The European Challenge Tour, TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) jointly launched the inaugural Kolkata Challenge.

The tournament co-sanctioned by the Challenge Tour and the TATA Steel PGTI, carries a prize purse of US$ 300,000 and constitutes the second event in the two-week Indian swing of the Challenge Tour.

The event to be played at the historic RCGC in Kolkata from March 21 – 24, 2024, marks the return of an international event to Kolkata and the RCGC after a long gap of 25 years.

The Indian contingent will be led by legends Arjun Atwal and SSP Chawrasia, both playing at their home course. Interestingly, Arjun Atwal, a PGA Tour and three-time DP World Tour winner, won the last international event to be staged at RCGC, the 1999 Indian Open. Olympian SSP Chawrasia, a four-time DP World Tour winner, was the joint runner-up at the 1999 Indian Open.

The other Indian stars in the field include DP World Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar, Challenge Tour winner and 2023 TATA Steel PGTI Ranking champion Om Prakash Chouhan, current TATA Steel PGTI Ranking leader Manu Gandas, Rashid Khan, Olympian Udayan Mane, Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, Chikkarangappa and Karandeep Kochhar, to name a few.

The leading names from the Challenge Tour in the field include Road to Mallorca Ranking Number One John Parry of England, Mikael Lindberg and Björn Åkesson from Sweden, France’s Martin Couvra and Denmark’s Lucas Bjerregaard, to name a few.

Mr. Gaurav Ghosh, Captain, RCGC, said, “We are proud to host the Kolkata Challenge, an international event at RCGC, after 25 years. We welcome all the overseas and PGTI players.”

Mr. Jamie Hodges, Challenge Tour Director, said, “It’s great to be in Kolkata for the first time in the Challenge Tour’s history. After an outstanding week in Delhi, we’re delighted to be here for the second of back-to-back events in the country and to be working closely once again with our friends at t