Sujjan, Anirban look for glory on home turf
India`s new star Sujjan Singh is looking to exploit the home conditions and translate his impressive form into a victory at the SAIL Open golf tournament starting on Tuesday.
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New Delhi: India`s new star Sujjan Singh is
looking to exploit the home conditions and translate his
impressive form into a victory at the SAIL Open golf
tournament starting on Tuesday.
Singh, who earned his Asian Tour card in Qualifying
School earlier this year, will feature in the USD 300,000
showpiece with local star Jyoti Randhawa, a former Order of
Merit champion and India`s rising stars Gaganjeet Bhullar and
Anirban Lahiri at the Delhi Golf Club.
Australia`s Marcus Both, Thai duo Kiradech Aphibarnrat
and Pariya Junhasavasdikul will also be in the elite field in
the tournament co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and PGTI.
After finishing tied fifth at the Avantha Masters in
India last month, Sujjan, who is second on the Order of Merit,
is now setting his sights on winning his first Asian Tour
title.
"My goal is to keep my ranking, hopefully move up in it
and win on the Asian Tour. I`ve won on the Indian Tour so
winning on the Asian Tour is my next goal," said Sujjan.
"I think of going for a win each week but I`m more
confident this week because I`m playing on a course which I`m
more familiar with," he added.
Singh started taking the game of golf seriously at the
age of 21 and prior to that represented his state`s football
team and was the state squash champion. Despite his late start
in the game, he believes he has what it takes to take his game
to new heights.
"My placing in the Avantha Masters more or less helped me
secure my Asian Tour card for next season and that has allowed
me to play a little bit more freely and go for a win," said
the 30-year-old.
India`s Anirban Lahiri is also looking forward to getting
his season going at the SAIL Open. He is highly regarded as
one of India`s rising stars but said he still has much to
learn.
"It is a matter of learning and gaining more experience.
I`m still young and been a professional for a few years.
Ultimately when you are on the golf course, you are doing your
best playing each shot at a time. I think that`s what I would
like to do best and keep doing in the future," said Anirban,
who finished in 56th place on the Order of Merit last season.
Australia`s Both, who played in his first Asian Tour
tournament in India in 2003, was delighted to return to the
SAIL Open where he finished in tied ninth placing last year.
Both has been plying his trade in Asia for the past 10
years and has saluted the tremendous growth of the game in
India.
Pariya is hoping to make amends this week after missing
the cut at the SAIL Open last season. He said his game has
matured more since winning his maiden Asian Tour title last
season and believes good course management will be the key to
a good result this week.
"The golf course is India is different compared to other
golf courses I play on. The Delhi Golf Club is a very classic
golf course and you need to be very patient and accurate. You
need to know where to place the ball and where not to go. It
will be very challenging," said Pariya, a licensed pilot.
PTI
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