Steel City prepares for an exciting week of golf  

Jamshedpur, December 31, 2007:   The Professional Golf Tour of India’s (PGTI) 2007-08 season has witnessed some scintillating golf so far. The first three tournaments of the new season have produced three first-time winners on the PGTI. This means quite a few professionals are now staking their claim in the 2007-08 PGTI Order of Merit race.

As the PGTI prepares to host its fourth tournament of the season, the Tata Open 2008 in Jamshedpur from 2nd to 6th January, the Order of Merit race awaits the beginning of another exciting phase.

Among the foremost contenders for the Tata Open is SSP Chowrasia. He’s won the Tata Open on the Beldih and Golmuri courses on three previous occasions in 2003, 2005 and 2006. The defending champion who is currently 11th on PGTI’s Order of Merit for 2007-08, is only too glad to be back in Jamshedpur to play on two of his favourite courses. “I just love playing at Beldih and Golmuri as I have had great success at these golf courses in the past. The good thing about these two courses is that they do not favour long hitters, in fact both short as well as long hitters can perform well at these venues,” said the outright favourite SSP Chowrasia. The Kolkata pro has a good chance of climbing up several places on the Order of Merit if he manages to lift the Tata Open trophy for the fourth time. 

Another previous winner at the Tata Open is Mukesh Kumar. Mukesh won the title in 2002. The professional from Mhow has the experience to pull it off at Jamshedpur. Besides he also goes into the tournament in a confident frame of mind, having won in Digboi in November 2007.

Chowrasia would perhaps, face the toughest challenge from the likes of Digvijay Singh, Shamim Khan and Gaganjeet Bhullar. Digvijay is currently second on the Order of Merit and eager to win his first PGTI title. Shamim on the other hand is fourth on the Order of Merit but at the same time the only professional to register top-10s in all three tournaments this season. He was the joint runner-up at PGTI’s last event in Bangalore. Gaganjeet Bhullar was also the joint runner-up in Bangalore and if his career graph is anything to go by, a victory seems to be just around the corner for him.

Naman Dawar is someone who cannot be counted out. The Tata Open 2006 runner-up arrives in Jamshedpur after securing a creditable tied fifth place in Bangalore. Dawar who was the joint leader after round three in Bangalore is looking to build on his last performance. “I had a dream start at the Tata Open 2006 as I began the tournament with a hole-in-one. I also shot my career best of seven-under 63 at Golmuri,” said Dawar reflecting on his performance at the last edition of the Tata Open. The Delhi based pro added, “To do well at the Tata Open, one needs to adapt to the two courses very quickly. The two courses are different in certain ways. While Beldih is longer, the greens at Golmuri are tighter. While Beldih is also more straightforward, the same cannot be said about Golmuri. The latter requires more planning.”   

Two courses throwing up different kinds of challenges to the top Indian professionals is the ideal setting for an interesting week of golf. Only those who can adapt well to the two courses are certain of making an impression.