CHENNAI: The 2013 Asian Athletics Championships was supposed to be held in Chennai but was moved out to Pune because of the presence of Sri Lanka. Cricketers from the same country weren’t allowed to play in the city whenever the Indian Premier League caravan came to the M Chidambaram Stadium in the last few years.
However, Uttam Singh Mundy, Director, Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), expects no such trouble to befall the Chennai Open, the city’s first professional golf championship in more than six years. “No, I don’t think so. I don’t think we will have any trouble,” he told Express apropos the presence of Sri Lankan players in the entry list.
Mithun Perera’s trip to Chennai for a Pro-Am event in the city to raise funds for flood relief went off without any troubles last year. Sri Lanka’s best golfer had said, “It’s more about the people and fostering good connections. I just want to do my bit. If my being here helps, I’m glad. That’s why I’m here,’ he told this paper then.
The entry list – which has been published on the official PGTI website – is final save for withdrawals. “As of this moment, the entry is closed, which means nobody can get in. If players withdraw, wait-listed players will get priority,” he said. Given it’s an event coming back after a long time, sponsors have shown an active interest. “We are at the final stages with a couple of them (sponsors). But I cannot reveal those names right now.”
swaroop@newindianexpress.com