All eyes on Chawrasia

Former champion S.S.P. Chawrasia will look to extend his good form on the Asian Tour when he tees off in the PGTI’s season-ending McLeod Russel Tour at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club on Thursday. The Rs. 1.5 crore prize-money event has a strong field, including title-holder Shankar Das and Rahil Gangjee.

Chawrasia has enjoyed a fruitful season on the Tour, having finished fourth in the merit list.

The Kolkata golfer missed a berth in the first Major — the 2016 British Open — falling below the qualifying mark by a whisker at the Thailand Open earlier this month. However, there was some good news for Chawrasia when he was named in Team Asia for the EurAsia Cup next year.

Defending champion Das sent a strong signal to the others by winning the Pro-Am event on Tuesday.

Das, who won the Indian Oil Servo Masters in Assam last month, will be keen to move up the PGTI rankings with a good performance.

Das is 10th in the money list with earnings of Rs. 15,48,828, trailing the leader Mukesh Kumar by more than Rs. 19 lakh.

However, if Das can add the cheque for Rs. 22.5 lakh — the winner’s purse here — he will stand an outside chance of topping the Rolex Player-of-the- year race.

Gangjee, who retained his Asian Tour card with a 44th place finish in the Order of Merit, will be eager to finish the season on a high.

Delhi-based professionals Chiragh Kumar and Himmat Singh Rai are the other top contenders in the fray.

Chiragh on a high

Chiragh is riding high after his maiden Asian Tour success on the home course — Delhi Golf Club.

Himmat is also in a rich vein of form, having recorded two top-3 finishes in Asia recently. The two ended the Asian Tour season in the 14th and 31st spots in the money list.