From L-R – Sanu Mehera, GS Ravi, Dilip Thomas, with winner Gaurav Ghosh , Ankur Prakash & Sanjay Kolhatkar
Kolkata’s Gaurav Ghosh, the current All India Senior Amateur Champion, took the overall title at the 36 hole stroke-play AVT Champions Tour event in Hyderabad, thereby putting an end to Sandeep Sandhu’s 5 event winning streak on the tour. Gaurav shot gross scores of 75-76 for a 151 total.
The AVT Champions Tour, which has held 16 editions since its start in 2019 is open to competitive golfers over 50 years of age with handicaps of 14 and below and is played over 36 holes stroke play format.
The tournament was initiated in 2019 by Dilip Thomas, a former member of the International Golf Federation Olympic Golf Committee and Asia Pacific Golf Confederation board, to encourage camaraderie and competitive golf among senior amateurs.
Manav Prakash of Noida had his best ever finish on 2nd with a total score of 154.
The 2023 Season Overall Champion, Sandhu, who recently won the Hongkong Seniors by 12 shots and finished 6th at the APGC Senior Amateur Championship in Vietnam was at 162, good enough to win the age 55-59 year category.
AVT Champions Tour Hyderabad winners
Overall Winner – Gaurav Ghosh – 151
Overall Runner-Up – Manav Prakash – 154
Age Group Winners –
Category Player S core
50-54 Shashidhar Reddy 155
55-59 Sandeep Sandhu 156
60-64 P.S. P.S. Rathore 155
65-69 Hemant Sinha & Srinath Rajam 162
70 & Above Sanjay Kolhatkar 166
Team Results – Gross for 36 holes –
Winning Team from Kolkata, Indrajit Bhalotia, G Ghosh, Sudeep Chitlangia, Sanu Mehera, Jaideep Singh, Ashit Luthra
Winners – Team Kolkata with G Ghosh, Sudeep Chitlangia, Jaideep Singh, Ashit Luthra – on 472 ( Best 3 gross scores each day among the 4 players)