Date:17/12/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/12/17/stories/2007121760912500.htm

Sport - Golf

Indian golfers get more spots

NEW DELHI: The Indian Masters golf tournament, to be held here from February 7 to 10, will have more Indians teeing off after the organisers relented and bought peace with the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).

After months of quibbling over the number of spots to be offered to Indian professionals, the promoters of the tournament and the PGTI on Sunday brokered peace with the European Tour agreeing for a minimum of 25 spots for Indian players in the 120-strong field.

There will be eight sponsors’ spots and two amateurs and the remaining 110 have been divided equally between European Tour and the Asian Tour.

Of the 55 that came in Asian Tour’s way, 25 will go to Indian players based on the Orders of Merit of either Tours.

The tri-sanctioned event will be the richest ever to be held in India, though three weeks later (February 28 to March 2), the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon will host the $2.6 million Johnnie Walker Classic. — Principal Correspondent