IGPL will award Pranavi Urs ₹1 crore for winning the women's individual golf gold at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya on Saturday. She is the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold in golf.
In addition, the league will award ₹25 lakh individually to the Indian women's team of Pranavi, Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar for winning silver in the team event. The award recognises the trio's collective achievement in securing India's first medal in the event, as per a release.
Anurag Singh Thakur, a five-term Member of Parliament from Hamirpur, Himachal Pradesh, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal, Mines and Steel, and former Cabinet Minister, Government of India, formally announced on stage on behalf of AM Green IGPL, its franchisees and partner organisations at Qutab Golf Course in New Delhi.
Deep Dive
What accolades did Pranavi Urs receive for her gold medal win at the Asian Games?
How did Pranavi Urs manage to win the gold medal despite facing challenges during the final round?
What impact does Pranavi Urs's victory have on Indian women's golf?
"India waited 24 years for a golf gold at the Asian Games, and Pranavi got it for us today. The way she won it says a lot about her. She lost her lead on one hole in the final round and still came back to win, when most players would have folded. Aditi, Diksha and Pranavi also brought home a team silver, so this is a big day for Indian women's golf. I am glad AM Green IGPL has come forward straight away to reward them. Every young golfer watching should know that when you do well for India, people will back you," said Thakur.
Pranavi, 23, from Mysuru, finished on 15-under 265 at the Kasugai Country Club East Course. Singapore's Shannon Xuan Yin Tan and China's Yin Ruoning tied for second, one shot back on 14-under 266. Pranavi started the last round three shots clear, but a triple bogey on the par-four third hole wiped out her lead. She birdied the sixth and played the rest of the round steadily to sign for an even-par 70. India had not won a golf gold at the Asian Games since Shiv Kapur took the men's individual title in 2002.
{{/usCountry}}Pranavi, 23, from Mysuru, finished on 15-under 265 at the Kasugai Country Club East Course. Singapore's Shannon Xuan Yin Tan and China's Yin Ruoning tied for second, one shot back on 14-under 266. Pranavi started the last round three shots clear, but a triple bogey on the par-four third hole wiped out her lead. She birdied the sixth and played the rest of the round steadily to sign for an even-par 70. India had not won a golf gold at the Asian Games since Shiv Kapur took the men's individual title in 2002.
{{/usCountry}}Reflecting on Pranavi Urs’ Asian Games gold and the conclusion of the AM Green IGPL Delhi Leg and Pro-Am Day, Anurag Thakur also shared, “To produce more golfers like Pranavi, we need to address the gap that emerges after school. When players move to colleges, universities or professional courses, many shift their focus towards building careers. IGPL is one of the tournaments that provides such a platform, but there are not many like it. We need to invest more money and energy in building that ecosystem.”
Pranavi also played her part in the team event alongside Olympians Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar. The three finished on 14-under, behind China. Aditi saved her best round for Saturday, a three-under 67 with six birdies in a row on the back nine, which helped India hold on to silver.
Leander Paes, Olympic bronze medallist and 18-time Grand Slam champion, who hosted the IGPL Invitational in Mauritius earlier this year, said, "I have stood on a podium for India, and there is no feeling like it. What I liked most about Pranavi was her final round. A triple bogey that early on the last day of an Asian Games can finish you off, but she stayed patient and played her way back. You don't learn that overnight. It comes from years of work that nobody sees.”
Pranavi's sister, Vidharti Urs, who was also present on the pro-am day of the IGPL, said, “Since day one, I think she's an aggressive player. She wants to hit the ball hard. But that's all I can say.”
AM Green IGPL has been working to get Indian golfers into stronger golfing recognition, and the second season of the tournament will head next to Hyderabad starting 7th October and will run till 9th October after Delhi.