Vijay Kumar, Firoz Ali too dump PGAI, join PGTI

New Delhi, Jan 18 (UNI) Professional Golf Tour of India staged a mini-coup of sorts by luring Vijay Kumar and former Indian Open champion Firoz Ali to change camp and join PGTI today.

Earlier, Mukesh Kumar and Ashok Kumar had also broken away from Professional Golfers Association of India to join the breakaway PGTI thus dealing a severe blow to PGAI.

''The performance and game of a player can only be known during tournaments, so I am looking forward to playing the IOC Extra Premium Masters in Digboi. I have sent in my entries for all the tournaments and will concentrate on playing some good golf now,'' Vijay said.

Shamim Khan, Pappan, Suleman Ali, Gast Ram, Shiv Prakash and Sanjay Kumar also singed up for the membership of PGTI this week and all these professionals will now play the IOC Extra Premium Masters in Digboi from January 31-February 3.

Meanwhile, the existing members of the PGTI also welcomed the new entrants.

''It is a great day for Indian golf and there is no limit to what we can achieve now that all the players are united as one,'' said current PGTI Order of Merit leader Harmeet Kahlon who has already accumulated Rs 11,67,000 so far this season.

UNI