The NDTV-AM Green IGPL Golf Pro-Am was unveiled in New Delhi yesterday, bringing together professional golfers, business leaders and personalities from the world of sport and entertainment for a new multi-city golfing series.

The launch also marked the announcement of the partnership between NDTV and IGPL, with the collaboration aimed at taking golf to a wider audience while creating a platform that brings together sport, leadership and business networking.

The event saw the presence of sporting champions and personalities including cricketer Yuvraj Singh, multiple Grand Slam winner Leander Paes, Nikhil Chopra, Shiv Kapur, Gaganjeet Bhullar, stand-up comedian Papa CJ and Waluscha D’Souza.

Yuvraj unveiled the trophy for the upcoming series, while the official NDTV-AM Green IGPL Golf Pro-Am jersey was unveiled alongside IGPL CEO Uttam Mundy and NDTV CEO and Editor-in-Chief Rahul Kanwal.

In a conversation with NDTV Executive Editor-Sports Gaurav Gala, Yuvraj spoke about his journey into golf and how the pandemic changed his perspective towards the sport.

“I remember when I was young and travelling for cricket practice, I would often pass the Chandigarh Golf Club and tell myself that I’d never step foot there because it looked too slow.

“Then COVID happened. A new golf course opened, and there was hardly anyone around, so I started hitting a few balls. One day I drove the ball really well, and for the next six days I couldn’t do it again.

“That’s when I became curious about what this game was all about,” Yuvraj said.

Speaking at the launch, Rahul Kanwal said the initiative was not only about expanding the reach of golf but also about making the sport more accessible and engaging for a wider audience.

“The whole idea is not just to expand the universe of golf but to make golf fun and bring in as many people as possible,” Kanwal said.

He added that the sport offers a unique space where competition and conversation come together.

“With the NDTV-AM Green IGPL Golf Pro-Am, we are creating a platform that brings some of India’s finest golfers and leading business names onto the same fairway. It is truly the course of champions and the conversation of leaders,” he said.

Tennis legend Paes highlighted the wider potential of the IGPL and its international ambitions.

“IGPL is a fantastic league because it has a truly global vision. I think the format has tremendous potential to grow the game and inspire the next generation of golfers,” Paes said.

IGPL CEO and former professional golfer Uttam Mundy also spoke about the changes in India’s golfing ecosystem over the years.

The NDTV-AM Green IGPL Golf Pro-Am will feature 10 Pro-Am events across key golfing and business centres in India.

The series is designed to bring professional golfers together with corporate leaders and influential personalities, creating an environment where interactions and conversations around the game are an important part of the overall experience.

The series will also focus on activities beyond the golf course, providing opportunities for networking, conversations and shared experiences between professionals from different fields.

The NDTV-AM Green IGPL Golf Pro-Am will tee off on October 3 in Delhi before travelling to Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Vizag, Pune, Chennai, Mumbai and Bengaluru.