Ashok Kumar invited to play in Japan

May 11, 2011: The 2010 Rolex Rankings champion Ashok Kumar is all set to play his first event on the Japan Golf Tour this week when he tees up for the JGTO PGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodle Cup 2011 scheduled to be played at the Ono Toyo Golf Club in Japan from 12th to 15th May, 2011.PGTI’s growing partnerships and associations with other international tours is helping secure invitations for top Indian professionals into events on higher tours and is helping further develop the talented players. Ashok, who has been one of the top performers on Indian soil over the last decade, will compete alongside some of the top names of Asian and Japanese golf this week.“As a professional golfer I have achieved a lot in India and now it’s time to for me to take my game to the international stage. My focus will now be more on the international events, but I will continue to play on the Indian domestic tour also,” said Ashok, who admits to being a very keen student of the game.

He added, “I thank the PGTI for providing me the opportunity to play my first event in Japan. It’s going to be a great learning experience to play an event on one of the toughest tours in the world. This experience will help me grow further as a golfer.”

Ashok, a winner of a record 11 titles on the Aircel PGTI, capped a brilliant season in 2010 with four wins and nine other top-10s on the Aircel PGTI to end up as the Order of Merit champion.Ashok said, “The 2010 season was one of the best seasons of my career as all departments of my game were in top shape. I’m now eager to carry this form forward to the international events.”PGTI Director Padamjit Sandhu thanked the JGTO for the invite to the PGA Championship Nissin Cupnoodle Cup 2011, and is confident of building the partnership with JGTO over the coming years.