Mumbai, Jan 16, 2015
Godrej Properties Limited (GPL) (BSE: GODREJPRP), the real estate development arm of the Godrej Group, today announced season four of the annual Godrej Properties Golf Challenge that is set for its grand climax with the lineup for the International Finals, to be held on January 23rd in Bangkok.
After seven gripping city rounds and an estimated participation of 1200 golfers, the seven men field that will battle it out in the finale at the exquisite Nick Faldo designed course at Summit Windmill Golf Club comprises of Captain Cheema (Classic Golf Resort), C Sundar (Karnataka Golf Association), Akshay Kilachand (Willingdon Sports Club), Anmol Puri (Qutab Golf Course), Rohan Jaitha (Oxford Golf and Country Club), Mayukh Ray (Tollygunge Club) and D Nagaraj (Madras Gymkhana Club).
While the previous two seasons of this increasingly popular event for amateur golfers saw winners of both handicap categories – 0-12 and 13-24, qualify for the International Finals, this season has had one Final spot on offer to competitors in each of the seven club rounds. The qualifiers listed above have thus merited their entry – courtesy of posting the best gross score in their respective rounds.
“The club rounds witnessed several keenly fought battles and I extend my congratulations to all the qualifiers for the International Finals,” said Mr. Girish Shah, EVP, Marketing & Sales, Godrej Properties. “I’m sure these players will be eager to carry their form into Bangkok and we are all eagerly awaiting the finale of what’s been yet another exciting season. ”
He added: “ When we started with the Golf Challenge, we had no idea it would be so popular and go this far. At Godrej Properties, we have always believed in engaging with customers on a personal level. This goes a long way in cementing the bond of trust that Godrej Properties as a brand has built over the years with its customers .”
Cheema was the first to earn his Finals berth, giving himself a dream birthday present in the process, when he shot a two-under-par 70 in the opening round at Classic Golf Resort that saw him top the gross points tally. It was also enough to hand him victory in the 0-12 handicap category.
In round two at Karnataka Golf Association in Bengaluru, C Sundar missed out on winning the 0-12 handicap category itself which went to R N Shashank who posted a superior nett score of 41 points, but the two swapped places in the gross points tally where a player’s handicap isn’t taken into account. This paved the way for Sundar to seal the second Finals berth.
The third club round took place at the Willingdon Sports Club (WSC) in Mumbai where two-time reigning champion KhushaalThackersey was eyeing a third consecutive appearance at the Bangkok Finals. However, a horror start for Thackersey put paid to his hopes as Akshay Kilachand clinched the main prize after racking up a gross score of 31.
Anmol Puri celebrated a memorable double in the fourth round at Qutab Golf Course, pocketing the 0-12 handicap prize as well as a ticket to Bangkok. The fifth round saw the event embrace a new venue in the form of the award winning Oxford Golf and Country Club in Pune where, like Puri at Qutab, Rohan Jaitha also reigned supreme on both counts. Mayukh Ray continued that trend in round six at Tollygunge Club in Kolkata before a dramatic final round at Madras Gymkhana Club saw D Nagaraj grab the last Finals spot on offer ahead of V Darshan. Both players ended up with the same gross tally of 27 points, but Nagaraj’s superior score on the back nine earned him the win.
