Cambo tees up for Golf Premier League
MICHAEL CAMPBELL is one of four Major champions up for auction in a multimillion-dollar, IPLstyle golf league.
Modelled on cricket’s lucrative Twenty20 competition, the Indian Golf Premier League launches next month carrying a reputed total prize purse of almost $5 million.
Along with 2005 US Open champion Campbell, three other Majorwinners will also feature in Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke (2011 British Open), Argentine Angel Cabrera (2007 US Open, 2009 Masters) and Rich Beem (2002 PGA Championship).
Well- known European Tour players, England’s David Howell and Sweden’s Daniel Chopra, have also signed up in an event which looks set to be floodlit with a daynight format.
The play will also feature an unconventional format. In an attempt to make golf a more attractive spectator sport, the league will feature shortened rounds of 14 holes as opposed to the traditional 18, and a basketball-style shot clock permitting players only 30 seconds in which to play each stroke.
Played over three rounds, scheduled to be held at the Aamby Valley Golf Course, Maharashtra, the event is scheduled to run from February 8-10.
The player auction date is yet to be confirmed, but the league will be comprised of five teams – the Delhi Darts, Gujarat Underdawgs, Shubhkamna Eagles, Tamil Nadu Pulis and Colombo Sixers — owned by Sri Lankan cricket captain Mahela Jayawardene.
The winning team is set to bank almost $3m and co-founder of the
A round of golf is played over four-and-ahalf hours. We have tried to keep it within three hours, so that people can watch it over television during the evening hours.
Shiv Kapur
Event co-founder event, European Tour professional Shiv Kapur, hopes the competition will help popularise native India.
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‘‘A round of golf is played over four- and- a- half hours. We have tried to keep it within three hours, so that people can watch it over television during the evening hours,’’ Kapur said.
Kapur will also compete beside well- known Asian Tour players Thaworn Wiratchant and Chapchai Nirat. Gaganjeet Bhullar, Anirban Lahiri and several other players on the Professional Golf Tour of India will be part of the auction. MOST OF the big names made it through the opening day of section play in the fours at the New Zealand bowls championships in Taranaki without too much trouble yesterday.
The leading lights who didn’t manage three wins are still handily placed to qualify.
Richard Girvan’s composite team of Shannon McIlroy, Kevin Robinson and Lance Pascoe were surprisingly tipped over in the first game. They fell 17- 12 to the Stratford- Avon team of Gordon Watts, Murray Perrett, Colin Jones and John Sextus.
Among the big names to have three wins were Rowan Brassey (Cabramatta), Beau Prideaux (Cabramatta), Rodger Hassall ( Paritutu), Brett Hassall ( Avondale), Brian Baldwin ( Musgrave Hill), Peter Belliss (Aramoho) and Ali Forsyth (Havelock).
Singles winner Shaun Scott had three wins, too, in the side skipped by his cousin, national selector Terry Scott (North East Valley).
The defending champions in the women’s event, Ruth Lynch (Birkenhead) had three comfortable wins. Lynch is again teamed with Gayle Melrose and Lisa Helmling, but this time Trish Couts is playing in place of Carole Fredrick.
However, singles winner Val McEldowney (New Plymouth) and the pairs winners, Sandra Keith and Serena Matthews (Dunsandel), both dropped a match during the day.
After two wins, Keith and Matthews, together with Pam Clarke and Karolyn Boon were beaten by Valda Rowan’s Paritutu side who finished the day unbeaten. However, Sue Burnard’s champion team from two seasons ago, who were also runners- up last time, posted three wins.
Section play continues today.