Hyderabad, Nov 7 (IANS): Top Indian golfers including Olympian Udayan Mane (2018 & 2020 winner), defending champion Manu Gandas, Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, Varun Parikh, Shamim Khan, and several foreign players will be in action in the Telangana Masters which will be held at the Hyderabad Golf Club (HGC) from November 9-12, 2002.

The Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA) and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the official sanctioning body of professional golf in India, on Monday announced the event which will carry a prize purse of Rs. 40 lakh. The Pro-Am event will be held on November 8.

The tournament which will witness participation by 125 golfers (121 professionals and four amateurs) is supported by presenting partner IRA Realty, powered by partner Telangana Tourism. The Government of Telangana has supported the event from its inception in 2015.

Besides the top Indian professionals, the foreign challenge will be led by Sri Lankans Mithun Perera, N. Thangaraja, Anura Rohana and K. Prabagaran as well as Nepal's Sukra Bahadur Rai. The local challenge will be led by Hyderabad-based players including professionals Haider Hussain, Mohd Azhar and Hardik S. Chawda as well as amateurs Tej Gangavarapu, Milind Soni, Sankeerth Nidadavolu and Vilok Gadwal.

V. Srinivas Goud, Hon'ble Minister for Prohibition & Excise, Sports & Youth Services, Tourism & Culture and Archaeology, Government of Telangana, said, "We are proud to be associated with the eighth edition of the Telangana Masters. Telangana Tourism's continued association with this event which carries Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points, is featured on the international golf calendar and will see participation from the best golfers in the country, will once again help bring the spotlight on the immense potential for tourism in the state of Telangana with the magnificent Hyderabad Golf Club, set against the backdrop of the historic and world-famous Golconda Fort, serving as the ideal destination for golf tourism for international as well as domestic tourists. I welcome all the participants and wish them all the best."

Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, PGTI, said, "The Telangana Masters, now in its eighth edition, has emerged as one of the most prestigious PGTI events in southern India over the last eight years and we're confident that the event will continue to grow in the coming years and as a result also highlight the potential for golf tourism in the state of Telangana. We thank IRA Realty, Telangana Tourism, Hyderabad Golf Association and Marriott Hyderabad for supporting the event."

The 212-acre expanse of the Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA), where the Telangana Masters will be held, provides an 18-hole, 6200-yard, par-71 layout that also features a floodlit driving range, a pro shop, a golf fitting shop, and training & practice facilities.

The mission of the project is to set up an international standard golf course, and a golf training academy and to put Hyderabad on the International Golfing map.

The 'Best Tourism Friendly Golf Course' Award bestowed on it by National Tourism, reiterates the pleasant experience that HGA provides. The Hyderabad Golf Club offers 18 challenging holes that bring players up close with the heritage and beauty of the Deccan hinterland -- Golconda Fort and Naya Quila in particular.