Pune: Nitesh Shindey & Mohit Sabherwal emerged as the Category A and B winners respectively in the Pune round of the 21st edition of the annual World Corporate Golf Challenge event in which over 100 corporate and business leaders from Mumbai teed-off at the scenic Oxford Golf Resort last weekend. The tournament is the longest-running corporate event in India.
The tournament now moves north for the fourth and final regional round to be played at ITC Classic Golf & Country Club on December 11. Four winners from Pune will join four winners from each round in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Delhi at the National Finals at ITC Classic Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon on December 12. Two winners from the National Final will represent corporate India at the World Finals of Corporate Golf to be held in Portugal in 2022. Indian teams have won the World Final on three occasions, the last time in 2016.
The World Corporate Golf Challenge is the longest-running multi-city corporate tournament in India, having kicked off in 1999.
Adding to the occasion was the presence of star Indian amateur, the 15-year-old Avani Prashanth, the current All India Amateur Ladies Champion and the best-ranked Indian at 139th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
The Chola World Corporate Golf Challenge, at 21 years, is the longest-running multi-city corporate event in the country, with the only break coming in 2020 due to the Covid pandemic. The tournament is supported by co-sponsors Allcargo Logistics, White Oak Capital, Savills, MG Motor, One Plus, Ballantines & Indian Terrain.
India has had quality results in the past decade at the World Final as winners in 2008 & 2015 and runners-up in 2010, 2011 & 2014. WCGC is the biggest international corporate golf team event in the globe involving more than 7500 corporate executives in 40 countries. India made its competitive debut in WCGC in 1999.
Pune winners: (Category A &B) Nitesh Shindey & Mohit Sabherwal
Runners Up (Category A &B): Ankit Mishra & Srinivasan.
Best Gross: Advait Gokhale
On Course Contest Winners:
White Oak Capital Straightest Drive: Mahesh Kumar Bhandangkar
Indian Terrain Longest Drive Challenge: Aditya Pusalkar (252 yards)
Ballantine’s Longest Drive: Anirudh VS Surotriya (265 yards)
One Plus Closest To Pin: Raghav Agarwal (7ft 4 inches)
All Cargo Closest to Pin on Second shot: Advait Gokhale (5ft 2 inches)
Upcoming Schedule:
Delhi round: December 11 at ITC Classic Golf Resort
National Final: December 12 at ITC Classic Golf Resort
World Final: Summer 2022 in Cascais, Portugal.
