Leading the field are Vijay Kumar, last year's Mahindra Golfer of the year, Shiv Prakash, who won two tournaments recently in South -- the Wills Southern Open and McDowell Centenary -- and Gaurav Ghei, winner of the Hindu Open besides Arjun Singh, who opened the season with a victory in Wills Masters at Delhi's Classic Golf Resort.

The event will be played on the lines of the famous AT&T Invitational at Pebble Beach on the US PGA Tour. The 100-odd pros will play the first two rounds before the cut and then the top 40 and ties will then be paired with amateurs. The aim if to ensure good competition for the amateurs, many of whom are vying for aplace on the Indian team to the Asian Games in December.

The man carrying best memories of the Delhi Golf Club is Gaurev Ghei, who has practically grown on this course and it was here that he chipped in a 35-foot eagle for a win in the Gadgil Masters in 1995.

But Shiv Prakash on his last visit to the DGC had a great time at the SRF Open last year. He shot a record 14-under and beat the second placed Arjun Singh by 11 strokes.

The course is looking fine with four greens having been re-laid. The first, fifth, seventh and the 18th are the new ones.