Mumbai: The prestigious Bombay Presidency Golf Club (BPGC) is all set to play host to the USHA All India Ladies & Junior Girls Amateur Golf Championship 2013, the season-ending tournament of the Indian Golf Union (IGU) Ladies Amateur Golf Tour. Delhi’s Gauri Monga, who has backed up her recent three tournament victories in as many months with a strong fifth place finish at the Ladies Indian Open indicating a rich vein of form, will tee off as the clear favourite in the 53 strong field, which will also see the likes of Order of Merit leader Gurbani Singh and second placed Aditi Ashok vie for top honours.
The tour has been hotly contested thus far, with just 54 points the difference between the top three namely Gurbani, Aditi and Gauri. The first half of the tournament will be played in regular stroke-play format over three days and 54 holes, while the second half beginning Friday, December 20, will be played in the match-play format with the finals over 36 holes slated for Monday, December 23. Badminton ace and USHA brand ambassador Saina Nehwal will be the chief guest on the final day along with Mr. Siddharth Shriram, Co-chairman USHA International.
Gauri Monga, who just won the Pune Amateurs last week with a lot to spare, seems to have struck a purple patch and is clearly the one to beat. Aditi was also in supreme form in the last two days at Pune and Gurbani just needs to get back to her percentage golf style to get back to winning ways. Millie Saroha, Riddhima Dilawari and Gursimar Badwal will be the other usual suspects who can pull off an upset on any given day. All in all, it will be an enthralling fight between India’s top lady amateur golfers. Gurbani of course, is also looking to defend her title of being India’s best amateur lady golfer and Aditi who finished runner up last year, will be looking to take it away from her. Gauri, a former winner will be looking to do an encore
Usha International (UIL) is strongly committed to the development of sports in the country and has been a major supporter of Golf for the last 25 years.
Usha’s unwavering support to Golf has encouraged many promising young talents across to the nation pursue the sport in a professional manner. USHA, the nationwide sponsor of the entire Indian Golf Union (IGU) Ladies Tour, meanwhile continues its long association with the sport. A major supporter of Indian golf for over 25 years now, USHA covers the entire spectrum of the game in the country – from juniors, to ladies, to professional golf.
To further enhance this belief, USHA sponsors golf training programmes and has been associated with the Junior Training Programme at the prestigious Delhi Golf Club since 2006. USHA sponsored the 33rd Queen Sirikit Cup Championship in New Delhi in 2011. It is the most important women’s amateur golf event in the Asia Pacific region.