SAIL-SBI to set off Asian Tour 2014

February 24, 2014: The Asian Tour 2014 season opener, SAIL-SBI Open is returning for its seventh edition at Delhi Golf Club this week. The US$ 300,000 tournament will be staged at the venerable Delhi Golf Club from February 26 – March 1, 2014. The Pro-Am event is scheduled for February 25.

The strong field will feature five players from the top-10 of last year’s Order of Merit. The Indian contingent will be spearheaded by defending champion Anirban Lahiri who finished third on the Asian Tour last year. Bangladesh’s Md Siddikur Rahman, who bagged fourth place on the 2013 Order of Merit, will be the other top contender this year.

Last year, Lahiri defeated countryman Rashid Khan in a play-off to claim his third Asian Tour title at the SAIL-SBI Open. It was also his third victory at the Delhi Golf Club, which has proven to be a happy hunting ground for the talented Lahiri.

Former Order of Merit champions Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand and India’s Jyoti Randhawa, who finished in the top-20 last year, will also be back to challenge for the SAIL-SBI Open title at a venue where they have tasted victory in the past.

Besides Lahiri, the other past winners of the tournament competing at this year’s edition are Chapchai Nirat of Thailand and Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg.

Thailand’s Prayad Marksaeng and Prom Meesawat along with Korean Baek Seuk-Hyun, all of whom finished in the top-10 in Asia last year, add further muscle to the field.

The Indian challenge will be strengthened by the presence of former Asian Tour winners SSP Chowrasia, Digvijay Singh, Rahil Gangjee and Himmat Singh Rai. Rashid Khan, the 2013 SAIL-SBI Open runner-up and reigning Rolex Rankings champion on the PGTI, will once again be a force to reckon with on his home course.

Mr. Kyi Hla Han, Chairman, Asian Tour, said, “As the season opening event for our 2014 season, we look forward to a very successful launch of our new season. I am sure our talented players will put up a great show and compete well against players from the PGTI.”

Mr. Padamjit Sandhu, Director, PGTI, said, “The SAIL-SBI Open has been a strong week for Indian professionals on the Asian Tour schedule with the top names in Asia rubbing shoulders with India’s best talent. We are hopeful of good performances by the strong Indian contingent once again.”