Golf tourney to start at Raj Bhawan today

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, May 26

Governor KK Paul will open the 14th Governor’s Golf Cup tournament at Raj Bhawan in Nainital tomorrow evening.

Addressing mediapersons today, the Governor, who is also the chairman of the Raj Bhawan Golf Club, said the objective of the event was to create a special identity of Raj Bhawan (Nainital) Golf Course, located amid abundant natural splendour on the international golf tourism map and to promote Uttarakhand as an attractive tourist destination. This would boost the economy of the state, he said.

Paul said the tournament also aimed at creating an interest towards the game among youngsters and schoolchildren and giving them an opportunity to show their talent. After giving them a six-week training, an inter-school golf tournament was held on May 22 in which Sainik School stood first and Balika Vidya Mandir stood second. Winners of the tournament and the championship that starts tomorrow will be given prizes on May 29.

The Governor said out of the 196 golf courses in the country, 40 were under the defence forces where civilians could not play. In the last 13 years, Raj Bhawan Golf Course had become popular among tourists.

Golf Captain Col Harish Shah said 127 golfers from across the country would participate in the tournament. Eleven-year-old Agrima Manral, who has played at national and international levels, and famous hockey player Zafar Iqbal would be special participants.

Col Shah said after two days of play, a cut-off list would be prepared on the basis of which the best golfer would be declared on the third day. Rajesh Jairath, a qualified and experienced referee, appointed by the International Golf Union, had been invited for the tournament to maintain transparency. Besides this, staff marshals from the Army and other organisations had also been appointed.

The tournament is being organised every year since 2003.

Present at the press conference were Golf Club vice-chairman and Secretary to Governor Arun Dhaundiyal, Golf Club secretary and ADC YS Rawat, ADC Major Anuj Rathour and others, including senior golfers. The ONGC is the main sponsor of the tournament this year. Co-sponsors include the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council, the Sports Department (Uttarakhand), SIDCUL, The Trident Group of Industries and the State Bank of India.