September 5th 2014, New Delhi, India: The Indian Open will be jointly sanctioned by the
Asian Tour and European Tour in 2015, officials announced today.
Taking place from February 19-22, 2015 at a venue to be confirmed soon, the
US$1.5 million championship will be promoted by India's leading sports
management company, Nimbus Sport, which has extended its partnership with
the Indian Golf Union (IGU) to manage and promote the Indian Open from 2015
to 2017.
The tournament, which has been played since 1964, will offer the chance for
Indian golfing talents to compete against many of the top players from both
Tours, which began to co-sanction tournaments together in Asia since 1999.
Raian Irani, President of the Indian Golf Union said, "The Indian Open has
been the pride of Indian Golf for 50 years on the trot. Starting from 1964,
the IGU has ensured that the tournament is conducted in all its glory. The
IGU Council is extremely delighted by the elevation of the tournament as a
European Tour event, which will not only attract the best talent but will
place the tournament on an even higher pedestal and add to its grandeur.
"Now that the bar has been further raised, I am sure that winning the Indian
Open will be on every golfer's wish-list, locally and globally. The
unrelenting efforts of the IGU and all its stakeholders over the years have
paid rich dividends and led to this accolade. And so, we would like to take
this opportunity to share our gratitude with all our stake holders who have
ensured the successful conduct of the tournament over the years."
Sunil Manocha, COO of Nimbus Sport, said: "We are excited about our
continued association with the IGU as it spells out our unwavering
commitment to the sport.
"Golf is taking great strides in the country today, and with the iconic
Indian Open debuting on The European Tour, the stage is bigger than ever for
players and fans alike. As India's leading sports management company, we are
delighted to be playing a key role in helping India get its own presence on
the international golfing calendar and we look forward to an exciting,
competitive and thrilling event in 2015."
Asian Tour Chairman Kyi Hla Han said: "The Indian Open has long been one of
the most prestigious national championships on the Asian Tour, attracting
the Tour's best players from across the region. With the inclusion of the
European Tour as a sanctioning partner from 2015 onwards, the Indian Open
will continue to provide the galleries and television viewers with a
world-class spectacle of golf as our top players will now enjoy the
opportunity to take on the top stars from The European Tour in India," said
Kyi Hla Han, Chairman, Asian Tour.
Keith Waters, Chief Operating Officer and Director of International Policy
for The European Tour, said: "We are delighted to announce the Indian Open
will be part of The Race to Dubai in 2015 and we look forward to returning
to India, following five editions of the Avantha Masters from 2008-13.
"Golf is a sport that is continuing to gain popularity in India and this is
an important market for The European Tour, so it is significant for us to be
part of the country's national Open, along with the Asian Tour, with whom we
enjoy such a strong relationship across many events. We are grateful,
therefore, to the Indian Golf Union and Nimbus Sport and we looking forward
to working together over the coming months."
