Two-time national champion Avani Prashanth, who is in the midst of a sensational season will lead the Indian team to the Espirito Santo Trophy competition for women at the World Amateur Team Championship (WATC) in Abu Dhabi this October. The Indian Golf Union has also picked Nishna Patel and Mannat Brar as the other two players for the prestigious amateur event to be held from October 25 to 28.
The women’s event will be preceded by the men’s competition for the Eisenhower Trophy for which the IGU has selected Yuvraj Singh, Shaurya Bhattacharya and Rohit to the International Golf Federation-run tournament. Bhattacharya has played at the Asia-Pacific Amateurs in the past and will again be playing the event in Melbourne this year.
Recent events at the WATC have featured over 50 teams from around the world. Both the Espirito Santo Trophy and the Eisenhower Trophy are 72-hole competitions (played over four days) in which the best two individual scores in each team count towards the final score.
Avani, India’s first winner of the Queen Sirikit Cup individual title by a record margin in the Philippines earlier in the year, has been in great form, having also topped a professional event on Ladies European Tour’s Access Tour recently to become the first Indian to win a title on the LET Access Tour. Last year she was invited to and made the cut at the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Nishna Patel was runner-up at the APGC Juniors in Manila, where Avani had earlier achieved her Queen Sirikit success. Mannat Brar has also been in good form and contended at even the pro events on the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour. Nishna and Mannat also played at the British Women’s Amateur this year.
“Avani, Nishna, and Mannat have performed superbly this season and we have great hopes from them. All our players have good experience with the IGU having sent them out of India for numerous events. Avani is also headed to the Asian Games, so we are quite excited,” said Indian Golf Union president Brijinder Singh.
On the men’s side, Yuvraj Singh, India’s top amateur, and Bhattacharya have gained plenty of experience this season as also last year, having been sent to numerous events by the IGU. Rohit has also been doing well on the domestic circuit. All three are playing the Eisenhower Trophy for the first time.