Indian golf is in for a major upheaval with more than 70 top golfers, including Jyoti Randhawa, Gaurav Ghei and Shiv Kapur, withdrawing from the Professional Golfers Association of India (PGAI) on Thursday.
The players, who have been locked in a legal battle with their promoters, Tiger Sports Marketing, over the marketing of the sport in India, seemed set for launching a Tour of their own.
But they have stopped short of spelling out their next course of action, probably because their case against TSM is still in the court and the next hearing of which is set for November 30.
An announcement from the players, though, is expected on Tuesday.
Following the withdrawal, PGAI Board members are also expected to put in their resignations soon.
"All the players stand united. We are together and we want to see the game grow," said Ghei, who recently joined the winner's circle on the Asian Tour with victory at the Taiwan Masters.
European Tour regular Jyoti Randhawa added from the Dunhill Championship in Scotland, "the aims and objectives that we conceived for the PGAI cannot be achieved under this framework, so the players decided to hand in their resignations.
"The future of the game is in good hands as we have ambassadors on the PGA Tour, European, Japanese and Asian Tours and this is just another step to ensure that we have a solid foundation, to be able to take the game further."
The existing board of the PGAI, comprising Ajai Gupta, Uttam Singh Mundy, Digvijay Singh, Arjun Singh, Amritinder Singh and Ranjit Singh will also submit their resignations on Friday morning.
According to Ajai Gupta, "this entire process was started solely with the future of Indian professional golf in mind.
"This is exactly what the Asian Tour did two years ago and it is time the players decided to take matters into their own hands and dictate their own future."
Asian Tour, which runs the continental circuit, was formed in 2004 by breakaway players of the continent who were unhappy with the marketing of the game by the Asian PGA.
"I think the Indian tour has gone the same way as the Asian Tour. A similar situation occurred with the Asian Tour and it's marketing company," Digvijay Singh said from Taiwan.
"Indian players were being short-changed and not playing for enough money given the current economic situation. So, the players came together and realised that this was the only way forward.
"However, the best thing is that this move has been supported by the three pioneers of Indian golf - Arjun Atwal, Jyoti Randhawa and Jeev Milkha Singh."
"I am glad that the players have decided to go the way they are going as the prize money has not grown in the last three years. Someone deciding to play the Indian tour as a full-time career now has a future," added Rahil, who is also playing in Taiwan.
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