Sports News | Shubhankar, Ahlawat Have Task Cut out on Familiar but Challenging Course
Get latest articles and stories on Sports at LatestLY. Their familiarity with the DLF Golf and Country Club course notwithstanding, the seasoned Shubhankar Sharma and Veer Ahlawat will have their task cut out in the Hero Indian Open beginning here on Thursday, the tough surface adding to the challenge.
Gurugram, Mar 26 (PTI) Their familiarity with the DLF Golf and Country Club course notwithstanding, the seasoned Shubhankar Sharma and Veer Ahlawat will have their task cut out in the Hero Indian Open beginning here on Thursday, the tough surface adding to the challenge.
The two will be among 30 Indians, including four amateurs, who will compete in the tournament carrying a prize purse of USD 2.25 million.
Runner-up in the last edition, Ahlawat is looking to do one better this time on a course considered one of the most challenging in the world but also where he has played a lot gold along with Shubhankar.
"I feel pretty good about my game, but I don't want to put too much pressure on myself to win. If I play well and everything goes well, I think I'll have a good chance," Ahlawat told PTI Videos on Wednesday..
"This is a really tough surface, and you need to be on your A-game if you need to win here," he said.
Ahlawat believed that a score of more than five under will be competitive.
When asked about his conversations with fellow golfer Shubhankar, Ahlawat said, "He's mostly talking about the surface, and we have some good memories as we played junior golf..
Ahlawat is optimistic about Indian golfers' performance in the sport over the next 5-10 years.
"We have good chances, the standard of Indian golf has gone up. We might see a lot of youngsters playing at Asian and European tours.".
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Excited Shubhankar eyes success on home soil
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Shubhankar, who is one of the few players to finish in top 10 at the 2023 British Open, is now focused on winning the Indian Open.
Speaking ahead of the tournament, he expressed his excitement about playing on home soil.
"It's always good to play the Indian Open," Shubhankar said..
"I have high expectations this time. I'm playing well, and I trust my game. The course is tough, so you've got to respect it as well. I'll do my best and be persistent," he told PTI Videos.
The 28-year-old golfer emphasised on focusing on every aspect of the game.
"You have to focus on every aspect of the game, from shots to putting," he said..
"It's a test of every aspect of your game. I'm happy we're showcasing a surface like this in an international event like this, and players will enjoy it." he said.
Shubhankar, whose top-10 finish at the 2023 British Open remains one of the biggest highlights of his career, is aiming for consistency rather than setting a specific target in the tournament.
"I wouldn't really put any score in my head. Every hole is tough, and I'll try to be consistent for all four days. It will be four days of hard work.".
The experienced golfer also praised his friend Ahlawat.
"Veer is a very good friend, and he's a good player. I also try to help him whenever he needs help..
Shubhankar has played Indian Open every year since it came onto the DP World Tour in 2015, and has ensured weekend action each time.
Shubhankar, who turned pro at 16, has also succeeded in keeping his playing rights on the tour since 2017.
Apart from Shubhankar and Ahlawat, the only Indians on the DPWT currently, the field also has the last Indian winner of the tournament, SSP Chawrasia (victorious in 2016 and 2017), Dubai-based Indian Rayhan Thomas, who now plays on Korn Ferry Tour in the United States, and Hero Brand Ambassador Shiv Kapur.
Shubhankar will be teeing up at the tournament for the eighth time in his career and he has made the cut each time with the tied 7th in 2018 being his best.
This will be Ahlawat's fifth start at the event and his best finish was tied second last year.
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)