South African golfing superstar Ernie Els got off the blocks quite superbly after combining well with India's Arjun Atwal to take honours i9n the Challenge Match and by making a winning start to his campaign in the inaugural EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters played at the Delhi Golf Club here on Tuesday.
This is the first-ever presence of world number four in India. The duo carded one over par on the back nine of the Lodhi golf course to seal the honours. The team Jeev Milkha Singh and Mark O'Meara finished first runner-up beating the Darren Clarke-David Howell on a countback.
The Challenge Match formally kicked off the $2.5 million prized EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters week, providing the first opportunity to Indian fans to see the game's biggest superstars up close and personal, bestowing their skills in the 'greensomes' format on the back nine of the historical course.
"The players for the Challenge Match were selected on the basis of their rankings and, of course, for their star value on the tour," said Mohamed Buamaim, vice-chairman and CEO of golf in DUBAI.
The idea behind organising this fun-filled match was to encourage more and more people to come and watch some of the great players in action in a relaxed atmosphere. It also provided the players a chance to get a feel of the course ahead of the main competition, which is getting underway from Thursday.
The Prizes presented by Tarun Malhotra of EMAAR-MGF in the company of Mohamed Buamaim.
golf in DUBAI, in cooperation with the three professional tours European Tour, Asian Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India have brought some of the top ranked players in the game together to celebrate Indian golf for the inaugural EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters.
HOLE 14 NOW A PAR-5 HOLE
Meanwhile, after following a review of the decision to change the par at the 14th, the tournament director, European Tour Jose-Maria Zamora and Wanchai Meechai tournament director, Asian Tour have decided to revert to a par 5 for the EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters.
Originally it was believed that the hole would play a driver and a mid-iron, it has become clear that the hole is playing considerably longer.
As a consequence it is felt that the green complex that has been designed as par 5 is too demanding as a par 4 to accept a long iron or even a fairway wood approach shot. The course will now play to par 72.
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