ISSO, PGTI launch national school golf platform with inaugural championship in Noida

Noida, Aug 29 (IANS) The Indian School Sports Organisation (ISSO), in partnership with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), has launched a national competitive platform for school golfers with the successful conclusion of the inaugural ISSO Golf Championship at the Jaypee Wishtown Golf Course in Noida. 

Held from August 24 to 27, the championship brought together young golfers representing cities including Delhi-NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Jaipur, Ooty, Ahmedabad, Ajmer, and Hyderabad. Players competed across six age-group categories in what marked the first edition of the national school golf event.

Devrat Singh Rajawat won the Boys U15 title, while Smyaan Gupta won the Boys U18 title. Anika Rangwala claimed the Girls U15 crown and Parnika Sharma topped the Girls U18 division.

Aaradhya Bhatnagar secured the Girls U12 title, while Atharv Goel completed the list of champions by winning the Boys U12 category.

The tournament was organised to address the lack of a structured national inter-school competition for young golfers in India, providing students with an opportunity to represent their schools and compete against players from across the country.

The championship followed a stroke-play format with a two-tee start, offering participants an environment that replicated the demands of competitive tournament golf.

PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl said the initiative could play an important role in creating opportunities for young players to develop within the sport. “Golf is a sport that teaches discipline, patience, focus and resilience, qualities that are important not just on the course but in every aspect of a young person’s life. The launch of ISSO Golf is an important step towards creating a structured platform where school golfers can compete, learn and grow. I am delighted to see young players from across India come together for this inaugural championship, and I hope this initiative encourages many more students to take up the sport and pursue it at higher levels.”

Aakanksha Thapak, Director of the International School Sports Organisation (ISSO), said the championship was intended to establish a longer-term pathway for young golfers across the country.

“ISSO Golf is more than the launch of a new tournament; it is the beginning of a structured journey for young golfers across India. Our aim is to create meaningful opportunities for students to compete at the national level, represent their schools and develop a deeper connection with the sport. We are delighted to see participation from young golfers across different cities in the inaugural edition, and we look forward to bringing more schools and students into this growing ecosystem in the years ahead,” he said.

For ISSO, the introduction of golf forms part of its wider effort to expand sporting opportunities for students and create competitive pathways in disciplines where structured school-level competitions have traditionally been limited.

The partnership with the PGTI brings professional expertise into the school sports ecosystem, with the initiative expected to develop beyond competition through training programmes, golf clinics and other development opportunities.

The inaugural event has laid the foundation for ISSO's plans to expand participation, bring more schools and cities into the competition and provide a stronger pathway for students interested in pursuing golf.

Winners

Boys U12: Atharv Goel – Winner; Shlok Pandit – Runner-up; Sharvin Patel – Second Runner-up

Girls U12: Aaradhya Bhatnagar – Winner; Ishana Bahl – Runner-up; Deehar Gulati – Second Runner-up

Boys U15: Devrat Singh Rajawat – Winner; Hridaan Saraogi – Runner-up; Rudransh Palawat – Second Runner-up

Girls U15: Anika Rangwala – Winner; Aadya Kaushal – Runner-up; Zoya Borkataky – Second Runner-up

Boys U18: Smyaan Gupta – Winner; Sohang Har Kantor – Runner-up; Ranvir Sidhu – Second Runner-up

Girls U18: Parnika Sharma – Winner; Vanya Sokhi – Runner-up; Devyana Jain – Second Runner-up

--IANS

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