July 9th 2010, New Delhi,  2010: The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the recognized official body of professional golf in India has joined hands with IMG Reliance to develop the burgeoning golfing talent in the country. As part of this initiative, PGTI is conducting trials for selection of young golfers who will qualify for the IMG Reliance Scholarships for India programme. The IMG Reliance Scholarships for India is a unique initiative to identify talented Indian athletes, who will be provided with full sporting and academic scholarships to train and coach at the IMG Academies in Brandenton, Florida, United States of America.

Over 50 talented boys and girls, identified through the PGTI network and in consultation with coaches across the country, took part in the selection trials on 8th and 9th July 2010 at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon, Haryana. The talented golfers, aged between 11 -15 years, undertook the trials overseen by Duncan Smith and Andrew Oilphant, two of the leading coaches from the IMG Academies in Florida. Upto 15 youngsters from this talented pool will qualify for the second phase of the trial, which will be organised at Brandenton in August 2010.

At the end of phase two of the selection process, upto four golfers are expected to become full time scholars at the IMG Academies beginning from September 2010. These youngsters are expected to continue at the Academy, based on their performance, till their education is completed. They will receive first class academic instruction as well as first class sports coaching and their performance will be reviewed every year.


The selected candidates will enhance their golfing skills at the David Leadbetter Golf Academy (DLGA) facilities, a state-of-the-art golfer’s paradise located within the confines of IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida. The golfers will receive performance training that not only focuses on the mechanics of the golf swing, but prepares each individual to be successful in the areas of course management, tournament preparation and practice technique. The aim of the David Leadbetter Golf Academy is to produce golf athletes that have been armed with the tools necessary to excel technically, tactically, physically, and mentally in the competitive world of sports and life. The IMG Academies has an enviable track record in playing a critical role in the development of some of the most renowned names in the world of Golf including Julieta Granada, Paula Creamer, David Gossett, Sean O’Hair, Aree Song among others.

Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Padamjit Sandhu, Director, PGTI, said, “The IMG Reliance Scholarships for India is an unheralded grass roots development initiative for the sporting talent in the country. The PGTI is proud of being able to anchor the efforts to identify the right talent and work with the team at IMG Reliance. The exposure to the world class coaching facility along with the structured training programme will add tremendous value to these young talented golfers and will be integral in unleashing their potential at a global stage.”

“The IMG Reliance Scholarships for India initiative has been developed to nurture the Indian sporting talent and offer talented sportspersons the best in class training and coaching. It is specifically designed to allow players to reach a level of total development. The pivotal role played by PGTI in developing the entire process of identifying the potential candidates is remarkable and their commitment augurs very well for development of professional golf in India” added Andrew Wildblood, Executive Director, IMG Reliance.

Set over 400 pristine acres in Bradenton, Florida, IMG Academies features programs throughout the year for the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy, IMG Leadbetter Golf Academy, IMG Performance Institute, IMG Baseball, IMG Basketball, IMG Soccer, IMG Madden Football and IMG Lacrosse Academies. Since inception, IMG Academies' trained athletes have won 131 All Stars, 63 MVP Awards, 22 World Championships, 5 National Titles, 2 Heisman Trophies, 889 Tournaments, 107 Major Championships and 11 Olympic Medals.