New Delhi, Nov 03: Despite the presence of several big names in Asian golf, the spotlight will be firmly trained on Arjun Atwal for a "million" reasons when the USD 300,000 Hero Honda Masters starts at the par-72 Delhi Golf Club course from Thursday. The 31-year-old Kolkata-based pro is looking forward to a repeat of his 2000 performance, when he triumphed by two strokes over Simon Dyson with a tournament record aggregate of 18-under 270 at the DLF Golf & Country Club.
A victory for Atwal would earn him the winner's cheque of USD 48,450, which would give the stylish Indian the unique distinction of becoming the first person to earn more than a million dollar in career earnings on the Asian PGA tour.
Atwal has currently made USD 967,902 since he started playing the tour in 1995. A first place, or even a sole runner-up finish, worth USD 33,390, would help him set one of the most prestigious landmarks in the history of the Asian PGA tour.
Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, currently third in the 2003 order of merit, also has a chance to cross the million-dollar mark, but he will have to win the title. Jaidee, winner of the 2001 Indian Open at the Classic Golf Resort, has earned USD 955,340, and is playing this week. Bureau Report