By Rahul Banerji
Twenty-five-year-old Manu Gandas, who turned professional in 2015, was on to a good thing before the virus epidemic interrupted the 2020-21 PGTI season.
In 10 starts Gandas had brought in five top-10 finishes before the Covid-19 second wave overran the Professional Golf Tour of India season.
Gandas, from the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurgaon, currently sits eighth on the PGTI Order of Merit.
A leading amateur before turning pro which included making the team for the 2014 Incheon Asian Games, Manu attributes his recent run to improved iron play, a changed mindset and recovery from past injuries.
Usually a man of few words, Gandas said recently, “My short game has always been my strength and my iron-play one of my weaknesses.
“So I put in a lot of work into my iron play and this season my iron shots have been one of the highlights of my game.
Changed approach
“I also realised I was playing quite conservatively in previous seasons which wasn’t getting me the results expected.
“Therefore, I decided to change my approach by playing a little more aggressively which has yielded good results for me this season.
“The other factor that has contributed to my good performances recently is the fact that I have been injury-free after a long time.
“Injuries in my wrist and ankle hampered my game for the last two years. But now I’ve fully recovered which in turn has raised my performance level.”
Still searching for his maiden professional title, the 25-year-old secured a career-best runner-up finish at the Glade One Masters held in Ahmedabad earlier this year.
“I feel the extra bit that I need to do in order to win is to stay in the present and strike a good balance between caution and aggression,” said Manu.
Sporting background
Gandas comes from a sporting family as his father Badan Singh is a well-known swimming coach and yoga instructor based in Gurgaon.
His elder sisters have been national level judokas and Manu himself participated in judo and swimming competitions before deciding to become a golfer.
Gandas is also artistically inclined as sketching is one interest that he has been pursuing since childhood.
He said, “Sketching is something I enjoy a lot as it helps me express myself and also unwind at the same time.”
Gandas took to golf coaching late last year which he feels has helped him grow as a player.
“Coaching is a new experience but it has given me the chance to see the game from a different perspective and helped me analyze my game better.”
The mild-mannered pro is now focused on target practice to improving his better scoring with his home course reopening after the lockdown.
Also read: PGTI young gun Veer Ahlawat has been a picture of consistency
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