NEW DELHI: The Delhi Golf Club opens its gates once again to the finest Asian Tour players. There are tales to unfold as the club's eponymous tournament tees off on Thursday, presenting opportunities for homegrown golfers and chances for journeymen to relive the past.
Remember Rikard Karlberg? The Swede, 23 then, captured everyone's imagination back in 2010 by winning two events at the Lodhi course. Like many who ignited their career in India, Karlberg skyrocketed to success on the European Tour only for his career to be grounded by a debilitating infection in 2017. "I was in the top 70 in the world, and from there you want to go into the top 50. So, I worked very hard despite the infection … I should have probably rested it. Later, it was constant fever for 100 days, and in the end, I basically passed out and then I couldn’t get out of bed for six months."
The 36-year-old returns to the dream scene at the DGC Open, guided by his old caddie Pramod. “I remember like it was yesterday," he says.
It is yesterday once more too for American Barry Henson, who incidentally moonlights as an Uber driver during holidays back home in Palm Springs. He played his first Asian Tour event at this "special" venue in 2011. "This is my first time back since 2016. I saw the event on TV last year and saw some of the redesign and, and I was a bit bummed I wasn't here," the 43-year-old says.
"It's more visually appealing. That was something the DGC needed. And I think Gary Player did the adjustments perfectly. It already had a cool ambience, and coming back to the redesign, I’m happily surprised that they didn't make too many changes, just the right ones to make it better."
The word is that a lot of the Top 60 players decided to make this trip after it was so well received last year. "We’ve got a great field here this week, which might be one of the best Asian Tour fields we've had at DGC in a while. And I think that's a testament to what the golf club did last year."
As the Tour grows with the Saudi-backed International Series, these regular events provide the bread and butter for the journeymen. Australian Scott Hend, 49, was a familiar figure around Indian courses but it's been a while, like he will tell you.
"The last time I was here, it was in 2015 where I played Miguel Jimenez and Anirban Lahiri at the Indian Open. There has been a massive improvement. It is much better, the greens are quite nice."
A lover of fast cars who named his twins Aston and Mclaren, Hend was once known for his driving distance on the USPGA Tour. He is, of course, slightly cautious among the DGC bushes. "My last win was in the last few months of 2019, just before COVID. I thought I was gonna kick on, but all of a sudden it just stopped for a while. So now let's get back on a roll and get things going again. My best is good enough to win."
Viraj Madappa, who won his maiden Asian Tour event in 2018, was yearning for a break at the end of last year. "I was tired of playing golf. I was tired of the travel, tired of everything that came with professional golf, I think over the last couple of years it all built up. I think it got to a stage where I got into Saudi and all the big events and I just didn't feel like my heart would be there. So I wanted to take some time off."
Spending quality time with his sister who got married was the highest on his priority list. The game took a back seat, but he is back again. "For me, it's never been about winning golf tournaments. I've always wanted to play well and play up to my ability and I know if I can keep doing that, that I'll be contending. I've only played two events this year so my game is a bit rusty. So the focus is on just having fun. And like I said, just keep the ball in play, play good golf and it'll come together."
Everyone has a story, and a plan.
Chikkarangappa, who finished in the top-10 last week at Hua Hin, waded in. "Every Indian wants to do well at the DGC, it has so much history. I’ve been spending time with my putter to try and keep the shoulders stable as most of our important putts here will be made from inside eight and 10 feet.”
DGC talisman Shiv Kapur feels the scores will be better than the winning tally of 7-under last year. "The wind dried up the course and made it a bit of a challenge. I expect it to play slightly easier this year because of the softer conditions."
Nitithorn Thippong is back to defend the tournament that sees a prize money increase of 50% to $750,000, but Ajeetesh Sandhu, who had to settle for second-best in the playoff, is on an injury break.
Fast Facts:
Top overseas stars: Sadom Kaewkanjana, Nitithorn Thippong, Suradit Yongcharoenchai (Tha), Barry Henson (USA).
