Shiv Kapur out to defend title

New Delhi: Defending champion Shiv Kapur will look to put up a strong showing to turn his lacklustre season around when the eighth edition of the Panasonic Open India golf tournament gets underway at the venerable Delhi Golf Club on Thursday.

The pull out of seasoned and inform S.S.P. Chawrasia with wrist injury only increased the chances of Kapur’s emerging on top.

“Ofcourse there is a pressure as a defending champion but I think it’s a positive and good pressure knowing that you have won on this course before. If I can put myself in position to win again come Sunday, I can definitely bank on my past memories to help me achieve the feat,” said Kapur.

The 36-year-old who will be gunning to become the first player to defend his title, will lead the local challenge which includes three former champions Chiragh Kumar, Mukesh Kumar and Digvijay Singh apart from Indian golfing stalwarts Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa.

Local boys Rashid Khan, Viraj Madappa, who became the youngest Indian winner on the Asian Tour, and Ajeetesh Sandhu are other Indians to watch out for.

Three home amateurs — Aadil Bedi, 17; Kshitij Naveed Kaul, 17 and Yuvraj Sandhu, 21 — will turn pro with this event, which will see 126 golfers in action.

“I am excited to play my first event as a professional on my home course. I feel good because I am playing well now. I have played a few times with Shiv Kapur and it’s nice. The Delhi Golf Club is my home club so I hope I can take advantage of my course knowledge this week,” the soft spoken Kaul said.

Jazz set to rock DGC

Thailand duo Jazz Janewattananond, a two-time Asian Tour winner, and Tirawat Kaewsiribandit, who has won his last two starts, along with Bangladesh’s Suddikur Rehman will spearhead the foreign line-up.

Jazz will look to extend his good run at the DGC. “The last time I played here was two years ago. I remembered playing very well on the first three days and was playing in the final group with Mukesh Kumar before he went on to win the tournament. I didn’t play well on the final day but I know I can play well on this course,” he said.

Tirawat clinched his first Asian Tour event in Pakistan and then in a domestic event in Thailand.

Tirawat is now looking at a hat-trick of titles here.

Siddikur, currently 97th on the Money List, is looking for a good result at his favourite venue to break into top-60 by the end of the season to keep his Asian Tour card for 2019.