For the first time, two golfers from India will play at the prestigious U.S. Open, when Anirban Lahiri and Shiv Kapur tee off at the Chambers Bay course, Washington, on Thursday.
India has had two representatives at other Major events (twice at the British Open and once at the PGA Championship), but never at the U.S. Open until now.
Lahiri, whose winning streak this season has pushed him to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit, has been grouped with American golfers Ryan Moore and Erik Compton in the opening two rounds. He is set to become the third Indian to have played all four Majors, after Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun Atwal.
The 27-year-old Bengaluru golfer will tie with Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa for the second-highest number of Major appearances (five) among Indians. With 13 Major appearances to his credit, Jeev has set the bar high.
Kapur, who booked his U.S. Open spot through the sectional qualifiers in England, will also have two Americans — Denny McCarthy and D.A. Points — for company.
