Indian Golf Premier League Set to Boost Golf in India

New Delhi, Oct 7 (PTI) - On Tuesday, Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya met with former Indian cricketer and co-founder of the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), Yuvraj Singh, to discuss strategies for the development of golf in India. The IGPL is being organized in collaboration with the Indian Golf Union (IGU), the Women's Golf Association of India (WGAI), and the PGA of India. The league, marking the country's first franchise-based golf tournament, is set to commence in January next year and will feature six city-based teams. The event will see both professional and amateur golfers, across both genders, coming together to compete in team-based challenges. Yuvraj Singh expressed his gratitude, stating, "We are incredibly grateful for the recognition and support from the Hon'ble Sports Minister. His encouragement is a tremendous motivation for us to continue our mission of making golf more accessible and popular across India." The league's inaugural edition has attracted veteran Indian golfers, including Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Gaurav Ghei, Shiv Kapur, and SSP Chawrasia, who have all signed on as Icon players. Last month marked the launch of the IGPL's inaugural tour, consisting of 11 events spread across various cities, with plans to extend the tour to Sri Lanka and UAE. IGPL CEO Uttam Mundy commented, "The Minister's support is a huge boost for everyone involved with IGPL and a testament to the growing interest in golf in our country. This association will help us identify and nurture future champions." However, it should be noted that the Professional Golf Tour Of India (PGTI) does not recognize IGPL and had previously taken disciplinary action against players like Olympian and Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar, Aman Raj, Harendra Gupta, Karandeep Kochhar, and Sachin Baisoya for participating in an IGPL event at Jaypee Greens, Greater Noida, from September 17–19, which clashed with PGTI's Chennai Open.