IGU announces team of six for Asia-Pacific Seniors

New Delhi: The Indian Golf Union has announced the six-member national team for the Asia-Pacific Seniors Golf Championship to be held at Montgomerie Links Golf Course in Danang, Vietnam from November 20 to 23.

The team above the age of 55 will have four players from Noida Golf Course -- Gangesh Khaitan (Captain), Vijay Kumar, Nalin Kant, Brig. Ashish Dube. Kolkata`s former Asian Games gold medallist Lakshman Singh and Chandigarh`s IPS Mann were also selected at the All-India Seniors Championship played at Classic Golf Resort, Gurgaon earlier in September. Two-handicapper Vijay Kumar was the winner at Classic Golf Resort with a three-day total of 229 while Khaitan, who was named as captain of the team for the Asia-Pacific for the second time in a row, returned with a total of 233 to finish in second place. Kant was placed third at 236 while two shots behind was Lakshman Singh at 238. Brig. Dube and Mann both matched at 244. Khaitan, who has many years of experience playing international golf, is probably the only Indian to play for the country as a junior, amateur as well as senior. Bunny Singh, Kumar, Mann along with Khaitan have been participating in Asia-Pacific Seniors golf Championship every year since 2010 when India won a bronze medal as a team against such golf powerhouse nations as Japan, Korea, Australia, New Zealand and others. 15 countries will field teams for the three day 54-hole strokeplay format at the Asia-Pacific championship where a team`s four best scores each days will be counted out of six. Khaitan, who has a record of hitting seven hole-in-ones in his career said, "I am happy that four out of six players including me in the team are from Noida Golf Club and it makes easy for all of us to make strategies as a part of planning to win the upcoming Asia-Pacific senior Championship." PTI