PGTI softens stance on IGPL players: Kapil says would be allowed in new event

New Delhi, Dec 11 (PTI) Weeks after issuing show cause notices to players for participating in a Yuvraj Singh-backed league, the Professional Golf Tour India has softened its position with its President Kapil Dev saying that none of them would be stopped from competing in an upcoming PGTI event.

The PGTI announced the launch of '72 The League', a new national-level event scheduled to be held from February 21 to March 6 next year. It will be staged across three Delhi-NCR courses -- Classic Golf and Country Club, Jaypee Greens and Qutab Golf Course.

In September, 17 golfers, including Olympian and Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar, were issued show-cause notices, which the players described as "provisional suspension", for participating in the Yuvraj Singh-backed Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL).

However, PGTI has since softened its position, with Kapil saying that IGPL participants would be allowed to compete in the upcoming league.

"There is nothing against those players. They are playing good golf. If they wish to play in this league, they can also play in this league," he told reporters.

"But you can't have the IPL and then another similar league running alongside. It's not possible. You can run only one house. If you run two, it becomes difficult, confusing. Don't confuse these kids." Bhullar, Aman Raj, Harendra Gupta, Karandeep Kochhar and Sachin Baisoya were among those penalised for featuring in the IGPL at Jaypee Greens, Greater Noida, from September 17-19, an event that clashed with PGTI's Chennai Open.

Several players took legal recourse, approaching the Delhi High Court to challenge the action.

Kapil said senior-focused events were welcome, but younger professionals required a clear developmental pathway.

"Run the senior leagues, look after the senior players, we will feel good. But you can't spoil the kids by making them choose. There is only one pathway. If you want to play in the Olympics, you have to play with this body.

"This organisation is here to look after the golfers; it is not a business. For some people it may be a business, but not for us. Our responsibility is to look after 350 professionals, not just 32." Kapil reiterated that stable governance was essential and for that governance of the game needs to stay in the hands of one body.

"You can have only one body running the game. We want everyone to come and play, and we want people to look after senior players, nothing wrong in that.

"That's why we are not talking about banning anyone. But if there is a board, you represent that board. You can't have a new board today and a third one tomorrow." PTI ATK PM PM ATK