Indian sports wrap, March 12: Pranavi, Diksha and Avani all set for Australian Women’s Classic

GOLF

Pranavi, Diksha and Avani all set for Australian Women’s Classic

Indian golfers Pranavi Urs, Diksha Dagar, and Avani Prashanth will be eager to finally get some action at the Australian Women’s Classic from Friday after the last week’s event in Brisbane was called off due to Cyclone Alfred.

The three Indians were also due to play in Brisbane last week, but the event was called off due to the cyclone.

With limited opportunities for a practice round, they will have to settle for practice sessions at the range ahead of the competition.

The Ladies European Tour has confirmed the Australian Women’s Classic has been reduced to 54 holes due to heavy rainfall and flooding in the Coffs Coast region.

The tournament is now set to begin on Friday morning, with the first tee time scheduled at 7:30am local time.

-PTI

GOLF

Kolkata Challenge to see prominent Indian golfers in action

Prominent Indian golfers including Olympians Gaganjeet Bhullar, S.S.P. Chawrasia and Udayan Mane, Rahil Gangjee and Yuvraj Sandhu will be seen in action in the $300,000 Kolkata Challenge, starting at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) here on Thursday.

A total of 156 players from 31 countries will compete in the event, the first in the two-week Indian leg of the HotelPlanner Tour (earlier known as the Challenge Tour) and co-sanctioned by the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), on its return to the RCGC for the second successive year.

The field at the RCGC includes leading HotelPlanner Tour names such as English golfers Eddie Pepperell and Jamie Rutherford, Italy’s Renato Paratore, Spaniard Adri Arnaus and American Matt Oshrine.

The historic 7014-yard course, which favours long hitters and punishes inaccurate shots, will challenge the golfers with its large number of water hazards.

The second event of the Indian leg, Delhi Challenge, will be held at the Classic Golf and Country Club in Gurugram from March 20 to 23.

-YB Sarangi