NEW DELHI: If 2018 was the year when the Professional Golf Tour of India became an an ‘Open Tour’ and aligned itself with the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system, thus attracting world ranking points for all its events, 2019 is “teeing off” in the best possible way with the PGTI getting on board global steel giant Tata Steel as its “umbrella sponsor”.
Tata Steel vice president Sanjiv Paul announced here Wednesday that through this three-year deal with the PGTI, the conglomerate would be significantly enhancing its support to the sport in the country beyond that of the tournament it hosts annually at the Golmuri Golf Course in Jamshedpur.
Financial terms were not disclosed.
“For more than a decade and a half, Tata Steel has hosted a tournament for the Indian pros at the Golmuri Golf Course in Jamshedpur. We decided it was time to extend our support to professional golf in the country as the lead partners for the entire tour,” Paul said at a media conference to announce the association with PGTI.
“Tata Steel has a long and enduring commitment to Indian sport. From football to archery, from athletics to boxing, from hockey to chess, we have been in the forefront of nurturing and supporting sporting talent,” he said. “The association with the professionally-run PGTI is a natural outcome of our shared goal of promoting competition at the highest level among Indian players.”
PGTI chief executive officer Uttam Singh Mundy said: “We are delighted to welcome Tata Steel, one of Indian sports earliest and biggest benefactors, as our umbrella sponsor. Both the main and feeder tours – will benefit from PGTI’s association with Tata Steel.”
PGTI’s 2019 calendar will include between 18 and 20 tournaments across the country. In just over 12 years of its existence, more than 325 players have won prize money, with 38 players earning in excess of Rs 10 million each. As many as 52 players have won at least one of the 220 tournaments, Mhow’s Mukesh Kumar topping the chart with 19 victories.
Tata Steel’s century-old association with Indian sports dates back to Sir Dorabji Tata financing four athletes and two wrestlers for the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium. Tata Steel has created infrastructure for every sports discipline, including a 9-hole and an 18-hole golf course which have played host to a number of tournaments.
PGTI’s alignment with the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) system opens the doors for more Indian players to make an impact on the world stage and also for the world to recognize the kind of talent that we have in India.
The introduction of world ranking points will also help in improving the fields at PGTI events as Indian players who are Asian Tour regulars will have that extra incentive and motivation of playing on their home tour.
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