New Delhi: Gurbani Singh and Aditi Ashok, the top two on the IGU Ladies Order of Merit for 2012, will be among the starters in the season-opening Usha Army Ladies Amateur 2013 from Tuesday at the Army Golf Club in Dhaula Kuan.

Aditi is also the defending champion of the tournament and she will be looking to start the season on a winning note, while Gurbani, who missed the event last year, will try and stop Aditi from retaining the title.

Usha will once again be title sponsor of the Indian Golf Union’s Ladies events. They will sponsor and support almost a dozen event.

The opening event of the season is a very strong field with over 65 players vying for the title in Ladies section  and the categories A, B and C.

With such a large field, the IGU has decided on a double tee shot for the event.

The competition will be more intense with the return of Gauri Monga, who missed a large part of the 2012 season.

Aditi, who turned 15 in the last week of March, and Ridihima Dilawari, who will turn 15 in July, are among younger challengers in Ladies section, besides participating in other categories, but they will be the ones to look out for.

Gurbani will play the first round with Vidushi Sinha and Sehar Atwal, whose sister was second to Aditi last year. Aditi will start the first round with Nishtha Madan and Gaurika Bishnoi. Ridihima plays with Tvesa Malik and Amrita Anand.

The golf course is looking in great conditions and the players will look to starting the new season on a good and positive note.