This January, there will be celebrations of many kinds in the city. At the time when the Gujarat government will be holding the 5th edition of the Vibrant Gujarat Summit, and people all across the state will be in kite-flying mood because of Uttarayan, Ahmedabad will host an international golf tournament. Kensville Golf and Country Club (KGCC) will host the first-ever European Challenge, second tier men’s professional golf tour, in India from January 13 to17.

The golf aficionados who have heard and read about Jeev Milkha Singh, SSP Chourasia and Jyoti Randhawa playing magic on greens will get an opportunity to see them in action. This will make KGCC the youngest course in the country to host a major event where a 2,00,000 euro Gujarat Kensville Challenge 2011 tees off. Also Ahmedabad will be only the third Indian city, after New Delhi and Kolkata, to host an international men’s golf tournament.

“We always wanted a championship golf course in the state and hosting an European Challenge Tour event at our course is a great honour. It will also offer a great chance for local fans to get a glimpse of international golf and also put us on the world golfing map, as the course is just three-year old,” said Sameer Sinha, the MD of Kensville Golf & Country Club.

He said Europe’s top five players Alvaro Velasco, Matt Haines, Floris de Vries, Thorbjom Olesen and Bernd Wiesberger are expected to play.

Interestingly, the state government has taken up the mantle of title sponsors. The tournament which is co-sanctioned by the Professional Golf Tour of India will see 114 golfers from across the globe, including top Indian professional golfers, in action.