Hero Honda Indian Open
Encyclopedia
The Hero Indian Open is a golf
tournament on the Asian Tour
that has been held for several years at the Delhi Golf Club
.
The inaugural event was held in 1964 and won by Peter Thomson of Australia
, who was the inspiration behind the event. Thomson used to stop off in India whilst travelling worldwide to play and soon realised the potential for golf and that the best way to promote it would be an international tournament. It was this insight that persuaded the Indian Golf Union to establish the Indian Open. Thompson continued to play in the event and won again in 1966 and 1976 a record. His three wins has only been equalled by Jyoti Randhawa
in 2007.
The first home-bred winner was amateur Prem Gopal (Billoo) Sethi, who in 1965 won by seven strokes, and still remains the only amateur winner. It was not until 1991, when Ali Sher became champion, that India had another winner; he won again in 1993. Since then Indians Firoz Ali (1998), Arjun Atwal
(1999), Jyoti Randhawa
(2000, 2006, and 2007) and Vijay Kumar (2002) have all won.
In 1970 the Indian Open became part of the Asia Golf Circuit and as a result the field increased in strength with notable winners such as three time major champion Payne Stewart
.
There have been a number of sponsors over the years, with Hero Honda Motors Ltd taking over sponsorship in 2005. The prize fund for 2009 increased to US$1.25 million. It and the Iskandar Johor Open
in Malaysia, which has the same prize fund, were the events with the largest prizes sanctioned solely by the Asian Tour. The Singapore Open
had held the distinction with a US$5 million purse, but it became co-sanctioned by the European Tour
from 2009.
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
tournament on the Asian Tour
Asian Tour
The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore...
that has been held for several years at the Delhi Golf Club
Delhi Golf Club
The Delhi Golf Club is one of the oldest golf-courses in Asia and the oldest one in Delhi. It was founded in the 1920's as the Lodhi Club and is located at Dr. Zakir Hussain Road in Nizamuddin. It became a corporate entity in 24th February 1950.-History:...
.
The inaugural event was held in 1964 and won by Peter Thomson of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, who was the inspiration behind the event. Thomson used to stop off in India whilst travelling worldwide to play and soon realised the potential for golf and that the best way to promote it would be an international tournament. It was this insight that persuaded the Indian Golf Union to establish the Indian Open. Thompson continued to play in the event and won again in 1966 and 1976 a record. His three wins has only been equalled by Jyoti Randhawa
Jyoti Randhawa
Jyoti Singh Randhawa is an Indian professional golfer who was ranked in the top 100 of the world and is the third-highest Indian in the world rankings.-Career:...
in 2007.
The first home-bred winner was amateur Prem Gopal (Billoo) Sethi, who in 1965 won by seven strokes, and still remains the only amateur winner. It was not until 1991, when Ali Sher became champion, that India had another winner; he won again in 1993. Since then Indians Firoz Ali (1998), Arjun Atwal
Arjun Atwal
Arjun Singh Atwal is an Indian professional golfer who has played on the Asian Tour and the European Tour and is the first player born in India to become a member of, and later win on the U.S.-based PGA Tour.-Early life:...
(1999), Jyoti Randhawa
Jyoti Randhawa
Jyoti Singh Randhawa is an Indian professional golfer who was ranked in the top 100 of the world and is the third-highest Indian in the world rankings.-Career:...
(2000, 2006, and 2007) and Vijay Kumar (2002) have all won.
In 1970 the Indian Open became part of the Asia Golf Circuit and as a result the field increased in strength with notable winners such as three time major champion Payne Stewart
Payne Stewart
William Payne Stewart was an American professional golfer who won three majors in his career, the last of which occurred only months before he died in an airplane accident at the age of 42....
.
There have been a number of sponsors over the years, with Hero Honda Motors Ltd taking over sponsorship in 2005. The prize fund for 2009 increased to US$1.25 million. It and the Iskandar Johor Open
Iskandar Johor Open
The Iskandar Johor Open is a golf tournament held in Malaysia and part of the Asian Tour and European Tour. It was first held in 2007 when it was played at the Royal Johor Country Club in Johor Bahru....
in Malaysia, which has the same prize fund, were the events with the largest prizes sanctioned solely by the Asian Tour. The Singapore Open
Singapore Open (golf)
The Singapore Open is a golf tournament in Singapore that has been sanctioned by the Asian Tour from that tour's inception in 1995 and by the European Tour since 2009. It was founded in 1961 and was staged annually until 2001, when it was won by Thaworn Wiratchant. It was then cancelled for lack of...
had held the distinction with a US$5 million purse, but it became co-sanctioned by the European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
from 2009.
Winners
| Year | Winner | Country | Score | Venue | First prize (US$) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | David Gleeson David Gleeson (golfer) David Gleeson is a professional golfer from Australia currently playing on the Asian Tour, where he has three victories.-Amateur career:... |
268 | Delhi Golf Club Delhi Golf Club The Delhi Golf Club is one of the oldest golf-courses in Asia and the oldest one in Delhi. It was founded in the 1920's as the Lodhi Club and is located at Dr. Zakir Hussain Road in Nizamuddin. It became a corporate entity in 24th February 1950.-History:... |
198,125 | |
| 2010 | Rikard Karlberg Rikard Karlberg Rikard Karlberg is a Swedish professional golfer.Karlerg was born in Gothenburg. He turned professional in 2006. He topped the Nordic League rankings in 2007 to earn a tour card on the Challenge Tour. His best finish on the Challenge Tour was T4 at the 2008 Reale Challenge de España.Karlberg... |
277 | Delhi Golf Club | 198,125 | |
| 2009 | Chinnaswamy Muniyappa Chinnaswamy Muniyappa Chinnaswamy Muniyappa is an Indian professional golfer.Muniyappa turned professional in 1997. He has won once on the Asian Tour.-Asian Tour wins:-External links:... |
276 | DLF Golf and Country Club DLF Golf and Country Club DLF Golf and Country Club is a country club in Gurgaon, India, built and maintained by DLF Limited.The club's championship golf course was designed by Arnold Palmer and has hosted many professional tournaments including the Johnnie Walker Classic, an event jointly sanctioned by the European and... |
198,125 | |
| 2008 | Liang Wen-Chong Liang Wen-Chong Liang Wen-Chong is a Chinese professional golfer. He is the highest ranked golfer from the People's Republic of China and the only Chinese golfer in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking. He has succeeded his mentor Zhang Lian-wei as the top Chinese player.Liang plays on the Asian Tour, ... |
272 | Delhi Golf Club | 158,500 | |
| 2007 | Jyoti Randhawa Jyoti Randhawa Jyoti Singh Randhawa is an Indian professional golfer who was ranked in the top 100 of the world and is the third-highest Indian in the world rankings.-Career:... |
275 | Delhi Golf Club | 79,250 | |
| 2006 | Jyoti Randhawa Jyoti Randhawa Jyoti Singh Randhawa is an Indian professional golfer who was ranked in the top 100 of the world and is the third-highest Indian in the world rankings.-Career:... |
270 | Delhi Golf Club | 63,400 | |
| 2005 | Thaworn Wiratchant Thaworn Wiratchant Thaworn Wiratchant is a Thai professional golfer. He is one of only two golfers to have won 10 or more events on the Asian Tour.... |
272 | Delhi Golf Club | 47,250 | |
| 2004 | Mardan Mamat Mardan Mamat Mardan Mamat is a Singaporean professional golfer.Mamat was born in Singapore. He turned professional in 1994.Mamat plays on the Asian Tour, where he won for the first time at the 2004 Royal Challenge Indian Open. In 2006 he won the Singapore Masters, which was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and... |
270 | Delhi Golf Club | 50,000 | |
| 2003 | Mike Cunning Mike Cunning Michael Cunning is an American professional golfer.Cunning was born in Phoenix, Arizona. He played collegiately at the University of Arizona. He turned professional in 1980.... |
270 | Delhi Golf Club | 50,000 | |
| 2002 | Vijay Kumar | 275 | Delhi Golf Club | 50,000 | |
| 2001 | Thongchai Jaidee Thongchai Jaidee Thongchai Jaidee is a Thai professional golfer who plays on the Asian Tour and the European Tour. He holds the record for most career victories and most career earnings on the Asian Tour.... |
271 | Classic Golf Resort, Gurgaon | 50,010 | |
| 2000 | Jyoti Randhawa Jyoti Randhawa Jyoti Singh Randhawa is an Indian professional golfer who was ranked in the top 100 of the world and is the third-highest Indian in the world rankings.-Career:... |
273 | Classic Golf Resort, Gurgaon | 50,010 | |
| 1999 | Arjun Atwal Arjun Atwal Arjun Singh Atwal is an Indian professional golfer who has played on the Asian Tour and the European Tour and is the first player born in India to become a member of, and later win on the U.S.-based PGA Tour.-Early life:... |
276 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | 50,010 | |
| 1998 | Firoz Ali | 274 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1997 | Ed Fryatt Ed Fryatt Edward Fryatt is an English professional golfer. His father Jim Fryatt was a professional footballer for a number of English clubs.... |
272 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1996 | Hidezumi Shirataka | 277 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1995 | Jim Rutledge Jim Rutledge James Edgar Rutledge is a Canadian professional golfer who currently plays on the Champions Tour.Rutledge was born in Victoria, British Columbia. He won the Canadian Juvenile Championship in 1975 at the Gorge Vale Golf Club in Victoria and the Canadian Junior Championship in 1977. He turned... |
280 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1994 | Emlyn Aubrey Emlyn Aubrey Emlyn Aubrey is an American professional golfer who played on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and the predecessor to the Asian Tour.-College career:... |
285 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1993 | Ali Sher | 288 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1992 | Stewart Ginn Stewart Ginn Stewart Ginn is an Australian professional golfer.Ginn was born in Melbourne. He grew up behind the twelfth green of the Royal Melbourne Golf Club and started caddying at the age of ten. In the 1970s and 1980s he won several professional tournaments on the PGA Tour of Australasia and one on the... |
284 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1991 | Ali Sher | 283 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1990 | Andrew Debusk | 288 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1989 | Remi Bouchard | 279 | Delhi Golf Club | 19,992 | |
| 1988 | Lu Chien-soon | 281 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | 16,660 | |
| 1987 | Brian Tennyson | 280 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1986 | Lu Hsi-chuen Lu Hsi-chuen Lu Hsi-chuen is a Taiwanese professional golfer.Lu won several national opens throughout southeast Asia. Lu also played on the Japan Golf Tour, winning twice.Lu is a golf instructor at Sunrise Golf Academy in Yangmei, Taiwan.-Japan Golf Tour wins:... |
279 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1985 | Tony Grimes | 279 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1984 | Rafael Alarcon | 279 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | 16,660 | |
| 1983 | J. Takahashi | 285 | Delhi Golf Club | 12,495 | |
| 1982 | Hsu Sheng-san Hsu Sheng-san Hsu Sheng-san is a Taiwanese professional golfer.Hsu played on the Japan Golf Tour, winning once.-Other wins:*1967 Philippine Open *1976 Malaysian Open*1982 Indian Open, Singapore Open-External links:... |
277 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1981 | Payne Stewart Payne Stewart William Payne Stewart was an American professional golfer who won three majors in his career, the last of which occurred only months before he died in an airplane accident at the age of 42.... |
284 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1980 | Kurt Cox | 286 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1979 | Gaylord Burrows | 284 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1978 | Bill Brask | 284 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1977 | Brian Jones Brian Jones (golfer) Brian Jones is an Australian professional golfer.Jones was born in Sydney. He turned professional in 1971. He played on the throughout Asia and Australasia including on the Japan Golf Tour. He won the Indian Open three times, five times in Australasia, and twelve times in Japan... |
284 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1976 | Peter Thomson | 288 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1975 | Ted Ball Ted Ball Edward "Ted" Ball is an Australian professional golfer. He has had a huge amount of success playing in Australia, winning 11 times on the PGA Tour of Australasia, and winning over 50 tournaments in his career.... |
282 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1974 | Kuo Chie-Hsiung Kuo Chie-Hsiung Kuo Chie-Hsiung is a Taiwanese professional golfer.Kuo played on the Japan Golf Tour, winning four times. He also played throughout Asia, winning many tournaments.-Japan Golf Tour wins:*1978 Dunlop International Open... |
287 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1973 | Graham Marsh Graham Marsh Graham Vivian Marsh MBE was one of the leading Australian professional golfers of his generation.-Career outline:Marsh was born in Kalgoorlie, Australia... |
280 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1972 | Brian Jones Brian Jones (golfer) Brian Jones is an Australian professional golfer.Jones was born in Sydney. He turned professional in 1971. He played on the throughout Asia and Australasia including on the Japan Golf Tour. He won the Indian Open three times, five times in Australasia, and twelve times in Japan... |
282 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1971 | Graham Marsh Graham Marsh Graham Vivian Marsh MBE was one of the leading Australian professional golfers of his generation.-Career outline:Marsh was born in Kalgoorlie, Australia... |
275 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1970 | Chen Chien Chung | 279 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1969 | Ben Arda Ben Arda Ben Arda was a Filipino professional golfer.Arda, known as Bantam Ben and the Toy Tiger because of his small stature, was one of Asia's leading golfers during the 1960s and 1970s. He was the first Filipino to qualify for the Masters Tournament and The Open Championship... |
291 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1968 | Kenji Hosoishi | 285 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1967 | Kenji Hosoishi | 287 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1966 | Peter Thomson | 284 | Delhi Golf Club | ||
| 1965 | P.G. Sethi (amateur) | 282 | Royal Calcutta Golf Club | ||
| 1964 | Peter Thomson | 292 | Delhi Golf Club |