The Hindu : A keen Open in prospect

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 22, 2003

Sport

Sport - Golf

A keen Open in prospect

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI MARCH 21. Past champions Arjun Atwal and Jyoti along with holder Vijay Kumar promise to keep alive the hopes of another home triumph in the $300,000 Royal Challenge Indian Open golf championship to be played at the Delhi Golf Club course from March 27 to 30.

The 156-player field, including 32 professionals with 65 Asian Tour titles between them, will surely one of the strongest to play in the country.

Randhawa, who topped the Asian PGA Order of Merit last season and Atwal, who won his second European Tour title by annexing the Malaysian Open last month, have been in fine form. Last week, the duo helped Asia beat Japan to win the Dynesty Cup in China.

Notable overseas challengers include Australia's Brad Kennedy, Scotland's Simon Yates, Thailand's former champion Thongchai Jaidee, Thaworn Wiratchant, Thamanoon Sriroj, Boonchu Ruangkit, South Africa's James Kingston and Nico van Rensberg besides some other regulars on the Tour.

Addressing media persons here on Friday, Atwal said he was looking forward to the championship and was well aware that the expectations from him were high.

Sweden's Daniel Chopra, a product of the Capital's Modern School, stated that he was very happy to be back on his `favourite' course.

He said it would be nice to win something as big and the Indian Open on the course he loves the most.

The event will be preceded by Royal Challenge International Match on March 25 and the pro-am on March 26. The International Match will feature an encounter between India and Asia.

India will be represented by Mukesh Kumar and Digvijay Singh against Asia's Randhawa and Atwal, who had finished one and three on the last season's Asian PGA Order of Merit.

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