Spain’s Miguel Angel Jiménez will headline a strong field comprising players from Europe and Asia when the Hero Indian Open 2015 gets under way next month.
The 51st edition of India’s premier professional tournament will be held from February 19-22, 2015 at the historic Delhi Golf Club, where the event, which carries an enhanced prize purse of US $ 1.5 million, will be making its debut on The European Tour.
Jiménez has won 21 times on The Race to Dubai, as well as having represented Europe in The Ryder Cup on four occasions. The 51 year old was also the playing captain of the European Team at the inaugural EurAsia Cup in Malaysia last year.
Ahead of his participation at the event, Jiménez said: “I am definitely looking forward to playing at the Hero Indian Open 2015 and am excited to come to India. The Hero Indian Open has marked its space as an important event with its inclusion on The European Tour, and this augurs well for the sport of golf in India.”
Continuing its association with Golf in general and the Hero Indian Open in particular, for the tenth year in succession, Mr. Pawan Munjal, Vice Chairman, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Hero MotoCorp Ltd said, “Golf is fast emerging as a popular sport among the youth in India, and we are glad to have played a catalyst role in this movement. Hero MotoCorp has been associated with golf for close to two decades now, thereby nurturing the game since its nascent stage.
“The Hero Indian Open being co-sanctioned by the European Tour from this year is an acknowledgement of the rising stature of Indian golf in the world arena. I am sure this will go a long way in further popularising the game in India. I am also delighted to see a strong Indian line-up in this year's edition which will compete against some of the best in the world. We look forward to seeing some top-class golf at the Hero Indian Open 2015."
The last time the event was contested, at the same venue in 2013, Bangladeshi golfer Siddikur came out on top, holding off the challenge of home players SSP Chawrasia and Anirban Lahiri, who both finished runner-up.
Nimbus Sport, who has promoted the Hero Indian Open since 2011, will manage the tournament for the next three editions until 2017.
The Hero Indian Open 2015 has been synonymous with the rise of golf in India over the years, and at the forefront of unearthing some of the best golfing talents the country has had to offer, including the likes of Arjun Atwal, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Shiv Kapur, Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa.
It has also attracted an impressive array of international players in the past, with Ryder Cup stars Peter Hanson and Edoardo Molinari, Englishman James Morrison, two-time European Tour winner Richie Ramsay, Swedes Rikard Karlberg and Daniel Chopra, as well as victorious Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley all having played previously.
Mr. Jaydeep Chitlangia, President, Indian Golf Union said, "It has been a great journey for us and a matter of immense pride to see Hero Indian Open become a part of the European Tour. We sincerely thank Hero MotoCorp for their continued support to the Hero Indian Open and the sport of golf in India."
Mr. Sunil Manocha, COO, Nimbus Sport said, “Since its inauguration in 1964, Hero Indian Open has grown from strength to strength and played a remarkable role in popularizing the sport in India. It’s being inducted in the prestigious European Tour is a huge achievement and a shot in the arm for Indian golf. Nimbus Sport is proud to be associated with the Hero Indian Open and the Indian Golf Union, and look forward to exciting times on the greens.”
Ryder Cup Director Richard Hills said: “It is with great pleasure that we return to India for the Hero Indian Open 2015, and we look forward to a strong field assembling at Delhi Golf Club next month. The European Tour has always enjoyed coming to this wonderful country and we look forward to returning as the tournament continues to grow the game in the country. We would therefore like to thank Pawan Munjal from Hero MotoCorp Ltd for his support of this event, and of the game of golf in India, as without him the sport would not be where it is today. It was also a great pleasure to welcome him to Gleneagles last September for The Ryder Cup, and we look forward to working with him and our tri-sanctioning partners the Indian Golf Union and the Asian Tour on this event. We are also looking forward to working with Nimbus Sport over the next three years, and appreciate their help in staging the event.”
