By Rahul Banerji
Bangalore will be well-represented at the golf competition of the Tokyo Olympic Games with all three Indians on the squad connected in one way or another to the Garden City.
The International Golf Federation’s list of final quota places on Tuesday confirmed Udayan Mane would replace Argentina’s Emiliano Grillo as first reserve.
That makes it three for three as the squad now comprises Bangalore residents Aditi Ashok and Anirban Lahiri, besides Mane who spent part of his childhood in the Karnataka capital.
With the publication of the IGF’s rankings, Lahiri, now based in Florida, moves up to 59 while Mane completes the 60-strong field as the final entry.
The burly Mane (30) also makes it a double for coach Vijay Divecha, who trains Lahiri besides having overseen Mane’s early years at the Eagleton Golf Resort.
Speaking to the PGTI, Mane said on Tuesday, “I’m looking forward to joining Anirban in the Indian team at Tokyo.
“He’s not only a good friend but also a great golfer and a role model and more than that he’s an amazing human being. He teaches us on the golf course and off the golf course. He’s the best person to emulate.
“We’ve been in contact over the phone more often because ever since he found out about my qualification he’s also been quite excited.
“I’m still pinching myself as it hasn’t yet sunk in fully.”
Base switch
With Divecha’s departure for Ahmedabad, Mane has shifted base and now trains at the Kalhaar Blues & Greens Golf Club where Lahiri too spends time on his India visits.
Tokyo and conditions at the Kasumigaseki Country Club which will host the men’s Olympic competition from July 29 to August 1 is obviously front and centre for Mane now.
“I spoke to Rahil Gangjee about the conditions in Japan, it’s the beginning of summer so I guess it will be cool in the mornings and evenings and a little warm in the afternoons,” the big-biuilt golfer noted.
“I have played in Japan before during the 2014 Eisenhower Trophy when I shot a 14-under for the week and finished 13th at the event.
“Until 2018 that was the best finish and score by an Indian at the event. So Japan has been nice to me on the only occasion I’ve been there.
“Interestingly, my mother has visited Japan on numerous occasions because she worked for a medical company that had its headquarters there.
“So I know I have good vibes in Japan.
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“As far as preparation for the playing conditions in Japan is concerned, I’ll only be able to figure out the conditions after I get there.
I don’t know how far or short the ball may go with each club compared to my standard yardages here in India. What I have done is hit balls off bare lies so that my striking is a little more in tune,
“I’m a little more precise and I’m ready for everything. The routine is a lot more structured as I know what I’m doing throughout the day or for each day of the week and it’s been rigorous.
Asiad experience
“The experience of already having competed at a multi-sport mega-event (2014 Asian Games) will help me in adapting to the atmosphere of the Olympics.
However, I’m sure the Olympics are unique in their own way. So it’ll be something for me to experience first-hand and something that is well beyond my imagination.”
PGA Tour regular Lahiri, the highest-ranked Indian golfer at 340, was the first to qualify for Tokyo following withdrawals from the list of qualified players.
The Chennai-born Mane who grew up in Bangalore, is one of only two players (along with Ashok Kumar) to have won three consecutive events on the tour.
He did so between December 2019 and February 2020 when he won the Tata Steel Tour Championship 2019, the Golconda Masters and the Tata Steel PGTI Players Championship 2020.
Mane also won the PGTI’s last event, the Delhi-NCR Open in March this year before the second Covid wave forced down the shutters on pro golf around the country.
IGF pleased
At Tokyo, the men’s competition will run from July 29 to August 1 while the women will compete between August 4 and 7.
“We are extremely pleased with the strength and diversity of both the men’s and women’s fields, which reflect the continued growth and popularity of golf,” said IGF president Annika Sorenstam.
The International Golf Federation oversees the Olympic golf competition.
With 36countries included in women’s competition and 35 in the men’s, the composition of the Olympic fields highlights the broad global interest in golf.
Across the two competitions, Europe has 53 qualified players, Asia 30, the Americas 26, Oceania six and Africa five.
Also read: Aditi Ashok on confirmed short-list for Tokyo Olympic Games
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