The Asian Tour is delighted to announce it will return to India later this year for the inaugural IGPL Classic – an exciting new event on the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) Tour, which was launched recently.

The tournament will be held at Kensville Golf Resort, Ahmedabad, 27-30 November, paving the way for a popular return to a country that has a strong affinity with the Asian Tour.

Boasting prizemoney of US$500,000, it will be jointly-sanctioned with the IGPL Tour – a new and innovative circuit boasting 11 events that will act as forerunner for next year’s Indian Golf Premier League, the country’s first-ever franchise-based golf league.

“The introduction of a brand-new event in a country that has been so important to us is a welcome addition,” said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour.

“India has always been a big part of the Asian Tour, not only as a destination but also in terms of producing incredible talent. Over the years, marquee Asian Tour players such as Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal, Shiv Kapur, SSP Chawrasia, Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar have been integral to the success and appeal of the Asian Tour.

“We applaud the Indian Golf Premier League for its forward thinking and innovation in bringing a new dimension to professional golf in India and we look forward to seeing new talent from India progress to the Asian Tour in the future. We are also looking forward to visiting a new destination in India which we have never before visited.”

The IGPL Classic will be the only traditional four-round event on the IGPL Tour, which will be played from September to December. The other 10 events will be played over three rounds with no cut made.

Later in the year IGPL franchise announcements will be made and a player auction held, ahead of the League’s launch in January. It will feature six teams, with 60 golfers competing in a home-and-away format with the ultimate aim of helping to grow the game in the world’s most populous country.

“We are thrilled to announce IGPL’s partnership with the Asian Tour as we aim to create more opportunities for Indian players to compete alongside international stars. The partnership promises to elevate the game and bring world-class golfing experiences to players and fans alike. It is great to have partners who are aligned with our vision and our mindset, and we are confident this partnership will flourish for a long time,” says IGPL CEO Uttam Singh Mundy.

The addition of the IGPL Classic brings the total number of events this year on the Asian Tour to 22. Thirteen events will be played between now and December offering over US$20 million in prizemoney.

The Asian Tour visited India at the start of the year for the International Series India presented by DLF.