National Games 2022: Top golfers set to be in action over next four days

Altogether 71 players, including 38 men and 33 women, from 11 participating teams will take part in individual and team events.

Vani Kapoor will be one among the professionals to take part in the National Games. | Photo Credit: Robertus Pudyanto

Some of the top professional and amateur golfers of the country will be seen in action at the Kensville Golf and Country Club over the next four days in the National Games on Thursday.

Altogether 71 players, including 38 men and 33 women, will try their best to ensure a podium finish as competitions will be held in individual and team events.

According to tournament director Ishwar Achanta, each of the 11 participating teams will have a professional and an amateur golfer. “In 11 state teams, when you take both men and women, there will be 44 players. The rest, 37, will compete in the individual event. Those who will be participating in team events and who feature in the top 16 of the PGTI, WGAI and IGU merit lists will also be part of the individual competition,” said Ishwar on Wednesday.

Even though some competitions, including a PGTI event at Panchkula, are taking place close to the National Games, well known professionals such as Karandeep Kochhar, Aman Raj, Ridhima Dilawari and Vani Kapoor and top-ranked amateur Avani Prashanth and No.3 Kriti Chowhan will be part of the four-day event.

Ishwar said this exposure would give the young golfers a feel of participating in a multi-sport event. “The National Games is for all. It’s the go-to event for every aspiring golfer.

Ishwar, who is also the Indian Golf Union’s treasurer and the Tamil Nadu golf federation’s secretary, says he is confident of delivering a well-organised event despite the challenges. He said, “There are some challenges (as far as the course is concerned) but we are managing... Kensville was awarded the event very recently and it has been tough to set up the course to meet the international standards required for an event of this magnitude where preparation usually starts six months prior. The course staff has been most co-operative.”

Ishwar also said the greens will hold true and it will be low scoring in all probability. “The weather is expected to stay hot and dry and conditions favourable for some very low scores. Greens are expected to roll true and at speeds of 10.5 on the stimp,” he said.