Tuesday, March 17, 2009
RELAXED RANDHAWA EYES SAIL OPEN GLORY
GURGAON: Riding on his title win in the Singha Thailand Open, Jyoti Randhawa is quite relaxed to play on the home soil in the $300,000 SAIL Open this week. Though he is considered the favourite for the event, he does not want to get ruffled by taking too much pressure on him.
Randhawa has become wiser after his title drought in international competitions last year and believes his relaxed approach helped him in Phuket. Now, using his experience, he wants to reap more benefits at the Asian Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India co-sanctioned event.
The 36-year-old is planning to ride his motorbike everyday to reach the Classic Golf Resort to improve upon his second place finish in the inaugural edition of the tournament.
“I am coming on my bike, it is parked outside. For eight months we are playing and this is a good opportunity to relax if a golf tournament is played on your backyard,” Randhawa summed up his mood a day before the tournament, starting on Wednesday.
Randhawa is a giant on home turf and his five title wins – three Indian Open and two Hero Honda Masters crowns – explain his dominance on Indian soil. The other psychological advantage for him is his “good memories” of the golf course, where he lifted his first Indian Open crown way back in 2000.
Like Randhawa, the course has become mature and the world No. 93 loves it. “Length of the tees will be beneficial as there are a lot of long par fours and par fives. If you are long enough, you can do some damage. I remember I putted really well in 2000 when I won there. I was hitting the ball long, so it was fun then.”
In nine years, the trees have become taller and the course has become tougher. “It has come off age,” Randhawa remarked.
S.S.P. Chowrasia, winner of the Emaar-Indian Masters last season, also seems to have found his touch with a fourth place in Thailand Open. He will be hoping to make up for the loss of form following his maiden win on Asian and European Tour.
“I have changed my putter and my game is coming together,” said Chowrasia.
Also looking for good results and a possible win will be Gaurav Ghei, Shiv Kapur and Digvijay Singh while young gun, Gaganjeet Bhullar, is also looking confident after a win on the PGTI last week. Rahil Gangjee, seeking to find his way back to the Asian Tour, where he lost his card last season, will also be hoping to strike here.
Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant will be amongst the Asian Tour’s elite hoping to equal compatriot Thongchai Jaidee’s record of a 11th career victory on the Asian Tour when the second edition of the SAIL Open gets underway this week.
“The Indians are doing so well these days. In Thailand Open, it looked like only Indian players. I was telling someone it was like Indian Open. The Indians are very strong and more so in India, but I will try my best. But I am getting old,” the 42-year-old Thai said with a smile.
The prize money has come down by $100,000 but the SAIL insists that it was because of the slide of rupee against dollar. “We are giving the same amount of money this time as well,” said a SAIL official.
[Posted by Y]
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