India adds spice to European Seniors golf tour schedule

Mumbai, Aug 4 (UNI) The European Seniors Tour will visit India for the first time following the announcement of the Indian Senior Masters, to be played from October 24 to 26.

The majestic Jaypee Greens Golf Resort at Greater Noida will host the inaugural event, which will carry a prize fund of 300,000 punds and is co-sanctioned by the European Seniors Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India, a release here today said.

The announcement of the Indian Senior Masters sets the seal on 2008 being somewhat of a watershed year for the development of golf in India, with the country hosting its first European Tour events in February and March 2008.

European Seniors Tour professionals and a number of prominent local Indian professionals and amateurs will tee off together in the 54 hole Championship, with the local amateur contingent being led by India's famous 1983 Cricket World Cup winning captain, Kapil Dev.

The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) President Gautam Thapar said ''With India becoming the new staging ground for the prestigious European Seniors Tour, this is a proud moment for all of us at the PGTI. We are confident that this association will help to establish the Indian Senior Masters as one of the Tour's premium tournaments.'' UNI GS SSS RAR ND1616