Top players in fray at All-India Amateur golf
February 15th, 2009 - 7:58 pm ICT by IANSKolkata, Feb 15 (IANS) After 11 tournaments this season, the stage is set for the flagship event of the Amateur Tour, the LG All-India Amateur Championship that begins here Monday. The 108th edition of the tournament will be held at Royal Calcutta Golf Club, which had hosted the first edition of the All-India back in 1892.
Abhishek Jha, winner of the last two tournaments on tour- the LG Western India Amateur and the LG Noida Open Amateur - will enter the tournament with a lot of confidence.
The 22-year-old from Bangalore said: “I had a bit of a poor run through the middle of the season but two back-to-back wins have given me confidence and I think with the way I am playing I can go deep into the tournament. But having said that, I want to go out there and play my game and not focus too much on the result.” Abhishek was runner-up last year.
Golf connoisseurs in the city will also be closely following the progress of young Rashid Khan in the tournament. Rashid, who celebrated his 18th birthday Sunday, sounded optimistic of his chances. “I am playing well and I am looking to carry that momentum into this tournament.”
“This is my second shot at the All-India title and I would love to win it,” he said. But these two strong contenders will face stiff competition from the rest of the field.
All top players, including number one on the LG Order of Merit list Gagan Verma, will be seen in action.
The tournament this year will see teams from Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan, apart from an individual entry from South Korea.
The LG All-India Amateur will be played on a twin-format. It starts with a two-day strokeplay championship, which will act as the qualifying round.
The top 64 players after the completion of the first two days will battle it out in matchplay format before the winner is decided after a 36-hole playoff in the finals. The strokeplay championship will also decide the team championship.
India has fielded two teams with Gagan Verma and Vikram Rana pairing up to make up the ‘A’ team and Moin Malak and H.S. Kang making up the ‘B’ team.
Last year, Chandigarh lad Rahul Bakshi held aloft the All-India title to become the youngest winner of the tournament.
- Rashid widens lead on top of merit list on LG Amateur Tour - Jan 08, 2010
- All India Amateurs Golf: Chikka knocked out, Verma enters semis - Jan 20, 2012
- Baisoya, Bhandari top strokeplay in All India Amateur golf - Jan 18, 2012
- Rashid opens with 71 in Asian Amateur golf - Oct 29, 2009
- Puravankara takes Bangalore for Louis Philippe golf - Nov 09, 2011
- Khalin beats Chikka to win Samarvir Sahi golf - Mar 02, 2012
- Haryana A lead team standings, Rashid top individual - Dec 17, 2009
- Rashid shoots 64, helps Delhi A to commanding win - Dec 18, 2009
- Delhi A in lead in inter-state golf tourney - Dec 16, 2009
- Chikka stays in lead at Samarvir Sahi golf - Feb 29, 2012
- Gurgaon down Noida in Louis Philippe Cup - Mar 09, 2012
- Strong start by Rashid Khan in Jaipur - Jan 25, 2010
- Sri Lanka amateur golf: Chikka, Gagan win men's team title - Oct 20, 2011
- Prabhagaran, Chikka set up semi-final clash at LG All-India Amateur - Feb 17, 2010
- Gagan to meet Angad in finals of All India Amateur golf - Jan 22, 2012
Tags: 18th birthday, amateur championship, amateur golf, bangladesh, calcutta, confidence, connoisseurs, contenders, flagship event, kolkata, merit list, momentum, nepal, open amateur, order of merit, rashid khan, royal calcutta golf club, south korea, stiff competition, western india
