Leading ameteur golfers leave for Pakistan to defend Kirloskar title

New Delhi, Apr 12 (UNI) Top Indian ameteurs have left for Islamabad, Pakistan today to defend the Ravi Kirolskar (Indo-Pak) Golf which tees off tomorrow at the Islamabad Golf Club.

Delayed by 'visa formailities', a 12-member strong Indian team including the Doha Asian Games silver winning duo -- No.1 ameteur Anirban Lahiri and Joseph Chakola, besides Jasjeet Singh and Amit Luthra, among others will put their teammanship to the test to keep the prestigious Kirloskar Trophy they won in Bangalore in 2005, with India.

In the official send-off to the Indian team here today, India's Non-playing captain Dilip Thomas told reporters before departing today, ''Although everyone speaks about the friendship and goodwill factor when India and Pakistan play, let me assure you all the friendship will stop at the first hole and will only continue after the 18th hole.'' The sixth edition of the Ravi Kirloskar Trophy, to be played on a Ryder Cup format from April 13 to 15, will witness the particapants compete in a 'Foursome Alternate Ball' tournament on the opening day where golfers from both countries will partner another teammate. On the second day, there will be a Fourball and Friendship Cup competition, followed by a Singles Match-play event on the final day.

The event will see top-four golfers from the Merit list, the top-four in the over-40 and the top-four in the over-50 age group categories from India and Pakistan take on each other in their respective groups.

Conceived in 1989 in memory of president of Indian Golf Union, Bangalore Golf Club and Asia Pacific Golf Federation, late Ravi Kirloskar, the event was also played in 1990 and 1991 but there was a long period of lull when the event did not take place, but again resumed from 2004 in Pakistan.

His son Vijay Kirloskar says,''My father would have been very proud of the progress Indian Golf has made in the last few years,'' adding, ''through this tournament we aim to improve relations and goodwill between the two nations and keep his memory and the dreams alive.'' Indian team : Dilip Thomas (Non playing captain), Anirban Lahiri, Joseph Chakola, Simarjeet Singh, Jasjeet Singh.

Over 40 age group : Amit Luthra, Vinay Goel, Rajendra Ravindranath Dutta, Yogesh Chopra Over 50 age group : Vikramjit Singh, Vijay Kumar, Sanjeev Talwar, IPS Mann.

UNI