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 $-300,000 Hero Honda Masters starts at the par-72 Delhi Golf Club course from Thursday, November 6.
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 will earn him the winner's cheque of $48,450, which would give the stylish Indian the unique distinction of becoming the first person to earn more than a million dollar in career earnings on the Asian PGA Tour.
Atwal has currently made US$-967,902 since he started playing the Tour in 1995. A first place, or even a sole runner-up finish, worth US$-33,390, would help him set one of the most prestigious landmarks in the history of the Asian PGA Tour.
Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee, currently third in the 2003 Order of Merit, also has a chance to cross the million-dollar mark, but he will have to win the title. Jaidee, winner of the 2001 Indian Open at the Classic Golf Resort, has earned US$-955,340, and is playing this week.
"If I become the first player to make a million dollars on the Asian PGA Tour, it would be a nice record against my name. But winning the Hero Honda Masters title again would mean far more to me. I have always played well at the DGC course, but never converted it into a victory. Hopefully, things will be different this time," said the ever-smiling Atwal, who has never finished outside the top-five in the five years of Hero Honda Masters, with his worst finish being a fifth place in 1999.
A victory would almost seal the 2003 Asian PGA Tour Order of Merit crown for Atwal. With four events remaining after Hero Honda Masters, and with Zhang Lian-wei and Jaidee, his closest pursuers, not participating in at least two of them, it would take a superhuman effort from the rest of the field to dislodge Atwal from top spot.
The US$ 300,000 event was first staged at the Delhi Golf Club in 1997, where it continued till 1999. Indian professionals, who have won four times out of the five editions, have dominated the tournament. American Ted Purdy is the only exception, winning the inaugural championship ahead of Gaurav Ghei.
Besides Randhawa, Arjun Atwal was triumphant in 2000 and Harmeet Kahlon is the defending champion, having won the 2002 title.