By Rahul Banerji
National amateur champions Aryan Roopa Anand (men’s) and Sneha Singh (women’s) are the star draws at the India leg of the Faldo Series Asia junior golf tournament supported by IILF Wealth to be played at the Jaypee Greens from January 8 to 10.
The IILF Wealth Junior Golf Invitational Faldo Series tournament brings together the top juniors in the country in five age categories, Boys Under-21, Under-18 and Under-16, and Girls Under-21 and Under-16.
The field for this year’s event is 46-strong and includes a number of national and international junior title winners.
The 54-hole stroke-play event at the par-72 Jaypee Greens is sanctioned by the Indian Golf Union (IGU) and performances count for World Amateur Golf Rankings and worldwide junior ranking points on the Junior Golf Scoreboard.
Solid record
Mysore-born Aryan turned 18 the week after winning the 119th All India Amateur Matchplay title at the Eagleton course near Bengaluru in mid-December 2019.
In June last year, he topped the field at the three-day Singapore Junior Championship by a two-shot margin.
“I’m pretty confident of doing well. At one level, it’s just one more tournament and my thought process will remain the same as it does at all events, give my best and see where I stand at the end of the week,” Aryan said going into the Faldo Series India tournament.
“If I do well, I get to go to Vietnam again, as I was there for the Faldo Asia Series last year as well, which was a good experience. Also, I know the course pretty well now. I’ve played here four times last year itself and pretty regularly in the last four years,” he added.
Aryan is trained by Bangalore-based coach Tarun Sardesai.
Also in the field is multiple titelist Arjun Bhati, who calls Jaypee Greens his home course and trains with Monish Bindra at the adjoining academy.
Bhati has to his credit several international titles including the FCG Callaway Junior Worlds earlier this year and a US Kids Golf international event the previous year.
Gutsy winner
Hyderabad-based Sneha, 15, returns to the venue of her victory in the 103rd All India Ladies Amateur Championship in late December after having become the only amateur winner on last season’s Women’s Professional Tour earlier in the year.
“I should do well here as the course suits my game,” Sneha said going into the event. “My confidence is good as I won a tight match here just a few weeks ago (beating fellow 15-year-old Hitashee Bakshi of Delhi by one shot over 36 match-play holes).
“Giving a good performance in the Faldo Series event is something I am looking forward to. A win here will be a big break for me,” added Sneha, who is trained by her father, Sanjay.
Winners in each age category go on to represent India at the Asian Finals of the Faldo Series at the Laguna Lang Co course in Vietnam from March 4 to 6, 2020.
Glittering list
Past Indian champions of the Faldo Series Asia include 2019 PGTI Order of Merit topper Rashid Khan (in 2007 and 2009), Abhijit Singh Chaddha (2011) and Arjun Prasad (2015).
Last year, Pranavi Urs of Mysuru topped the series’ India final while Keshav Mishra of Mumbai went on to win the Faldo Series Grand Asian finale in Vietnam.
The Faldo Series, established in 1996 by the six-time Major winner, is supported by the R&A and endorsed by the Asian Tour and the Asia Pacific Golf Confederation. The Asia series was launched in 2006.
The International Junior Golf Academy is a partner of the Faldo Series. Worldwide, the series sees 7,000-plus junior golfers participate in over 30 countries on an annual basis.
The tournament is being organised and run by RN Sports Marketing.
Also read: Keshav tops Faldo Series U-21 Asia Finale in Vietnam
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