Gurugram: Golfers Aditi Ashok, S.S.P Chawrasia and Ali Sher have won the second edition of the Golf Industry Association (GIA) awards, announced here on Thursday.

Aditi, who finished second in the Ladies European Tour (LET) order of merit last year, bagged the award for outstanding achievement as a player. Chawrasia, who successfully defended his Indian Open title earlier this year and had two victories on tour last year when he also won his first overseas title at the Resorts World Manila Masters, bagged the Award for the Men's Player of the Year (2016).

The most cheers were, however, reserved for veteran golfer Ali Sher, the Delhi Golf Club caddy-turned-pro-golfer, who was feted for an Outstanding Playing Career.

Ali Sher's win in the Indian Open back in 1991 was not only the first by an Indian professional golfer, but it completely changed the paradigm of the game in the country, with many Indian golfers after him tasting international success. He won an Arjuna Award that year and then went on to win the Indian Open again in 1993.

Commenting on the occasion, acting president and patron of GIA Aakash Ohri said: "I congratulate all winners for their sterling effort in promoting and popularising the game of golf in their own way across the country."

"Golf in India has come a long way since Ali Sher's Indian Open win more than 25 years ago and if the growth trend continues, it will not be long before India has a major champion in Gold as well as Olympic medals," he added.