NEW DELHI: One of India's biggest and richest golf tourneys ever is here. Two years ago, the Dubai organised and Dubai sponsored Emaar MGF Indian Masters, the very first European Tour event in India had Ernie Els as the favourite but he fell by the wayside and SSP Chowrasia won the event. Chowrasia took home a winner's purse of Euro 280,561.

But the Avantha Masters is unique. Promoted by industrialist Gautam Thapar, it brings a unique confluence of a European and Asian Tour co-sanctioned event on home turf. Thapar said, "I am delighted to be associated with this watershed event. The convergence of three powerful golfing bodies for the Avantha Masters marks a new chapter in the history of professional golf in India. This collaborative effort will, no doubt, also establish India as a serious golfing destination on the international circuit.”

C Muniyappa and Arjun Atwal are all geared up for a title assault at the $ 2.1 million event that tees off at the DLF Golf and Country Club from 11-14 February. Hero Honda Indian Open champion Muniyappa, and Arjun Atwal, a former Asian Tour number one, will spearhead the local challenge alongside two-time Asian number one Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa at the DLF Golf and Country Club in the inaugural event also sanctioned by the Professional Golf Tour of India.

They will be joined by young Gaganjeet Bhullar fresh from his Asian Tour victory over the weekend. Bhullar said: 'I am sure my confidence will be high. I am looking forward to next week. It's a big event (Avantha Masters). I love the DLF GCC (Delhi) as I've won there twice. Playing in front of the home crowd will give me a great sense of achievement. I have no words to describe. When I woke up this morning, I just wanted to shoot a good number. I never ever thought I am going to shoot a 64 and win by one. It's like a dream coming true, winning at the start of the year," he added.

Muniyappa, who earned one rupee a day as a caddie during his youth, is looking forward to returning to the venue which launched him to fame. "It'll be nice to get back to DLF as I won there last year. I'm looking forward to it," he said. "I played a couple of big events last year and even though I missed the cut in China (HSBC Champions) and Singapore (Barclays Singapore Open ), I feel that I''m getting better because I''m seeing and playing with bigger players and that has given me more confidence playing on the Asian Tour," he added.

A three-year agreement with the Avantha Group, one of India’s most prominent business conglomerates, signals India’s strong intent to become a leading golfing destination through what will be the first event in a new joint venture between the Asian Tour and The European Tour – to be known as EurAsia Golf Ltd - with the PGTI as the other partner in the tri-sanctioned tournament.

The European Tour paid two visits to New Delhi in February 2008, for the Indian Masters at Delhi Golf Club, won by local hero S S P Chowrasia, then the Johnnie Walker Classic at DLF Golf & Country Club, where New Zealand’s Mark Brown captured the title. Both events were also sanctioned with the Asian Tour and PGTI.

Joining the Indian stars at the DLF Golf and Country Club Thursday are Thai duo Thaworn Wiratchant, who is an 11-time Asian Tour winner, and Chapchai Nirat, who is looking forward to a return to India after establishing a new world 72-hole scoring record with a stunning 32-under-par 256 last year.