India's No 1 amateur golfer Aman Raj makes professional debut today in Pune Open

Pune, April 4, 2016: The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the official sanctioning body of professional golf in India, will be staging the inaugural Pune Open at the picturesque Oxford Golf Resort from April 5 – 8, 2016. The Pune Open, the sixth event of the PGTI’s 2016 season, carries a prize purse of Rs. 30 lakh. The Pro-Am event is scheduled for April 9.

The tournament will see some of India’s leading professionals in action such as Asian Tour regulars Gaganjeet Bhullar, Rashid Khan, Chiragh Kumar and Himmat Singh Rai as well as other top names including Udayan Mane, Mukesh Kumar, Shamim Khan, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Ashok Kumar and Abhijit Singh Chadha, to name a few. The foreign challenge will be led by the Sri Lankan duo of N Thangaraja and Anura Rohana. Pune’s Gurki Shergill (winner of 8th TATA Open 2009) will be one of the prominent professionals from the host city taking part in the event.

Aman Raj of Patna, PGTI’s 2016 Qualifying School champion and India’s number one amateur in 2015, will be making his professional debut at the Pune Open along with another leading Indian amateur Samarth Dwivedi.

This is a 72-hole stroke-play tournament featuring a field of 120 players which would include 120 professionals and six amateurs. The cut will be applied after the first 36 holes. The top 50 players and ties will make the halfway cut and continue to play for another 36 holes.

Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, Director, PGTI, said, “The city of Pune is fast emerging as an important golfing centre in the country. The Pune Open has been launched with the objective of tapping into the local talent and further promoting the sport in the city. We thank the Oxford Golf Resort for partnering with us in staging the Pune Open and look forward to a successful inaugural edition.”  

The venue for the tournament, the magnificent Oxford Golf Resort, is a 7020 yard, Par 72 championship course. The course is built on 136 acres of land that is Horseshoe shaped and surrounded on three sides by the Sahyadri Hills that give the course a stunning aura. The award-winning course is known for its well-maintained fairways and greens. The sparkling bunkers with gleaming white sand twist and turn their way across fairways and alongside greens. Breeze is a big factor and so are changes in elevation across the course. That coupled with the multitude of hazards and bunkers make it a challenging course for most golfers.

PGTI Press release

Siddikur prevails in playoff against compatriot Sajib; bags inaugural BTI Open

Dhaka, April 2, 2016: Bangladeshi golfing superstar Md Siddikur Rahman’s experience and persistence saw him through in the final round of the inaugural BTI Open as he lifted the trophy after a magnificent playoff victory over compatriot Md Sajib Ali at the Kurmitola Golf Club (KGC) on Saturday.

Md Siddikur Rahman (66-70-66-71) and Md Sajib Ali (66-68-73-66) headed for the playoff after ending the regulation 72 holes with matching totals of 15-under-273 at their home course. Siddikur finally prevailed with a birdie on the first playoff hole at the INR 35 lakh event.

Sujjan Singh finished third, the best among the Indians in the field, at 14-under-274. India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu was fourth at 12-under-276 after he carded the day’s best score of seven-under-65.

Siddikur, who began the final round as the joint leader along with Sujjan, had a rather sedate last round as compared to his superb 66 in round three. The 32-year-old Rahman, managed just two birdies against a bogey on the front-nine and briefly conceded the sole lead to Sujjan for a stretch of three holes.

However, Siddikur, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, kept it tight on the back-nine with a birdie and a bogey to take the match into a playoff.

Even as Sujjan dropped out of contention with a lone birdie and two bogeys on the back-nine, Md Sajib Ali, who was overnight tied fifth, lying five off the lead, emerged as the new challenger to Siddikur thanks to his seven birdies from the sixth to the 18th. Sajib’s inspiring 66 helped him join Siddikur in the playoff.

Siddikur brought all his experience to the fore to come out on top against rookie Sajib in the playoff and thus registered his fifth win on the PGTI. Siddikur walked away with the winner’s purse of INR 5,25,000.

Siddikur said, “I’m delighted to win in front of my home crowd. I wasn’t having a great day but I didn’t lose focus and played a steady round of golf. My years of experience at the highest level saw me through today. This is a good morale-booster for me for the forthcoming events on the Asian Tour.

“Sajib played some fantastic golf today. The emergence of players like Sajib augurs well for the future of golf in Bangladesh. The BTI Open has been a great initiative for the further growth of Bangladeshi golf. Tournaments such as the BTI Open help bring more local talent in the limelight. I look forward to the next edition of the BTI Open,” added an elated Siddikur.

Md Sajib Ali, who was one-over through four holes, made a brave charge with seven birdies on the last 13 holes before being edged out by Siddikur in the playoff.

Sajib, Bangladesh’s leading amateur in 2015, said, “It was a learning curve for me. I’m quite pleased with the way I fought back today. I’m still in my first season as a professional so this performance gives me a lot of confidence going forward.”

Sujjan Singh was in with a chance for most part of the day but his two bogeys on the last four holes put him out of the race. He shot a final round of 72 to claim third place. The Chandigarh golfer ended the week one stroke behind Siddikur and Sajib.

Ajeetesh Sandhu, another Chandigarh-based professional, secured fourth place at 12-under-276 after he posted the day’s best score of 65 which featured an eagle and five birdies.

India’s Deepinder Singh Kullar came in fifth at 10-under-278.

Udayan Mane of India, who was overnight third, finished tied eighth at eight-under-280.

PGTI Press release

Sujjan, Siddikur well-placed for final day showdown

 Md Siddikur Rahman

Sujjan Singh

Dhaka, April 1, 2016: A fascinating Indo-Bangladeshi contest is set to unfold in the final round of the BTI Open on Saturday at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka.

India’s Sujjan Singh and Bangladesh’s Md Siddikur Rahman were well-placed for the final day showdown as the two golfers ended round three as joint leaders at 14-under-202.

Udayan Mane (12-under-204) and Deepinder Singh Kullar (10-under-206) occupied third and fourth place respectively and ensured a strong Indian presence at the top.

Sujjan Singh (69-68-65), lying fifth and three off the lead after the second round, came out firing on all cylinders in round three as he knocked down five birdies on the first 10 holes.

The Chandigarh lad, a winner of three titles including one on the Asian Development Tour, suffered a minor blip on the 13th where he dropped his only shot of the day. The 36-year-old however, rallied with three consecutive birdies from the 15th through the 17th to end the round with a flourish.

Sujjan, who shot the best score of round three, said, “I struck it well today and also converted as many as four birdie putts from about 15 to 20 feet. I’ve made three consecutive birdies on four occasions so far this week.

“I didn’t play too well at the Indian Open and as a result made a few changes in my swing. I feel those changes are now shaping up well and producing the desired results. I’ll have to be at the top of my game to outscore Siddikur in the final round. He will have the advantage of the local support. Udayan will also be one to watch out for as he has been playing well of late. I’ll give it my best shot.”

Md Siddikur Rahman (66-70-66), who was tied third after the second round, produced a bogey-free 66 in round three, to share the lead with Sujjan at the end of the day. Two-time Asian Tour winner, Siddikur, goes into the final round as the favourite as he is playing in his backyard, the Kurmitola Golf Club (KGC).

“I’ve not had a great first few months in 2016. I’ll look to turn it around here with a good final round. It’ll be highly satisfying to win in front of my home crowd once again. I have the advantage of local knowledge here but Sujjan and Udayan are also in good form and therefore would provide tough competition on the final day,” said Siddikur.

Bengaluru’s Udayan Mane (67-68-69) dropped from second place in round two to third place after his third round of 69 that included four birdies and a bogey.

Gurgaon’s Deepinder Singh Kullar (68-70-68) sank an eagle, four birdies and two bogeys during his third round of 68 to be placed fourth, four behind the leaders.

The Bangladeshi duo of second round leader Md Sajib Ali and Md Dulal Hossain occupied tied fifth place at nine-under-207.

Earlier in the day, the 57 players who couldn’t complete their second round on Thursday due to the weather delay, resumed their unfinished rounds. Once the second round was completed, the cut was declared at three-over-147. Fifty-six professionals and one amateur made the cut. Bangladesh’s Md Sajib Ali was the round two leader at 10-under-134 while India’s Udayan Mane was a stroke behind in second place.

PGTI Press release 

Md Sajib Ali holds advantage on weather-affected second day

Md Sajib Ali 

Dhaka, March 31, 2016: Bangladesh’s Md Sajib Ali held the clubhouse lead at 10-under-134 at the end of the weather-affected second day of the inaugural BTI Open being played at the Kurmitola Golf Club in Dhaka.

Sajib followed up his opening round 66 with a four-under-68 on day two to be two ahead of nearest rival and compatriot Md Dulal Hossain at the INR 35 lakh event. India’s Sujjan Singh was a further shot back, placed third in the clubhouse.

Play was suspended at 1300 hrs local time due to lightning. The break due to suspension lasted two and a half hours as play resumed at 1530 hrs local time. As a result of the suspension, only 63 golfers out of a total of 120 could complete their second round on Thursday. The remaining 57 players will commence their second round at 0700 hrs local time on Friday morning. The cut will be declared after the completion of round two on Friday. The third round will begin soon after the cut is declared on Friday.

Sajib, who was overnight tied second, one off the lead, began his day with a sensational birdie chip-in on the first hole.  The 27-year-old, playing his first season as a professional, gathered three more birdies till the seventh to take the lead early in the day.

Sajib, winner of the Bangladesh Amateur title last year, seemed to be heading for a big lead when he tapped-in for birdie on the 14th, but his tee shot found the trees on the very next hole and resulted in a double-bogey to put the brakes on his round. However, Sajib did manage to pull one shot back with a long birdie conversion on 17.

Sajib, one of Bangladesh’s leading amateurs till 2015, said, “The chip-in on the first was a real morale-booster. Thereafter, I struck my irons well and didn’t leave myself any long putts. The only error was on the 15th. I know another good score of four to five under in round three would make me a top contender.

“The BTI Open is an important tournament for me as I only recently turned professional. A good performance this week will give the much-needed impetus to my fledgling pro career. My hitting has been my strength in the tournament so far but I feel the mental aspect of my game will be tested over the next two days as some of the top Indian and Bangladeshi golfers will make the charge for the title,” added Sajib, who idolizes Phil Mickelson for his brilliant short-game.

Bangladesh’s Md Dulal Hossain (65-71), the first round leader, ended day two in placed second in the clubhouse at eight-under-136 after a second round of 71.

Udayan Mane of India, who completed only 13 holes on Thursday, was also at eight-under. He was three-under for the day with five birdies and two bogeys. Mane dropped a bogey on 13 just before walking off the course as fading light led to close of play for the day.

India’s Sujjan Singh (69-68) produced a hat-trick of birdies for the second straight day to occupy third place among all those who completed their rounds. He made a total of five birdies against a lone bogey on Thursday to take his total to seven-under-137. Sujjan sank a 35-footer on the 13th during round two.

“I got some momentum going with a great par-save on the closing ninth in round one. I had found the water there but recovered really well with a chip-in for par. That was a key moment. I’ve kept the errors down since then in round two,” said Sujjan, a winner on the Asian Development Tour.

The Indian duo of Pratap Atwal and Deepinder Singh Kullar were tied fourth in the clubhouse along with local lad Md Zamal Hossain Mollah at six-under-138.

India’s Ranjit Singh shot the day’s best score of 66 to be tied seventh in the clubhouse at five-under-139 along with compatriot Wasim Khan who fired a 67.

Bangladesh’s top professional Md Siddikur Rahman could only complete 12 holes on day two. He was joint eighth on the leaderboard at five-under. Siddikur was one-over through 12 on Thursday with a birdie and two bogeys.