Andhra Open: A New Era of Golfing Begins in Visakhapatnam
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Visakhapatnam, April 6 (NationPress) The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), recognized as the governing body for professional golf in India, has officially announced the first-ever Andhra Open. This prestigious tournament will take place at the scenic East Point Golf Club from April 7 to 10, featuring a total prize pool of Rs 1 crore.
The event will showcase top Indian talent, including PGTI Order of Merit frontrunner Saptak Talwar, along with notable players such as Veer Ahlawat, Om Prakash Chouhan, Manu Gandas, Angad Cheema (2024 winner at EPGC), Honey Baisoya, and Ajeetesh Sandhu.
The prominent international competitor will be N Thangaraja from Sri Lanka, who clinched victory at EPGC in 2023. A total of 18 foreign golfers from nine nations will also participate.
Local professionals S Muthu and Mohammed Rahman will lead the regional challenge.
Amandeep Johl, CEO of PGTI, expressed enthusiasm about returning to the East Point Golf Club in Visakhapatnam, a city emerging as a significant golfing destination in India. He thanked EPGC and all partners for their support of this inaugural event.
“With the visionary leadership of Chief Minister Shri N. Chandrababu Naidu, Andhra Pradesh is making substantial progress in positioning itself as a competitive, investment-friendly state. Events like these strengthen Andhra Pradesh’s ambition to become a global hub for sports, tourism, and business,” he added.
M S N Raju, Secretary of East Point Golf Club, noted that the club was founded in 1884 and relocated to its current site in 1964. After acquiring 18 acres of land from the government in 2018, they developed a championship course by 2021 and received the award for the Best Renovated Golf Course in India in 2022. The Andhra Pradesh Golf Association has also established its base at EPGC, promoting golfing initiatives in the state, including the DP World PGTI’s Andhra Open 2026. This marks the third occasion EPGC has hosted the PGTI.