournament to the World Corporate Golf Challenge, acting as the gateway for highly competitive and skilled Indian corporate golfing teams to the international arena. We also sponsor professional golfers S.S.P.
Chowrasia and Khalin Joshi to support their growth and success in Indian and international tournaments. The launch of TAKE Solutions India Masters fits aptly with our corporate mission to support the growth and development of professional golf in India and across Asia. I am very confident that our partnership with the Asian Tour and PGTI will benefit the sport in India.”
Asian Tour CEO, Mike Kerr, believes that welcoming India as the newest destination on the burgeoning ADT Schedule augurs well for the game in the sub-continent. “On behalf of our players, I would like to welcome on board TAKE Solutions India Masters on the ADT. Through our close collaboration with PGTI and the support from great sponsors such as TAKE Solutions, professional golf in India has achieved so much success in Asia with the like of Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa ranking number one over the past decade on the Asian Tour.”
“Currently, we are witnessing the exciting emergence of a new breed of young Indian stars in the form of Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Rashid Khan. I am confident the launch of the TAKE Solutions India Masters will further invigorate the development of golf in India,” said Han.
PGTI Director, Padamjit Sandhu, said: “The launch of TAKE Solutions India Masters is very exciting and PGTI is delighted to be working closely once again with the Asian Tour in this new tournament. Professional golf in India continues to make giant strides forward and we are fortunate to have established a very solid foundation for growth through the establishment of new tournaments. I would like to express our deepest appreciation to TAKE Solutions for its commitment and support towards golf in India and Asia.”
At 7,100 yards, the par-72 Eagleton Golf Resort will pose a stern test of golf to the ADT hopefuls seeking to win the inaugural TAKE Solutions India Masters. The championship course features dramatic elevation changes while water hazards and bunkers will pose a big challenge to golfers.
The ADT was launched by the Asian Tour in 2010 with five tournaments and grew to 16 events in 2013, and currently stands at 21 events for the 2014 season. The top-five finishers on the final Order of Merit will earn playing rights in the 2015 Asian Tour season. Since last year, all ADT events also receive Official World Golf Ranking points which is tremendous for the development of the game across the region.
