IGPL Visakhapatnam leg begins on Tuesday

One of India’s most accomplished golfers, Gaganjeet Bhullar, emerging talent Pukhraj Singh Gill and young golfer Aryan Roopa Anand will be the star attractions when the 10th leg of Season 2 of the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) gets underway at the East Point Golf Club here on Tuesday.

The tournament called the Green Fuels Maritime Invitational, presented by Vizag Dolphins Golf Club, will see Bhullar face serious challenge from the likes in-form Pukhraj, who recently sealed his Asian Tour card and a host of IGPL winners such as Aryan Roopa Anand, Sachin Baisoya, Udayan Mane, Aman Raj and Arjun Prasad.

Needless to say, with rains and last week’s cyclone adding another dimension, weather will also play an important role. Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO of IGPL, said, “We are hopeful of play beginning tomorrow (on Tuesday), but the final call will be taken in the morning depending whether it rains overnight.

However, we are confident of having 54 holes as weather later in the week is expected to be better.” Adding further interest is the contingent of 10 women professionals besides six amateurs. The event will bring together 60 professionals, giving experienced campaigners and younger players a chance to test themselves against a varied field.

The participation of women professionals and amateurs will showcase IGPL’s stated goal of giving all golfers a chance to test themselves in a competitive atmosphere. Sneha Singh, Vidhatri Urs and Jasmine Shekar will be among the recognised women players in the group.

Bhullar’s participation also offers an important benchmark for younger players seeking to establish themselves in professional golf. (The writer is in Visakhapatnam at the invitation of the Indian Golf Premier League.)