Ladies golf goes pro in India

New Delhi:

In a significant move, the first ladies pro golf tour event got underway in the capital with seven ladies competing for the 1.5 lakh rupees prize money. The tour begins with six events worth 1.5 lakh rupees each. In fact, but for a banner at the Qutub Golf Course, one would not even realise that a tournament is going on considering there are just seven ladies who have turned pro in India right now. "For very long what's happened is that amateur women have played golf and then come to a dead halt because they don't know where to go from there so I think the launching of the DLF tour is a fantastic opportunity for the kids who are playing golf today because they now have a progression," said Nonita Lall Qureshi, Golf Pro and Coach. "Because to make a jump from playing amateur golf in India to playing professional golf in America is a huge chasm," she added. Till now India's only pro golfer was Simi Mehra. Considering her top 30 ranking in women's golf in Asia, she will be the only Indian representative at the 100,000 dollars Women's Indian Open that will take place in March 2007. But can surely expect to see some big names at that event. "Players in America are hoping to come and play in India, they love India. I guess they love my personality but they love Indian food. I mean Laura Davies, Annika all love Indian food, so they are dying to come to India, they ask me all the time so now I am providing them with am iopportunity," said Simi Mehra Guffin, Pro Golfer. Real estate giants DLF will be the title sponsors for the Indian golf tour along with a finance company called Dawnay DAY. clearly they believe that this is'nt money going down the drain but rather a long-term investment.