Jamshedpur, Jan 21 : The Professional Golf Tour India (PGTI) Qualifying School 2025 will be played from January 22 to February 7, 2025, at the Golmuri Golf Course here on Tuesday. While the First Stage consisting of three Pre-Qualifying events of 36 holes each will be held from January 22 to February 1, the Final Stage, a 72-hole event, will be held from February 4 to 7.

The Qualifying School, which marks the beginning of each PGTI season, is one of the most important events on the PGTI calendar as it is the only route for players to qualify to play on the PGTI in a particular season. The tournament determines the criteria for players for the whole season. This year's Qualifying School event will witness participation by a total of 408 golfers, the PGTI informed in a release on Tuesday.

Besides Indian golfers, this year's Qualifying School will also feature as many as 32 golfers from 15 foreign nations. This list includes 10 players from Bangladesh, eight from the USA, two from Indonesia, and one each from South Korea, Australia, Uganda, New Zealand, Italy, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Japan, Austria, Canada, Germany and Nepal. Indonesia is being represented at the PGTI Q School for the first time.

The First Stage of the Qualifying School will comprise three 36-hole events ' Pre-Qualifying I, Pre-Qualifying II, and Pre-Qualifying III. While Pre-Qualifying I will be staged on January 22 to 23, Pre-Qualifying II will be held on January 28 to 29 and Pre-Qualifying III takes place on January 31 to February 1. Out of a total field of 105 at Pre-Qualifying I, the top 20 players and ties will make it to the Final Stage. From the field of 123 at Pre-Qualifying II, the top 25 players and ties will go through to the Final Stage. Among the 132 players competing at Pre-Qualifying III, the top 27 players and ties will qualify for the Final Stage.

The qualifiers from the First Stage will join the 48 exempt players in the Final Stage which is scheduled to be held from February 4 to 7. The 72-hole Final Stage will feature a field of the top 120 players and ties.

The top 80 players and ties will make the halfway cut after two rounds of the Final Stage. At the end of the Final Stage, the top 32 and ties will earn their full cards for the 2025 PGTI season. The Final Stage offers a total prize purse of INR 5 lakh.

/IANS