New Delhi [India], September 18 (ANI): The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) on Monday announced that the third edition of the Jammu and Kashmir Open will be held at the Jammu Tawi Golf Course in Jammu from October 4 to October 7 this year.

The total prize purse for the event has been enhanced to Rs 50 lakh this year. The Pro-Am event will be held on October 8.

The tournament is part of JK Tourism's initiative to promote golf tourism in the region. Jammu and Kashmir has prominent golf courses such as Jammu Tawi Golf Course, Royal Springs Golf Course (Srinagar), Pahalgam Golf Course (Lidder Valley) and Gulmarg Golf Club and these courses provide a rich experience to golfers, a release said.

Indian professionals participating in the event include Udayan Mane, Rashid Khan, defending champion Yuvraj Singh Sandhu and former champion Honey Baisoya. The foreign challenge will be led by Bangladeshis Jamal Hossain and Badal Hossain as well as Sri Lankans N Thangaraja and Mithun Perera.

Amarjeet Singh, Special Secretary, JK Tourism Department, said they look forward to continued association with the Open golf tournament and the PGTI.

"This tournament gives us a great platform to project the UT of JammuKashmir as a favourable destination for Golf Tourism for business and leisure travellers from all across the world. Our partnership with PGTI and the staging of the Open also provides us the opportunity to showcase the outstanding golfing venues in JK to a wider audience.

"Manav Gupta, Secretary, Jammu Tawi Golf Course, said they have worked towards providing the best possible playing conditions at JTGC and are confident that the players will enjoy their experience of playing here.

"The JK Open also provides immense exposure for our local golfing talent who get to rub shoulders with the best professionals in the country. This exposure will go a long way in helping JK produce champion golfers in the future.

"Former India cricket captain Kapil Dev, who is Vice President, PGTI, said they are delighted to have a PGTI event in the beautiful locales of Jammu and Kashmir.

"We thank JK Tourism and the Jammu Tawi Golf Course for partnering with us in staging the event that in turn helps us create more playing opportunities for Indian professional golfers. The tournament will also help spread awareness about Jammu and Kashmir in general and Jammu in particular as an ideal destination for Golf Tourism for international and domestic travellers alike.

"Jammu Tawi Golf Course, is an 18-hole course, designed by internationally renowned designer Col. K.D Bagga. The course was commissioned in April 2011.

The course has fairways approximately 6600 meters in length, it has two big and three small water bodies and a water channel about 3200 meters long. (ANI)The Government of JammuKashmir undertook the construction of this prestigious project of Jammu Tawi Golf Course with the intention of giving a boost to Golf Tourism and grooming young boys and girls to become golf professionals. (ANI)