BILT Open on PGTI Super Series

Edited by Anand Datla

BILT Open 2014 to carry total prize purse of Rs. 1 crore

• Fifth of seven Super Series events in 2014
• BILT Open to return to the Delhi Golf Club after two years
• Star-studded line-up to include Rashid Khan (defending champion), Chikkarangappa, Himmat Singh Rai, Shamim Khan

New Delhi, October 6, 2014: Avantha Group Company, Ballarpur Industries Limited (BILT), India’s largest paper manufacturer and the flagship company of the US$ 4 bn Avantha Group, and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), ‘the official sanctioning body of professional golf in India’, today announced the schedule for the BILT Open 2014 at a press conference in Delhi. The announcement was made by Mr. Yogesh Agarwal, Managing Director & CEO, BILT Paper B.V. and Mr. Padamjit Sandhu, Director, PGTI.

The tournament carries a prize purse of Rs. 1 crore and is scheduled from 7th – 10th October, 2014 with the Pro-Am being played on 11th October. The event returns to the venerated Delhi Golf Club after a gap of two years.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Yogesh Agarwal, Managing Director and CEO of Avantha Group Company BILT Paper B.V. said, “We believe that golf has a very bright future in India and the legion of its followers in India is on the increase thanks to the untiring efforts of BILT and the PGTI helmed by Mr. Padamjit Sandhu. Today, the BILT open is a premier golf tournament in the country and with top domestic and international names a regular fixture now, we believe, the game is poised to leapfrog to the next level in India. This in turn will help the country transform into a multi sport nation’’.

Mr. Padamjit Sandhu, Director, PGTI said, “The BILT Open has been one of the marquee events on the PGTI since its inception. An exciting contest lies in prospect at the 2014 edition as the biggest names in Indian professional golf tee it up for one of the richest prize purses in India and vital Super Series points. We thank Mr. Yogesh Agarwal, MD & CEO, Ballarpur International Graphic Paper Holdings B.V., for helping stage one of the finest professional golf championships on the PGTI. We look forward to their continued support, and look forward to an exciting week at the Delhi Golf Club.”

Defending champion and reigning Rolex Rankings champion Rashid Khan will lead a strong field at his home course. The field will also feature former BILT Open champions Shamim Khan and Chiragh Kumar. The other big names competing include Chikkarangappa, Himmat Singh Rai, Sri Lankan Mithun Perera, Mukesh Kumar, Om Prakash Chouhan, Shubhankar Sharma and Digvijay Singh, to name a few.

Seven events will be staged as part of the PGTI Super Series in 2014 with a total prize purse of Rs. 4.3 crore. Points are allocated for each event of the Super Series. The player with the highest points at the end of the seven Super Series events stands to earn a bonus of Rs. 30 lakh.