Delhi, India: Asian Tour winners Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar combined with cricketing greats Kapil Dev and Murali Karthik to raise more than US$60,000 for Covid-19 relief efforts in India.

Termed ‘Champions for a Cause – Charity Golf Match’, the 18-hole team match play contest at Delhi Golf Club (DGC) was the first domestic sporting activity to be played for Indian television since the Covid-19 induced nationwide lockdown. Eurosport will telecast the round on Saturday (July 18).

Chennai-based industrialist and veteran golf enthusiast Dilip Thomas was the lead donor. DCB Bank, Yaantra.com and SRF Foundation also made generous contributions along with many private patrons.

On the recently re-designed DGC course, it was fitting that the match between Bhullar and Kapil and Sharma and Karthik ended all-square.

Nine-time Asian Tour winner Bhullar posted a two-under-par 70 with Kapil signing for a 76. Sharma, the 2018 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion, fired a 73 while Karthik carded a 76.

Sharma said: “It was really good to play on a championship course after quite a break. I congratulate the DGC and the entire team that came up with this fantastic effort.”

Bhullar said: “It was a refreshing experience and we are glad we could contribute to a noble cause as well. It just goes to show that athletes across sports share common traits.”

At the prize ceremony, Rishi Narain, veteran sports marketer and Publisher of Golf Digest India, handed over a cheque to Magic Bus India, a charity organisation that has been raising funds for Covid-19 relief.