Men’s Golf: Strong Indian field for Panasonic Open

New Delhi: Five of the six past winners of the 7th Panasonic Open, which tees off at the Delhi Golf club on Thursday, have come from home shores. And given the strength of the local challenge, it could well be yet another Indian in the winner’s circle come Sunday.

Four past champions — only Anirban Lahiri is missing — and virtually every top Indian pro is in the mix at the $400,000 event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGTI.

Leading the way is S.S.P. Chawrasia, who successfully defended his Hero Indian Open earlier this year, followed by Shiv Kapur, who won the Yeangder Heritage, Ajeetesh Sandhu, winner at the Yeangder TPC and Gaganjeet Bhullar at the Macao Open.

Said Kapur at a curtain-raising press conference here on Tuesday, “I think the only thing that has eluded me at the DGC is a title on the Asian Tour. I know the course well and this is my home course. I know every blade of grass, in a manner of speaking.

“This time I’m going with a bit of reverse psychology, where I’m not the favourite and everyone else is coming in with a lot of form.”

Kapur, who also had a tied second finish at the Thailand Open, added, “I haven’t played a lot of golf lately and hopefully, I can surprise everyone.

“I have played just 14 holes in the last month before this week. So, this week I’ll play as if I’m going to play out there with my buddies, hit the same clubs off the tee. For me it’s going to be fun golf and hopefully, that turns out to be my winning formula.”

Defending champion Mukesh Kumar, who became the oldest winner ever on the Asian Tour in 2016 was keen to push his run along. “I have won a lot of tournaments on the Indian Tour, but I really wanted to win on the Asian Tour as well.

“I was really elated to win the Panasonic Open India last year. It felt really special and I couldn’t believe it myself. I had waited a long time for this. This time too, my game is shaping up well. I need to work on my putting and my aim would be retaining my trophy.”

Asked if he would like to see his picture among past champions once more, Mukesh smiled. “There is some space to the right of my picture from 2016. I hope I can get my picture there once again.”

For American Paul Paterson, 2016 winner of the Czech Masters last year, the DGC is familiar territory.

“I have always had a great experience here in India; this is my third time at the Delhi Golf Club and I’m happy to be back, he said.

Also in the fray are Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand, who holds an unprecedented 18 wins on the region’s premier Tour, Malaysia’s Nicholas Fung and Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand.