Airtel Golf Tournament starts in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) The fourth Airtel India Golf Festival teed off here at the Qutub Golf Course Thursday.

Around 400 golfers will participate in the four-day tournament, sponsored by telecom giant Bharti Airtel, organisers said.

Speaking on the occasion D. Sarkar, Delhi Development Authority (DDA) sports director, said: 'We are pleased to host the Airtel India Golf Festival for the third consecutive year and welcome all 400 golfers to our course. We intend to promote golf tourism through this tournament and are building two more courses in Delhi.'

Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association president Alan Devlin, who was also present on the occasion, said: 'India has great potential to be one of the top destinations for golf in the Asia Pacific region, bringing in golfers from around the world.'

Added Rishi Narain, former Asian Games gold medallist in golf: 'The awareness generated since the first tournament has led to the start-up of over 50 new golf course projects around the country involving approximately Rs.20 billion of investment in the golf tourism industry.'