Winners pose at the awards ceremony
The 23rd annual Chola World Corporate Golf Challenge – India National Final supported by Tourism Authority of Thailand, concluded at the stunning Toscana Valley Golf Course in the hill resort of Khao Yai, Thailand, with Hyderabad’s Sameer A Mahindra and Rajender Gaddam finishing as winner and runner-up respectively. The pair will represent India at the World Finals of the World Corporate Golf Challenge in Haikou, China this October where they will compete with winners from 25 other countries.
The Toscana Valley course with sharp elevation changes, beautifully conditioned fairways and scenic backdrops tested the finalists with every hole presenting a distinctly unique challenge. With the sumptuous suites provided to all the finalists, the resort proved to be an ideal location for a tournament of this status.
WCGC-2024 World Finalists – Rajender Gaddam, Arun Murugappan ((Executive Chairman, Tube Investment of India Ltd., Murugappa group), and Sameer A Mahendra (Winner)
The World Corporate Golf Challenge is the longest continuously running multi-city corporate tournament in India, having kicked off in 1999 and is one of the largest corporate golf tournaments in the world. It is arguably the most established global «Business to Business» golf tournament open to top-level executives worldwide who share a passion for golf. Since its inception in 1993, WCGC has grown so much that more than one million golfers from over fifty countries have participated.
From L-R – Raja Gopal, Vijay Thomas, Sameer A Mahendra, Subhasish Ghosh, Bharti Purker & Prashtant Purker
In India, 16 finalists qualified for the National final in Khao Yai after winning regional rounds held at Prestige Golfshire in Bangalore, Willingdon Sports Club in Mumbai, Qutab GC in Delhi, and HGA in Hyderabad, between October and December 2023.
From L-R – Sameer A Mahendra , Pramod Bhambani , Abhay Kanoria & Vijay Thomas
The WCGC is currently organised in more than 25 global territories representing an international network of National Golf Tournaments. The annual winners from each country compete in the World Final, representing their company and country in conditions that resemble a professional tour event and on world class courses and golf tourism destinations.
India has emerged winners at the World Final on two occasions and has also been runner-up twice during the 23 years that India has been sending teams there.
At the National Finals, players competed off the yellow tees in order to select two players who can handle the longer tougher conditions at the World Finals. Last year, the two winners were Ajay Reddy from Hyderabad and Ajay Kasana from Delhi.
Results –
Category Name NETT
Winner Sameer A Mahendra 40 points (played in Stableford format)
Runner-Up Rajender Gaddam 39
Results – Guest Category
Category Name NETT
Winner Pramod Modgil 75 ( Played on Double Peoria format)
Guest Category from L-R – Arun Murugappan presents Pramod Modgil (Winner)
Runner-Up Dhananjay Das 77
Guest Category Runner-Up from L-R – Arun Murugappan presents Dhananjay Das