Harpal Singh Bedi
Jamshedpur, 24 January The TATA Steel PGTI Qualifying School will be played from January 25 to February 9, at the Golmuri Golf Course in Jamshedpur.
While the First Stage consisting of three Pre-Qualifying events of 36 holes each will be held from January 25 – February 3, the Final Stage, a 72-hole event, will be held from February 6 – 9.
The Qualifying School, which kickstarts each PGTI season, is one of the most important events on the PGTI calendar as it is the only route for players to qualify to play on the PGTI in a particular season. The tournament determines the criteria for players for the whole season.
This year’s Qualifying School event will witness participation by a total of 419 golfers including 328 professionals and 91 amateurs.
Besides Indian golfers, this year’s Qualifying School will also feature as many as 61 golfers from 17 foreign nations.
This list includes 21 players from Bangladesh, 11 from the USA, six from Sri Lanka, five from Nepal, four from Australia, two each from Italy and South Korea, and one each from England, Canada, South Africa, Uganda, Chile, New Zealand, Austria, Czechia, Germany and Japan.
The six countries being represented at the PGTI Q School for the first time are Italy, Uganda, Chile, New Zealand, Czechia and Germany.
The First Stage of the Qualifying School will comprise of three 36-hole events – Pre Qualifying I, Pre Qualifying II and Pre Qualifying III. While Pre Qualifying I will be staged on January 25 – 26, Pre Qualifying II will be held on January 30 – 31 and Pre Qualifying III takes place on February 2 – 3.
Out of a total field of 122 at Pre Qualifying I, the top 22 players and ties will make it to the Final Stage.
From the field of 107 at Pre Qualifying II, the top 19 players and ties will go through to the Final Stage. Among the 136 players competing at Pre Qualifying III, the top 25 players and ties will qualify for the Final Stage.
The qualifiers from the First Stage will join the 54 exempt players in the Final Stage which is scheduled to be held from February 6 – 9. The 72-hole Final Stage will feature a field of the top 120 players and ties.
The top 80 players and ties will make the halfway cut after two rounds of the Final Stage. At the end of the Final Stage, the top 36 players will earn their full cards for the 2024 PGTI season. The Final Stage offers a total prize purse of Rs. 5 Lakhs