PUNE: New and renewable energy minister Farooq Abdullah feels golf in India has a very bright future and if golfers continue to play well then one day India would be on the top of the list.

Abdullah, while speaking on the sidelines of a golfing event in Delhi Friday, pointed out that since golf was introduced at the Asian Games, India has been making big strides in the game. “Today Indian players are playing at international level and winning many accolades. So if the same continues, then one day you would see an Indian at the top of the list," Abdullah said.

Incidentally, Abdullah is a keen golfer himself, having learnt the game as a child. While he was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, his detractors never failed to chide him for his passion of the game saying that he spent more time on the golf course than in the state secretariat.

Nevertheless, Abdullah’s enthusiasm is contagious, coming as it is on the eve of the 1.5 million euros Avantha Masters which will be held from 11-14 February in the national capital. Avantha Masters is the latest offering on the Asian Tour and co-sanctioned with the European Tour. The who's who of Asian golf and prominent names from Europe will vie with one another for the top purses. The golfer who secures the first place will be richer by 250,000 euros, while the second and third-placed golfers will walk away with 166,000 euros and 93,900 euros respectively.

The rise of Indian golf mirrors the growing strength of the Asian Tour where like the region’s established circuit, the nation is no longer regarded as the sleeping giant, an Asian Tour release said, sharing the enthusiasm of the Indian golfers and tracing the Tour's role in moulding them.

From the likes of Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun Atwal to Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anirban Lahiri, India’s fortunes has sparkled through numerous victories across Asia.

India holds the proud record of having produced the most number of Asian Tour Order of Merit champions, through Singh in 2006 and 2008, Atwal in 2003 and Jyoti Randhawa, the country’s first Asian number one in 2002. Gaurav Ghei, Feroz Ali, Shiv Kapur, S S P Chowrasia, C Muniyappa and Bhullar have all added their names onto the Asian Tour’s Roll of Honour with life-changing victories. With new tournaments emerging on the Asian Tour schedule, including this week’s Avantha Masters, the future looks bright for India.

Singh holds six wins in Asia and is now an honorary member of the Asian Tour. Singh credited the Tour for giving him the platform to launch his career which has seen him secure multiple titles in Europe and Japan as well.

Atwal, who has won seven times on the Asian Tour, said the region’s circuit, which has travelled to 19 different countries over the years, helped shape his growing years as a professional.

Their combined success on the Asian Tour, which have lifted Singh, Randhawa, Atwal and Ghei into the top-20 of the career earnings with a cumulative haul of over $ 8 million in winnings, have sparked the emergence of a new and exciting generation of golfers.