We are on right path: WGAI’s Sayal on Indian Golf Premier League's Olympic-style mixed format

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI) secretary general Champika Sayal on Tuesday gave a big thumbs up to the Olympic style mixed team format set to be introduced in the upcoming Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), saying it will prepare Indian players for the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The IGPL, a city-based franchise league featuring six mixed-gender teams, is scheduled to be held over four weeks between January and February next year.

“In January, when the teams play against each other, they are going to be exactly on the lines of what is going to happen in the Olympics – mixed foursome, and there will be a 4-ball better ball,” Sayal said during a virtual interaction.

“Most countries have been exploring this possibility of mixed tournaments. At the end of this month, there’s a mixed tournament in China for USD 1.5 million – it’s an indoor event. Can you imagine the kind of money and opportunities players are getting? It’s changing worldwide, and we need to keep up with that.” Sayal said exposing Indian players to such formats early will be vital in building confidence ahead of the 2028 Olympics.

“By the time the Olympics come, there’ll be a lot more details available, and we are on the right path. It’s so important for the players, male and female – they need to know each other’s game, they need to be comfortable in the format that they’re likely to play ahead,” she said.

Asked how the players will manage the schedule, Sayal said the domestic calendar has been balanced to accommodate both the league and the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour.

"The IGPL is going to have between 8 and 10 events in the first year, and many of these events are going to be at times when the players are already available in India. The European tour breaks for Christmas and January - there are not so many events happening over there, so that's a time that the IGPL will benefit from.

"We're going to have two weeks dedicated to the Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour, and two weeks in the month dedicated to the IGPL events. We are encouraging our players to also go and play in the Ladies European Tour. We don't have such a busy calendar - there are 15 to 18 events in the whole year, so we've been able to do a great timeshare with the IGPL." Giving clarity on player participation, Sayal said: "From the Hero Order of Merit, the top 6 players will get in automatically, and 6 other players will be invited by the IGPL to play on the tour - they can be from any part of the world. So there'll be 12 women all together, and it's a limited field, which makes it more workable." Future international events ================= Sayal said discussions are also on for staging a women’s event in Karnataka.

“We have been in talks with the Asian Golf Confederation, which is already running a tour backed by Korea and their partners in Southeast Asia. We have been looking for sponsors to host a smaller event in South India,” she said.

“Our next step will be to get a good women’s event somewhere in Karnataka. They’ve got great golf courses, great facilities, and strong industry support, especially from the automotive sector. Once we get the IGPL on, it’ll open up opportunity for other sponsors to look into the prospects of using golf as a platform for their branding.” LET to be priority for Vani Kapoor ===================== Indian golfer Vani Kapoor said while Ladies European Tour (LET) remains her priority to retain playing rights, she would not want to miss the IGPL.

Kapoor has been in fine form this season with four titles, including a hat-trick of wins in Mumbai, Gurugram and Bengaluru. She also recorded a top-10 finish at the German Masters on the LET.

"It's very exciting, so whenever I find the time to play on the IGPL, I would definitely play, even if I'm tired, because I'll have FOMO if I'm missing out on these events," she said.

"I have to give the LET priority because I'm fighting to be the best over there and trying to keep my card for next year. But that doesn't take away anything from IGPL - the kind of platform that it's providing everyone with equal opportunity, equal pay, inclusivity - it's something that I would definitely want to be a part of." On her domestic form, Kapoor said: “I’ve been very grateful to win four events this year. It’s a huge confidence booster and reinstills the belief that I have it in me. I go into European Tour tournaments with a lot more confidence.” Kapoor believes the IGPL will usher in a “new era” for the sport by offering greater visibility, inclusivity and financial support to players.

“I’m really super excited with IGPL coming into the picture. I feel it’s the start of a new era for Indian golf where IGPL is giving a platform for golf to be visible everywhere, making golf fun, aspirational, so that it’s more accessible now,” she said.

“People can actually look at golf as a career option with so many more opportunities coming in. It’s such a great platform for both newcomers and established players. All of us can share our experiences and grow together." PTI ATK PDS PDS