BENGALURU: When the focus of the entire world is on the Olympics, it is easy to get carried away and try to punch above one’s weight. However, Udayan Mane, the second-highest ranked Indian golfer who got his official Tokyo confirmation when the International Golf Federation announced the final field on Tuesday, said he would tread the tested path and not do something silly.
“The temptations are there to really announce myself on the world stage, but I have got to realise that whatever has gotten me this far and into the Olympics is exactly what I have to do to perform there as well,” Mane told TOI on Tuesday.
“It is an individual sport and you’ve got to do what’s good for you and not harm yourself in the process. Through experience I have learnt that performing at the highest level does not happen by making drastic changes at the last minute,” added the 30-year-old, who last played a tournament nearly four months ago.
With sporting activity having ground to a halt in the country following the second Covid-19 wave, Mane, unlike the rest of his rivals in the 60-player field, will be short on tournament play.
Winner of the last event on the Indian Tour (PGTI) in March, Mane is sweating it out at the Poona Club Golf Course. “I have to somehow simulate the tournament atmosphere over here. I will probably play a four-day event, make my own tee time and request the committee to put different pin positions, tee all the way back and give myself a fixed time to finish the round,” revealed the 11-time winner on the PGTI Tour.
Although not in competitive mode yet, Mane hasn’t taken a break from the game as such. He practised for over two months at the Kalhaar Blues and Greens Golf Club in Ahmedabad and is now ironing out the rough edges at his hometown in Pune.
“The Poona Club Golf course committee has been very kind to let me practice, even though the course is in operation only from 6am to 9am. I have got permission from the PMC (Pune Municipal Corporation) to practise through the day,” Mane said.
With the Tokyo berth assured and the event beginning in a little over three weeks from now, the Indian’s training has gathered momentum. “The entire routine has become a lot more structured. Practice is a more intense right now, but as the dates come closer it will be less of practice and more of playing and finding a way to score with what I have,” said Mane.
Having played once as an amateur in the Eisenhower Trophy in Japan, and having scored reasonably well too (14-under), Mane felt adapting to the conditions quickly would be the key. He will have his stablemate Anirban Lahiri both train with Vijay Divecha for support at the quadrennial extravaganza.
