Thaindian News

Gurgaon, Feb 5 (IANS) The arrival of next week’s 1.5 million euros Avantha Masters signals the emergence of Indian golf on the Asian platform.
The latest offering on the Asian Tour and co-sanctioned with the European Tour, the Avantha Masters amply mirrors the growing strength of the Asian Tour where like the region’s established circuit, Indian golf is no longer regarded as the sleeping giant.

Even as the who’s who of Asian golf and prominent names from Europe vie with one another for the top purses, the world is awakening to Indian golfing strength.

From the likes of Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun Atwal to Gaganjeet Bhullar, Anirban Lahiri and Himmat Rai, India’s fortunes have sparkled through numerous achievements and victories across Asia and elsewhere.

India holds the proud record of having produced the most number of Asian Tour Order of Merit champions, through Singh in 2006 and 2008, Atwal in 2003 and Jyoti Randhawa, the country’s first Asian number one, in 2002.

In between those proud moments for Indian golf, others have launched their careers by securing ‘wins’ next to their names.

Gaurav Ghei, Feroz Ali, Shiv Kapur, S.S.P. Chowrasia, C. Muniyappa and Bhullar have all added their names onto the Asian Tour’s Roll of Honour with life-changing victories.

Jeev Milkha Singh, who holds six wins in Asia and is now an honorary member of the Asian Tour, credited the Tour for giving him the platform to launch his career which has seen him secure multiple titles in Europe and Japan as well.

“This is where I started from and I will never forget that,” said Jeev. “I will always go back and support the Asian Tour. The way the Asian Tour has grown is fantastic to see. I strongly believe that the Asian Tour will continue to grow and produce top-class players.”

Atwal, who has won seven times on the Asian Tour, said the region’s circuit, which has travelled to 19 different countries over the years, helped shape his growing years as a professional.

“My first Q-school was in 1995 and just to learn how to make cuts and be in contention and finally win, all those I learnt on the Asian Tour,” said Atwal.

Their combined success on the Asian Tour, which have lifted Jeev, Randhawa, Atwal and Ghei into the top-20 of the career earnings with a cumulative haul of over $8 million in winnings, have sparked the emergence of a new and exciting generation of golfers.

Former Asian Games gold medal winner Kapur led the new wave by winning the 2005 Volvo Masters of Asia and since then, a string of other young guns have burst through onto the Asian Tour.

S.S.P. Chowrasia and C. Muniyappa claimed magical victories in 2008 and 2009 to transform their lives while Bhullar broke through last year to win his first title en route to finishing sixth on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Lahiri and Himmat Rai are other young players touted for a big future.