Mukesh leads full strength field into Golden Greens Open

New Delhi, May 1 (UNI) Veteran of many a battle in the course, Mukesh Kumar will tee it up as the clear favourite at the TSM - Golden Greens Open which commences at the par-72 Golden Greens Golf and Resorts at Gurgaon tomorrow.

The 18th leg of the 2005-06 Aamby Valley PGAI Tour offers a prize purse of Rs 15 lakhs, with the winner getting to benefit to the tune of Rs 2,37,300. The second and third places will fetch Rs 1,63,050 and Rs 91,800 respectively.

Winner of five tournaments this season, including last week's ONGC-Noida Open 2006 and the Hero Golf Chandigarh Open the week prior to that, Mukesh has amassed earnings of Rs 16,95,140 in only 15 starts this season.

He has confessed to eyeing the Rs 20 lakh mark for the season and the TSM Golden Greens Open presents him with the opportunity to inch to within striking distance of his goal.

Apart from Mukesh Kumar, the 100-strong field includes some of the biggest names in Indian golf. Another golfer who will be in focus is Uttam Singh Mundy who has returned runner-up finishes in the last two events namely the Hero Golf Chandigarh Open 2006 and the ONGC-Noida Open 2006.

Mundy who has three second place finishes to his credit this season will be keen to break the ice at the TSM Golden Greens Open 2006.

Among the other big names competing will be winners of the Aamby Valley PGAI Tour's 2005-06 season including Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, Ashok Kumar, Vijay Kumar, Digvijay Singh, Jaiveer Virk, Harinder Gupta, Gurbaaz Mann and Shamim Khan.

Also participating will be two time Indian Open winner Ali Sher, two time PGA Championship of India winner Arjun Singh and other talented golfers like Amardip Sinh Malik, Rahul Ganapathy and Rafick Ali.

UNI AY PG KN1524