Women's Indian Open from Nov. 11

The tri-sanctioned Hero Honda women's Indian Open golf tournament will be held at the DLF Golf and Country Club (Gurgaon) from November 11-13.

The $3,00,000 tournament, carrying the highest-ever prize money in women's professional golf in India, has got the sanction of the Ladies European Tour (LET), the Ladies Asian Golf Tour (LAGT) and the Women's Golf Association of India (WGAI) for three years.

The leap in terms of the money on offer is quite significant for the event. It had started in 2007 with a total prize purse of $1,00,000.

A maximum of 122 golfers, including 46 each from the LET and LAGT and 12 from WGAI, are expected to take part in the tournament. The minimum field will be of 106 players.

“We will invite six top Indian amateurs for the event,” said Champika Sayal, the Secretary-General of the WGAI, at a press conference here on Wednesday.

The amateurs to get the invite include the members of the Asian Games-bound Indian team (Shreya Ghei, Vani Kapoor, Gurbani Singh and Shraddhanjali Singh).

Besides, the WGAI will extend invites to some talented players of Indian origin from abroad.

Mrs. Sayal said one could see all the top Indians in action since the dates of the tournament were not clashing with that of the Asian Games. “The competition in the Games starts from November 17 onwards,” she said.

The winner, who will get richer by $45,000, will get an exemption to play in the LET for next two years. Four pros, chosen on the basis of the Order of Merit, will get the exemption to take part in the European Access Series till 2013.

Besides, the top two Indian golfers will be eligible to participate in a couple of key LET events till 2013.

Two-time winner and defending champion Phatlum Pornanong and current LET Order of Merit leader Lee-Ann Pearce have confirmed their participation.