By IANS
Gurgaon : Golf tournaments often offer a luxury car as a prize for an ace – a hole-in-one. This time around at the Johnnie Walker Classic, Xerox, one of the sponsors, have put up an Audi for a hole-in-one.
But this prize is for an ace off the course. Xerox has been organizing a tournament on the Simulator, where the participants are required to take a shot and see where their ball lands. A series of winners have been chosen through mini-contests, and the final will be held on Sunday, where the first participant to get a hole-in-one on the Simulator will win an Audi.
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Randhawa looking for a new record
Jyoti Randhawa who is playing the Johnnie Walker Classic at the club where he is attached – the DLF Golf and Country Club – is attempting to become only the third player to win a European Tour event at the club they are attached to. The two previous players are Graeme McDowell (2002 Scandinavian Masters, representing Kungsängen Golf Club) and Markus Brier (2006 BA-CA Golf Open, presented by Telekom Austria, representing Fontana Golf Club).
In India Randhawa has won at the Delhi Golf Club four times and once at Classic Golf Resort, but never at DLF.
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Happy to be here and seeing the world, says Archer
Two European Tour events in one month has naturally led to lot of questions about how the golfers are liking this latest addition of India to the European Tour. Earlier in the month many of the players played at Delhi Golf Club and now it is DLF Golf and Country Club. If Indian Masters had Ernie Els and Darren Clarke, the JWC has more in the form of Adam Scott, Vijay Singh, Ian Poulter, Colin Montgomerie and so on.
While Vijay, Monty and before them Els are looking at India with a view to expanding their golf design business, many others are enjoying simply being in India.
Philip Archer, who shot a 64 on the second day, was candid to admit he may not have seen India but for golf. “Having struggled at the Tour School ten times it makes you a bit stronger and I appreciate being out here and loving it. I am loving playing well and competing. And seeing the world. I wouldn’t have been seeing the world doing much else and that part of the job I am beginning to enjoy now rather than it being a pain.”
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Tiger Woods is Kiyota’s role model
It was a good day at the office for Japanese Taichiro Kiyota, who sees a great role model in Tiger Woods. He was up among leaders after he returned with a card of five-under par 67 for a total of nine under 135.
“Tiger is a great model for all the golfers. He is also the same for me as well. I grew up watching him playing on television. Never had a chance to meet him but hopefully I will play alongside him one day,” revealed Kiyota.
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India seventh country to host JWC
India is now the seventh country to play host to the Johnnie Walker Classic, which started in 1992. The six countries before India are Australia, China, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand.