NEW DELHI: The refurbished Lodhi course at the Delhi Golf Club is set to pose a different challenge with the re-done greens and re-shaped bunkers when professional golfers from 21 countries tee off at the inaugural edition of the Asian Tour and PGTI-sanctioned DGC Open, beginning Thursday here.
The par-72 facility underwent a nine-month long revamp in 2019 and has been redesigned by the nine-time Major winner, legendary Gary Player, who is part of the $500,000 event this week. The Open will be played from March 24-27 with the traditional Pro-Am on Wednesday.
It will be the first international tournament to be held in India after a gap of three years, and is the fourth leg of the Asian Tour's 2022 season. The Asian Tour was last played on the Lodhi course in 2018. India's Khalin Joshi had won that event.
Gaganjeet Bhullar, the most successful Indian player on the Tour with nine victories, will spearhead the home challenge along with Shiv Kapur, Rahil Gangjee, Gaurav Ghei, Mukesh Kumar, SSP Chawrasia, Rashid Khan and Viraj Madappa. USA's Paul Peterson, South Africa's Ian Snyman and Bangladesh's Siddikur Rahman will add the international flavour.
Speaking about the renovated facility, which was designed in the seventies by his friend and five-time Open winner, the late Peter Thomson, Player said: "I would give this course a nine out of 10. I must also compliment the committee and members of the club for the way they have maintained and utilised the course. This is a historic venue and one always feels hesitant about tweaking a classic course too much...but it has worked out very well."
Multiple Asian Tour winner Kapur, added: "The DGC is like my home, or second home as we call the course. I am always trying to pick things that can be improved at any course, but after seeing the new layout, I must say I cannot find any."
Madappa, who won the first pro event on the redesigned DGC layout last year which was part of the PGTI schedule, said, "The course is looking in great shape and challenging too."
Speaking about the Indian golfing scene, Player, who is regarded as one of the all-time greats of the game having won 160 titles since 1963, picked India's Anirban Lahiri as the country' s best bet to win a Major after the 34-year-old's recent runner-up finish at the Players Championship in Florida.
"If Lahiri can finish second in the Players tournament, then he can definitely win a major, no question. And what a happy day that would be for me to see a person from India win a Major, and it's coming. Because there is a good standard of play, you have got good golf courses, good climate, it can happen," the South African added.
