New Delhi, Dec. 13 -- The Indian men's domestic golf tour has seen a steady growth in prize money and tournaments. The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), the body which runs the men's domestic tour, has added an inter-city, franchise league to its busy calendar. Announcing the launch of 72 The League - it represents the number of holes over which a traditional tournament is played - PGTI president Kapil Dev briefly donned his cricket cap at a news conference, pointing out how the success of IPL has spawned numerous leagues across sports in India. "It started with cricket, and IPL has had such an impact," he said. "Today, the majority of TV is being watched by sports people. So, why shouldn't our boys get a chance to make a life. And people can also enjoy." The league will involve six franchises - their fee details are being worked out - representing different cities. Each will buy 10 players from among those registered with PGTI at an auction in January. The fortnight long tournament will run from February 21. The first edition, to mainly deal with logistics, will be held across three courses in the Delhi-NCR region. PGTI officials described the new venture - it will be held at the start of the new season - as the "country's first exclusive national professional golf league", launched in partnership with Game of Life Sports - started in 2023, it is a sportainment venture focused on golf. The new league comes after a rival group launched in September the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), also a six-team inter-city league, which explains the elaborate description by PGTI of its league. Organisers of the rival league had held initial discussions with PGTI, which did not bear fruit. IGPL is held across a month in different cities. However, PGTI sees its own venture as having a larger canvas. Kapil, when asked, said: "Theirs is a business model. Ours is to run golf for the (benefit of) next generation." There has been some controversy over players featuring in IGPL events. The PGTI had initially warned of suspensions, and then had said that those who took permission to play can come back to official events. "There can only be one body to run the game," Kapil said. "Our responsibility is to look after 350 pros, not 30 pros. When we make money, we go (it goes) back to the game, players. If you have to play in the Olympics, you have to play with this body." PGTI CEO Amandeep Johl said in all 60 players will be picked and franchises can choose anyone regardless of their ranking. "The top 30 ranked players will have one base price. Those who had finished lower in the previous year's Order of Merit will have a lower base price," he said. A lot of focus will be on how interest can be built in the league. The domestic tour, despite its financial growth, does not enjoy substantial fan following in the absence of star quality as Indians have struggled to make an impact on international tours. Johl said games, in the first year at least, will follow the Match Play format, which essentially pits one player against his opponent, unlike strokeplay where the aggregate score determines the winner. Ryder Cup, the biennial United States vs Europe competition, adopts the Match Play format. Not every league launched to mirror IPL has succeeded. While kabaddi has held its own over many seasons, hockey among major sports has struggled. The league's commissioner Amrit Mathur said the success of 72 The League will depend on what makes the particular sport tick. "You have to respect the structure of the game's unique characters. Some of the leagues perhaps failed because they were too ambitious about financial returns.we look at stability." The manner in which PGTI manages logistics as well as deals with its own elaborate calendar will be watched. Kapil, though, is ambitious. "One day if we can bring top players of the game to play in the league. Most corporate people play and watch golf. If everyone works together, it can become a gold mine."...