Bengaluru, Apr 24 (PTI) Some of India's finest golfers including Gaganjeet Bhullar, Rahil Gangjee, Rashid Khan, and Vani Kapoor are participating in the Rs 2 crore Kapil Dev-Grant Thornton Invitational tournament in which both the men and women are competing side by side for the first time.

It is India's first mixed-format professional golf tournament with the organisers focussed on fostering inclusivity and bringing gender equality in the sport.

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Besides Bhullar, Gangjee, and Rashid Khan, leading the field on the men's side are renowned professionals such as Ajeetesh Sandhu, Yuvraj Sandhu, Udayan Mane, Manu Gandas, Om Prakash Chouhan, Varun Parikh, and Sachin Baisoya, among others.

The women's lineup features a strong contingent of 12 top Indian professionals, including Sneha Singh, Amandeep Kaur, Seher Kaur Atwal, Pranavi S Urs, Neha Tripathi, Tvesa Malik, Ridhima Dilawari, Jasmine Shekar, Hitaashee Bakshi, Avani Prashanth, and Vidhatri Urs, apart from Vani.

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The innovative tournament kicked off on Thursday at the Prestige Golfshire Club here.

Jointly presented by cricket legend Kapil Dev and consulting firm Grant Thornton Bharat, the tournament is co-sanctioned by the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and the Women's Golf Association of India (WGAI).

The tournament opened with a 54-hole championship format and a unique Pro-Am component, with 60 male and 12 female professionals competing for the shared prize pool.

Each player is earning a portion of the prize based on their individual performance.

Integrating professional and Pro-Am play

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The tournament features three rounds of Pro-Am, being held alongside the professional rounds.

Each day, 48 professionals are teeing off in the morning, while 24 others are pairing up with 72 amateurs in the afternoon.

The rotation system ensures every professional plays two morning sessions and one afternoon Pro-Am over the three days.

Each team consists of one professional and three amateurs.

The amateurs are playing in scramble format, while professionals are continuing in stroke play.

On Pro-Am days, a professional's score is counted towards both the professional leaderboard and the Pro-Am championship.

The top three professionals in the Pro-Am standings will receive prize money, making each round count on multiple fronts.

Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) president Dev said, "With the third edition of the Kapil Dev-Grant Thornton Invitational, we're poised to raise the bar even higher, making this year's event the most unforgettable yet.

"I extend my gratitude to Grant Thornton Bharat for their unwavering support in promoting golf in India and I also thank the venue Prestige Golfshire Bengaluru. Golf holds immense importance in India, fostering inclusivity, diversity, and excellence.

"Through this tournament, we aim to inspire a broader audience, create a larger community of enthusiasts, and most importantly, nurture the next generation of golfers, making the sport more accessible and inclusive for all," Dev said.

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