$400,000 Bangabandhu Open set to become Bangladesh’s richest golf tournament
This year’s tournament will commemorate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The sixth edition of the Bangabandhu Open golf is set for a new record in Bangladesh golf as the richest ever tournament. The Asian Tour tournament has increased its prize money to US $400,000, an US $100k increment from previous meets.
This year's tournament will commemorate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
A special exhibition and seminar on Bangabandhu will also be held during the tournament, confirmed by Major Md Mahmudur Rahman Chowdhury (Retd), a member of the executive committee of Bangladesh Professional Golfers' Association.
"Golfers from 25 Asian countries will take part in the competition. Top golfers from Bangladesh Siddikur Rahman, Jamal Mollah, and Shakhawat Hossain will also participate, along with 40 other local golfers. Golfers from Europe and the US will join on invitation.
"The purpose of the seminar and exhibition is to spread more information about him," Mahmudur Rahman told The Business Standard.
Asian Tour's regulatory body is also hopeful about the tournament and its impact on the sport. Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner and CEO of Asian Tour said in an interview with the Press Trust of India,"2020 will be our sixth consecutive year playing in Bangladesh and we are delighted that the prize purse has been elevated to record level.
"As the richest sporting event in Bangladesh, I'm confident the Bangabandhu Cup Golf Open 2020 will continue to unveil more hidden talents in the region while promoting the sport in Bangladesh."
This year's tournament will be held from March 25 to 28, at the Kurmitola Golf Club. Bangladesh Open was inaugurated in 2015. The first three editions were titled Bashundhara Bangladesh Open while the fourth edition was titled AB Bank Bangladesh Open. It was renamed Bangabandhu Open in 2019.
Singapore's Mardan Mamat (2015), Thailand's Thitiphun Chuayprakong (2016) and Jazz Janewattananond (2017), Malcolm Kokocinski of Sweden (2018), Sadom Kaewkanjana of Thailand (2019) were past winners. Bangladesh's top golfer Siddikur Rahman's best performance was finishing second in 2017.
