J&K Open golf returns for third edition with Prize Purse raised to Rs. 50 lakh

• Tournament to begin from October 4 to be staged at Jammu Tawi Golf Course

• Field to feature Udayan Mane, Rashid Khan, defending champion Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, former champion Honey Baisoya 

Khel Today Bureau 

New Delhi: The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the official sanctioning body of professional golf in India, along with J&K Tourism, today announced the third edition of the J&K Open presented by J&K Tourism which will be held at the pristine Jammu Tawi Golf Course in Jammu, from October 4 – 7, 2023. The total prize purse for the event has been enhanced to Rs. 50 lakh this year. The Pro-Am event will be held on October 8.

The tournament is supported by Presenting Partners J&K Tourism as well as Host Venue Jammu Tawi Golf Course.

Jammu and Kashmir is home to some of the top tourist destinations in the country. Jammu, bestowed  with breathtaking scenic beauty amidst the proud mountain ranges exhibits all the qualities that make it a sought after tourist destination. Among the most popular tourist attractions in the Jammu region are the Mata Vaishno Devi Temple, Amar Mahal Palace, Mubarak Mandi Palace and Patnitop, to name a few.

The tournament is part of J&K Tourism’s great initiative of promoting golf tourism in the region. J&K is blessed with some spectacular golf courses such as Jammu Tawi Golf Course, Royal Springs Golf Course (Srinagar), Pahalgam Golf Course (Lidder Valley) and Gulmarg Golf Club. These courses provide a heavenly experience to golfers.

The top Indian professionals participating in the event include Udayan Mane, Rashid Khan, defending champion Yuvraj Singh Sandhu and former champion Honey Baisoya, to name a few. The foreign challenge will be led by Bangladeshis Jamal Hossain and Badal Hossain as well as Sri Lankans N Thangaraja and Mithun Perera, to name a few.

Mr. Amarjeet Singh, Special Secretary to Government, J&K Tourism Department, said, “We look forward to our continued association with the J&K Open golf tournament and the PGTI. This tournament gives us a great platform to project the UT of Jammu & Kashmir as a favourable destination for Golf Tourism for business and leisure travellers from all across the world. Our partnership with PGTI and the staging of the J&K Open also provides us the opportunity to showcase the outstanding golfing venues in J&K to a wider audience.”

Mr. Manav Gupta, Secretary, Jammu Tawi Golf Course, said, “We are proud to host the leading Indian professional golfers at Jammu Tawi Golf Course for the second year in succession. We have worked towards providing the best possible playing conditions at JTGC and are confident that the players will enjoy their experience of playing here. The J&K Open also provides immense exposure for our local golfing talent who get to rub shoulders with the best professionals in the country. This exposure will go a long way in helping J&K produce champion golfers in the future.”

Mr. Kapil Dev, Vice President, PGTI, said, “We’re delighted to have a PGTI event in the beautiful locales of Jammu & Kashmir. We thank J&K Tourism and the Jammu Tawi Golf Course for partnering with us in staging the event that in turn helps us create more playing opportunities for Indian professional golfers. The tournament will also help spread awareness about J&K in general and Jammu in particular as an ideal destination for Golf Tourism for international and domestic travellers alike. I wish the players all the best.”

Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, PGTI, said, “The third edition of the J&K Open presented by J&K Tourism is one of the most-awaited tournaments of the 2023 PGTI season with the professionals having fond memories of playing at the magnificent Jammu Tawi Golf Course for the first time last year. Tournaments such as these will go a long way in providing a boost to Golf Tourism in J&K. We thank J&K Tourism and the Jammu Tawi Golf Course for reiterating their support to PGTI with the enhanced prize purse this year. We’re excited about witnessing yet another enthralling week of golf amidst the mesmerizing surroundings of J&K.”

Jammu Tawi Golf Course, is an 18-hole course, designed by internationally renowned designer Col. K.D Bagga. The course was commissioned on 24th April 2011. This picturesque Golf Course is located along the National Highway 1A connecting Jammu to Srinagar, in a valley along the river Tawi. The course has fairways approximately 6600 meters in length, it has two big and three small water bodies and a water channel about 3200 meters long.

The Government of Jammu & Kashmir undertook the construction of this prestigious project of Jammu Tawi Golf Course with the intention of giving a boost to Golf Tourism and grooming young boys and girls to become golf professionals.