By Rahul Banerji
Three big daddies of Indian professional gold – Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa – will make a rare appearance together as Edition Nine of the $400,000 Panasonic Open India tees off at the Classic Golf and Country Club near Gurgaon on Thursday.
Between them, they have won titles around the world, Atwal the only Indian winner on the flagship PGA Tour, Jeev notching up triumphs on the European and Japan tours and Randhawa among the most successful Indians on the pro circuit.
Thursday will also mark a personal landmark for Randhawa, who will make his 300th start in an Asian Tour event, a testament to his fitness and dedication to the game of golf despite his many and varied other interests.
First-time venue
The Panasonic Open India is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI). The event is being played away from the Delhi Golf Club for the first time.
At another level, it will be interesting to see of one of the five former Panasonic Open winners in the field – Khalin Joshi (2018), Shiv Kapur (2107), Mukesh Kumar (2016), Chiragh Kumar (2015) and Digvijay Singh (2012) – can go on to repeat, a feat that is yet to be achieved.
Three past winners are not here, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia (2014) opting to try and keep his European Tour card at Q-School in Spain, Wade Ormsby (2013) of Australia and 2011 champion Anirban Lahiri, who is currently playing on the PGA Tour but out of action with a side strain this week.
Still, there is a plethora of Indian and overseas talent lined up here to take a crack at the big prize, and one that has been the launch pad for more than a few careers. In all, 17 countries are represented at this full-field event that interestingly enough, has no amateurs this time round.
Kapur was on a tear last week, missing out on a repeat win at the Thailand Open in a play-off. Ajeetesh Sandhu (T3 here last year) sparkled at the event as well, while the likes of Rashid Khan, S. Chikkarangappa, Viraj Madappa and others have been knocking on the door for a while.
Out for change
European Tour regular Gaganjeet Bhullar, the most successful Indian professional in terms of titles won, has interestingly enough, never won on Indian soil and is keen to change that statistic.
“I’ve never won so far in India,” he noted on Tuesday. “But last year was really good when I got my first European Tour win in Fiji.
“This year I started off really well but the second half on the European Tour was not as good as I was expecting. But right now I’m feeling good, the body is feeling good and I’m hitting the ball well.
“I’m back on this golf course after a gap of ten years. The last time I played here, I shot 22-under and I lost the tournament by ten shots, but it’s a great golf course and I’m confident of playing well this week,” Bhullar added.
Rory Hie was a popular winner at this very venue six-odd weeks ago when he took home the inaugural Classic International. The course then however was very different and thanks to the drier conditions, its nature has changed as well.
‘Good conditions’
“The course is definitely playing different from six weeks ago,” the genial Indonesian noted. “You can now actually see the ball from fifty yards out and it seems to be a really good condition.”
For Joshi, this is an opportunity to create a bit of history even though he has not had the best of seasons. “It’s going to be exciting defending my first Asian Tour title.
“My game is getting more positive and I’m confident,” the 2018 winner said. “The win is still very fresh on my mind and I putted and drove the ball really well that week.
“There are positive signs now as I’m getting those similar feelings like last year. I’ve just got to just block out unnecessary thoughts like I’m the defending champion and just play my own game.”
The international challenge will be led by Asian Tour winners like Suradit Yongcharoenchai, Tirawat Kaewsiribandit, Prom Meesawat and Danthai Boonma of Thailand, Argentine Miguel Carballo, Filipino Miguel Tabuena, Australian Jason Norris among others.
Also in the field is Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman, a three-time runner-up at the Panasonic Open and who narrowly missed out last year to Joshi, who put in a late charge with four birdies in his closing five holes to win by one shot.
“The Classic Golf and Country Club is a lovely course and it’s not very long,” Joshi said.
“But it demands good driving and good putting as well. If you can put the ball on the fairway and putt well, you’re going to be up there on the leaderboard for sure.”
Pressure is on
With the 2019 season nearing its end, Indian golfers will be out to ensure that their streak of having won at least one international title is maintained. After six wins, including one on the Asian Development Tour in 2018, Indians have not won in 2019.
The Panasonic Open India is the second leg of the Asian Tour’s 2019-20 Panasonic Swing, which is a ranking based on an aggregate points race that spans five events with the final top-three players chasing a share of a lucrative bonus pool.
Also read: Khalin Joshi edges out master of DGC Siddikur for Panasonic Open title
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