India's top golfers hope to revive their season with good show at Indian Open
New Delhi, March 27
Indian golf was flying high last year, now it is going through low, relatively speaking.
At last year’s Indian Open golf, there were six players in the world top-100, this time around, there are only four of them. For the Indian fans, two names from the top-100 dropouts are relevant — Anirban Lahiri and Shubhankar Sharma. Sharma was world No. 60 and Lahiri No. 80 around this time last year. Now Sharma is world No. 122, Lahiri No. 185.
The two players are keen to come up to the 2018 standards when the Indian Open begins at the DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurugram tomorrow.
Sharma, who last year became the first Indian golfer to play all four Majors in one season, ended up with the Asian Tour Order of Merit and European Tour Rookie of the Year award. But he’s had a tougher time this year, as his world ranking shows.
Sharma’s best result on the European Tour this year was tied-29th at the Dubai Desert Classic, and he finished tied-30th at the Maybank Championship last Sunday. Last year, the 22-year-old Sharma came close to winning the title here but a final-round 75 sent him down to tied-7th.
Today he said he hoped to do well on this course. "This was my home course for the longest time and it feels great to be back on familiar grounds," he said, and added about his show last year: "Obviously, last year a lot of things were happening. I flew in straight from Mexico and then right after I flew to The Masters. I had to deal with jetlag and amidst all that I was still able to shoot the course record (64 in 2nd round) and do pretty well. I am a lot more relaxed this time around and more focused. This year will be different.”
Lahiri looks for revival
Lahiri, winner of the Indian Open in 2015, has endured a rough year, and said he is trying to get rid of his inconsistency problem. "My game has been a bit inconsistent, but it is moving in the right direction. I've had a couple of bad weekends. I have singled out the problems that need to be fixed. I just need to pull it together and stay focused. It feels like I'm in that place where my game can just take off," he said.
"It's always wonderful to be back home. Every time I come back, I have happy memories, having played well in this tournament for a number of years. I always look forward to playing my national Open as it is like a 'Fifth Major' for all of us Indian golfers," Lahiri added.
Top-100
The field of 156 this time has four players in the world top-100 — Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand (No. 71), Adrian Otaegui (No. 73), Shaun Norris (No. 90) and Jorge Campillo (No. 93). There are strong players in the field who are in good form — Jazz won the Singapore Open and David Law the Vic Open. Two other title-winners are Aaron Rai (Hong Kong Open) and Scott Hend (Maybank Championships). The field includes last year’s Scottish Open winner Brandon Stone, four-time European Tour winner Bernd Wiesberger and former Asian Tour No. 1 Gavin Green. — TNS
Indian Open numbers
Indian players have won the title three times in the last four years — Lahiri (2015) and SSP Chawrasia (twice, in 2016 and 2017). Chawrasia is the first Indian golfer to retain a title on the European Tour.
Overall, nine Indians have won the Indian Open title, for a combined 13 times.
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