Date:12/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/12/stories/2008091256981800.htm

Sport - Golf

Daniel Chopra, Randhawa for Indian Open

NEW DELHI: Winner of two titles on the PGA Tour, Daniel Chopra will be the prize catch of this year’s Hero Honda Indian Open golf championship that has become a million-dollar event after the prize-money was doubled from last year.

When the four-day event opens at the Delhi Golf Club course here on Oct. 9, three-time winner and defending champion Jyoti Randhawa will be around, along with Asian Tour leader New Zealand’s Mark Brown and last year’s Order of Merit winner China’s Liang Wen-Chong.

S.S.P. Chowrasia, who won the $2.5 million dollar Emmar Masters here in February, will be among the favourites.

However, Jeev Milkha Singh’s presence is doubtful since he is nursing an ankle injury. With Arjun Atwal and Shiv Kapur still needing some work to ensure their cards for the PGA Tour and the European PGA Tour respectively, the Indian challenge will be less formidable as compared to what it was last year.

Addressing media persons here on Thursday, Hero Honda’s MD and CEO Pawan Munjal hailed the phenomenal growth of golf in the country and reiterated his company’s commitment to take the National Open to greater heights. Since taking up the Indian Open in 2005, Hero Honda has raised the prize-money from $300,000 to a million dollars. — Special Correspondent