Top flight golfers in the country will be seen in action in the Amby Valley Professional Golf Association of India 2004-05 season, which tees off with the four-round TNGF Hyundai Open in Chennai at the Cosmopolitan link on Wednesday.

N Srinivasan, President, Tamil Nadu Golfers Association, told a press conference in Chennai last night that for the fourth year in a row the golfing season would start at the Cosmo link. "The exploits of India's top professionals both at home and on the world stage have been encouraging which is why we would like to continue our sponsorship.

"We want to ensure that golf is alive and well in the Southern region," said Srinivasan, whose company sponsors two golfing stars - Gaurav Ghei and Harmeet Kahlon.

He said Hyundai would be sponsoring the TNGF event for three years. As for the course, Srinivasan said the course was dry due to lack of rains but it was in good shape.

G S Ramesh, Vice President, HR of Hyundai said, "as golf is the fastest growing sport in India, it augurs well for our company, which has been associated the game for the last four years."

N Sampath, Executive Secretary of the PGAI, said all top Indian golfers except the trio of Arjun Atwal, Jyoti Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh, would be competing in this tournament and two more events slated to be held in the city. The Colorplus Pro-Am Tournament would be held on September 5, he added.

Champion golfer of the year, Ashok Kumar, who had earnings of Rs 12.53 lakh last year with three wins and eleven top ten finishes, four-time champion golfer of India, Mukesh Kumar, SSP Chowrasia, Digvijay Singh and Vijay Kumar have confirmed participation in the event.

In all, 100 professionals and eight amateurs would compete in the championship.