Navy golfer wins Saurashtra-Kutch open

RAJKOT: Navy commandant Nagesh Jain won the second Saurashtra-Kutch Open Golf tournament, which was teed off on Sunday at Ishwariya Park by Rajkot district collector H S Patel. Archna Kumar won the women's title. The golf tournament was organised by the city-based Green Meadows Golf Academy (GMGA), at a golf course developed by the Rajkot district collectorate three years ago.
"Forty-three golfers took part in the tournament," said Rajen Bhuta, the GMGA president."The players came from a range of fields, including the armed services, bureaucracy and business. Wing commander Kaushik Poddar was the runner-up."
Bhuta said that 10 players took part in the juniors' category; Jay Pandya, a schoolboy, was declared the winner in that category.
Gujarat finance minister Vajubhai Vala, who was present on the occasion, tried some putting. Vala asked the academy officials to play an instrumental role in developing golf in the region.
"Foreign tourists enquire about golf courses," Bhuta said. "So developing the golf course will serve both tourism and local sports."
"The academy has completed three years in the city and has drawn good response from all quarters," he said. "In the February-March period, we will organise a golf tournament with the members of the GMGA and the armed forces."