NEW DELHI, FEBRUARY 21: Despite losing the recently-concluded Rs 20-lakh Wills Masters Tournament at Calcutta on Saturday, Lucknow's Vijay Kumar became the first pro in the 1999-2000 season of the Wills Sport Indian Golf Tour to cross the Rs 1 million earning mark.A misread putt on the final hole denied Vijay the top prize of Rs 3,24,000, but the runner-up cheque of Rs 2,24,000 was enough to carry his season's earning to Rs 10,63,825. These are Vijay's earnings from the Indian Golf Tour alone. He also got a Honda City car worth Rs 7 lakh for winning the Honda-Siel PGA Championship.Breaking into the million rupee mark has become a habit for the twice Mahindra Player of The Year. In 1997-98, Vijay made Rs 12,83,730, and went one step better the next year by earning Rs 13,41,730. Only two other players have had the distinction of breaking the million-rupee mark in a season Gaurav Ghei in 1996-97, and Kanpur's Shiv Prakash in 1998-99. Calcutta's Uttam Singh Mundy fell short by Rs 47,000 last year.Winnerof three events this season, Vijay has now made Rs 43 lakh by playing the Indian Golf Tour in the last four years. This includes the Mahindra Player Of The Year Awards of Rs 4.8 lakh in 1997-98 and Rs 5.76 lakh in 1998-99.
