Much of the country’s golfing landscape has changed from the days when Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa took turns to play the torch-bearers. Those youngsters who took to golf inspired by their exploits are today making their presence felt on the Asian Tour.
Strange as it may sound, the three veterans are in the fray for the $400,000 Panasonic Open starting at the Delhi Golf Club on Thursday, with a field of 120 professionals from 20 countries.
Stranger still is the fact that no one is talking about their chances.
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Going purely by the numbers, these three professionals are the most successful on the list of international title-winners from India. Jeev (13 wins), Atwal (10) and Randhawa (9) hold the top three positions on the all-time Indian list.
No doubt they have not beaten the weekend field in recent past.
But any of the three could emerge as the dark horse this week at a course they all know well.
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For the record, Jeev’s last title came at the 2012 Scottish Open on the European Tour, Atwal’s was the 2014 Dubai Open and Randhawa’s the 2009 Thailand Open.
Jeev, joint runner-up at the Indonesia Open two weeks back, said: “That event has renewed my belief that I can still give these youngsters a run for their money and can add a few more wins.”
It is the motivation to win his first title here that continues to bring Jeev to the Delhi Golf Club course.
At a time when the younger contenders like S. Chikkarangappa, Shubhankar Sharma, Rashid Khan, Himmat Rai and defending champion Chiragh Kumar are expected to keep alive the hopes of an Indian winning, Atwal, 43, will fall back on his course knowledge to come up with a creditable showing here.
Atwal is placed 70th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit and needs a top-10 finish to retain full playing rights on the continent’s premier tour for 2017.
“This course is very tight. The key here is to hit as many fairways as you can. If you play from the short grass, you are going to do well.
“If you start missing fairways, it’s basically a done deal for you,” said Atwal.
“It’s all about hitting fairways here.”
In the absence of the in-form Gaganjeet Bhullar, who has this year won two of his eight career-titles by claiming the Donghae Open and the Indonesia Open, and S.S.P. Chowrasia, who beat the field in this season’s Manila Masters, the prospects of a new Indian champion cannot be ruled out.