Mumbai, Nov 21 (IANS) Pranavi Urs’s sensational final round of 8-under in the last round of the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) Invitational Mumbai at the Bombay President Golf Club has elevated her to superstar status in Indian golf as she became the first Indian woman golfer ever to win a title while playing against men in a mixed field.
One of the dozen women in the field, Pranavi, who was playing her first IGPL event, started the final day two shots behind the leader, Karandeep Kochhar, her boyfriend, went on to outplay the field by two shots despite an eagle finish by Kochhar.
Standing next to the green and watching the proceedings, former Asian Tour player and multiple winner on the Indian Tour, the CEO of IGPL, Uttam Singh Mundy, remarked, “That was a sensational round by any standard. She was so confident and dominated the round from around the turn and left no doubt in the minds of all who were watching who was the best this week.”
“From the time the IGPL was conceptualised, we had often discussed he possibility of a woman pro beating the best men players in India. A few weeks ago, we had Hitaashee Bakshi shoot 8-under in Pune IGPL and grab a Top-10 finish. But this Pranavi, who held a share of the lead after the first round, went all the way to the top by the finish. This achievement is one for the record books, and the IGPL is proud to be part of this phenomenal achievement.”
The former Women’s Pro Golf Tour (WPGT) of India’s Order of Merit winner, Pranavi, picked Rs. 22,50,000 for her win, as Kochhar was second and received Rs. 15,00,000.
“She is going to take me out for dinner, but I would be delighted to pick up the tab. She was fantastic, and it was a treat to watch her play the final round. I would have had to play out of my skin to have a chance against her today, but she gave us no chance with a bogey-free eight-under round,” Karandeep Kochhar added.
Champika Sayal, Secretary-General of the Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI), who is a partner of the IGPL Tour, said, “Pranavi Urs, becoming the first-ever female winner at IGPL Mumbai at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club, is a testament to exceptional skill, experience, and dedication. Breaking barriers and making history is no easy feat."
“Pranavi's win at IGPL is an inspiration for many young players, and at WGAI, we are extremely proud and overwhelmed by the performances of our female golfers.”
She added, "Women golfers vying for equal paychecks in the game have been recognised and rewarded by the Indian Golf Premier League format."
"This historic initiative by promoters of the Indian Golf Premier League needs to be lauded. A big shoutout to IGPL for promoting equality and inclusivity in golf!” added Ms Champika Sanyal.
Indian legend, SSP Chawrasia, a six-time winner on the Asian Tour and four-time champion on the DP World Tour, had finished his final round a little earlier, but came back from the players’ lounge to see Pranavi finish. He commented, “This is an amazing display. Her skill and confidence were fantastic. I will not be surprised if she soon wins on the Ladies European Tour, where she has been close to a win a few times.”
Olympian Udayan Mane, who led his team to a fine win in the IGPL Mumbai Pro-Am, said, “On this day, no one could have beaten her. Her win is proof that we have huge talent in India.”
This was the seventh event of the IGPL Tour, which is in its first year. After seven events in Chandigarh, Jaypee Greens, Pune, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Jamshedpur, the Tour came to Mumbai.
It will now travel to Ahmedabad for two events, including the Bharath Classic Golf, a million-dollar event co-sanctioned with the Asian Tour. The final two events will be in Dubai and Colombo and will be followed by the IGPL league.
