Harpal Singh Bedi / New Delhi
Introduction of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points on the PGTI, starting from last week, has started paying dividends as the players finishing inside the top-5 at the season-opening Golconda Masters in Hyderabad, made significant gains in the world rankings.
Chikkarangappa S, the Golconda Masters champion, who earned 5 world ranking points for his effort, took a massive leap of 104 spots as he climbed from 461 to 357.
The joint runners-up Aman Raj and M Dharma took 2.50 points each. While Aman moved up from 930 to 745, Dharma rose from 1010 to 798.
Karandeep Kochhar’s fourth place finish saw him collect 1.60 points that pushed him up from 908 to 790.
The trio of Honey Baisoya, Udayan Mane and Priyanshu Singh finished tied fifth and as a result pocketed 1.20 points each. Thus Baisoya went up from 887 to 803, Mane shot up from 1095 to 962 and Priyanshu made his first appearance on the rankings at 1558.
The stakes will now be higher at the season’s second event, this week’s PGTI Players Championship scheduled to be played at the Classic Golf & Country Club from February 12 to 15, 2019.
The participation of India’s highest-ranked golfer Shubhankar Sharma, currently ranked 119 in the world, has ensured an increased number of world ranking points for the PGTI Players Championship.
The break-up of the points will be as follows:
1st – 7. 2nd – 4.2, 3rd – 2.8.4th – 2.1, 5th – 1.68, 6th – 1.4, 7th – 1.26