Golconda Masters golf from today

Hyderabad: The fourth edition of ‘Golconda Masters Golf Championship’, a collaborative event by Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA) and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), and promoted by Telangana Tourism, will tee-off at Hyderabad Golf Club here on Thursday.

The three-day event will see around 123 players drawn from all over, including from Sri Lanka, South Africa, Bangladesh and Australia, vying for top honours. Celebrated players Khalin Joshi, Chikkarangappa, Rahil Gangjee, Shamim Khan, Viraj Madappa, Udayan Mane, Honey Baisoya, Harendra Gupta and Syed Saqib Ahmed will be among the participants in the extravaganza that carries an overall prize-money of Rs 30 lakh.

Union Tourism Ministry Secretary Rashmi Verma addressing a press conference here on Wednesday pointed out that the department was exploring every possibility to tap golf as a viable tourism potential.

J Vikramdev Rao, Srikanth Rao and C Dayakar Reddy, President, Secretary and Captain of HGA respectively, explained that Golconda Masters has emerged as a marquee event in Hyderabad, where the sport was growing immensely on the popularity charts.

CEO for PGTI Uttam Singh Mundy said that given the line-up an exciting fare awaits every golf enthusiast from Hyderabad.