RCGC Cup Amateur Golf Championship all set to tee off from Tuesday

Kolkata, December 12, 2011: The RCGC Cup Amateur Golf Championship, sixth leg of the Indian Amateur Golf Tour calendar will tee off here on Tuesday. The four-day championship will be hosted at the Par-72, Royal Calcutta Golf Club by The Indian Golf Union, in association with PAR Sports Leisure Adventure Management Pvt. Ltd. (SLAM G).

A strong field will see participation from about 90 golfers from all over India. No. 1 amateur of the country, S. Chikkarangappa will look forward to win back to back title on the Indian Amateur circuit while Chandigarh’s Abhijit Chadha is set to give a challenge to all the Bangalorians.

Khalin Joshi looked confident during his practice round and is upbeat about his chances in this tournament. Udayan Mane who came third in the LIC Western India last month, will also show his new skills in talent in the tournament.

The local lad, Raja Sardar, is confident of putting up a great show as the tournament commences at his home course.

Experienced Gagan Verma from Delhi and Vikram Rana are also among the list of participants. Verma and Rana both will take advantage of their experience and will look to dominate from the first round.

Oscar Sharpe, who is half Indian and half English, will be the only foreign player participating through a special spot given by The Indian Golf Union. The 19-year-old Sharpe was the best amateur in the world when he was 15. His coach Kevin Brand wants him to play a lot of golf in India before he turns Professional and while asking about choosing India, he said, “The main reason for us to come here is that we don’t have a great weather from November to February in England. Also, I see that Indian market is huge during these months and before he goes for the qualifier, he should learn to play at each circuit to face any kind of situation in his Professional career.”

Currently No.1 Indian Amateur S. Chikkarangappa said, “I am very excited to participate in this week’s tournament. Whenever I enter a golf tournament, I don’t make any particular plan but I can say that I am fully prepared to take the charge once again to stay on top of the IGU’s Order of Merit List.”

Udayan Mane who won the Maharashtra Open amateur golf championship in October said, “I have been working really hard on my swing with my coach Mr. Vijay Divecha and focusing a lot on putting as well. My fitness level has increased quite a bit as I do yoga everyday. After making couple of changes in the entire system, I am really positive about winning this week’s tournament.”

The first 26 Amateur golfers of the country as per the IGU’s merit list qualify automatically for this tournament, around 60 players have made the grade through a qualifier held at The Beldih & Golmuri Golf Club, Jamshedpur last week and four are nominees of the Royal Calcutta Golf Club. The cut, for the RCGC Cup Amateur Golf Championship, will be applied after the first two days of play (36 holes) and the first 45 players will compete for top honours by playing another 36 holes 15th and 16th December. The tournament will be played in Stroke Play format.

SLAM G is confident that, with the continuous support of the Indian Golf Union, the excellent arrangements made by The Royal Calcutta Golf Club, cooperation of the players and the unremitting faith vested in us by our esteemed partners and sponsors like Spanco, Reebok, Taylormade, Coca Cola, SportzPower, Save the Children India, Golf Plus as the official Magazine Partner and Deccan Chronicle as the official print media partner. We hail these partners and sponsors since it is only with their vision, commitment, help and support to sports in general and golf in particular, that we have been able to raise the bar at every successive tournament and, ultimately, create an enviable niche for The Indian Amateur Golf Tour at the global level.

Press Release from SLAMG