Ahmedabad: Rich Beem, the first Major champion, to play at the Gujarat Kensville Challenge set the ball in motion with two well-attended clinics at the Kensville Golf Academy. The clinic which had both youngsters and senior amateur golfers, was a big hit with Beem holding them enthralled with quips and tips in two sessions.
After the successful clinics, the Pro-Am, will be held on Wednesday with the tee off at 10.30 am. All the top pros will be featuring in it alongside top amateurs, corporates and guests.
The Chief guest will be Parimal Nathwani, Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha and Group President, Corporate Affairs, Reliance Industries. Nathwani will also tour the Kensville Golf and Country Club and later give away the prizes.
Meanwhile, Rich Beem speaking about the clinics said, “I was very happy to see such enthusiasm in these amateurs. They very excellent listeners and wanted to soak in all they could.”
“This is my first visit to India and so far it has been great. Honestly I have not seen much of the city except the lovely golf course at the Kensville Golf and Country Club. And it is an excellent course.”
On his own game and plans, Beem added, “I have been working on my game, trying to find the rhythm, and things are looking up. I took some time off after October when I last played on the PGA Tour and have then been working on my own game and spending time with the family.”
Beem seemed to be in a very positive frame of mind as he looked forward to a good week at Kensville. “I am quite positive about this week and then we will be off to the Golf Premier League. So it will be two good weeks in India and then I play an event in Panama on Web.com Tour. And then I will take things from there.”
Nearly 40-50 youngsters attended the clinic and peppered Beem with questions, which the former Major champion answered most patiently.
Then after a short break he met some more members and local golfers till the lights came on.
Beem, who stunned the Tiger Woods on way to the 2002 PGA Championships, his only Major championships, though he won two other titles on
PGA Tour, is playing his first event in India.
“It will be great to interact with Indian youngsters at the Kensville. I have heard a lot about golfing talent in India and you have a lot of players emerging and many of them have won on Asian Tour, besides bigger stars, who are on the European Tour. I look forward to seeing them this week,” said Beem.
Talking about the course, he added, “I have already seen the course. It is a great facility and should present a good challenge. It is a world-class course. It is a great venue and I am told it has held the event for the past three years.”
The clinic was held at the state-of-the-art Kensville Golf Academy in the heart of the town.
