Indians sparkle in first half of Asian Tour season

NEW DELHI - One win and a bunch of top-10s is how the first half of the Asian Tour panned out for Indian golfers this year. The encouraging feature has been the emergence of a new crop of youngsters who are all set to make their presence felt in world golf.

Even as the established set of stars led by Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa and Shiv Kapur, all products of the Asian Tour, are busy playing on the European Tour, the new lot is on its way to make a mark for themselves.

The season began in a whirlwind manner with 21-year-old Gaganjeet Bhullar winning his second Asian Tour title in a matter of months. The well-built Bhullar, who also made his Major debut at the British Open last year, won the season-opening Asian Tour International and underlined his growing potential.

He had won the 2009 Indonesia President Invitational for his maiden triumph and had three other second place finishes and two other top-10s in a season that saw him finish in sixth place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

Even as Bhullar has been steady, Rahil Gangjee, who back in 2004 won in his rookie season, has made a great comeback in the first half of 2010. The smiling, slightly-built but long hitting Kolkata golfer, has enjoyed two top-10s and two other top-15 finishes in just six starts, which has placed him 13th on the merit list, one behind Bhullar.

Gangjee was tied 14th at the co-sanctioned Avantha Masters on home soil and then finished 10th at the Maybank Malaysian Open where S.S.P. Chowrasia was tied 19th and then added a tied ninth at SAIL Open. In his last appearance on the Asian Tour, he was tied 13th at Queen’s Cup.

“It has been a decent season so far and I hope to build on it in the second half which has many big events,” said Gangjee. “I have also worked hard on my game and the results are showing.”

Kapur, who won the Volvo Masters of Asia in his rookie year in 2005, is a regular on the European Tour but he came to adding a second title when he finished second at the SAIL Open at his home course at Delhi Golf Club in March. Kapur, widely seen as a big prospect, is expected to break out in the packed second half of the season.

“There is a lot of depth in Indian golf as new players are hitting the Asian Tour,” said Kapur, who himself is fairly young at 28 but has been around on the pro circuit since 2004.

Himmat Rai and Anirban Lahiri are two other fresh faced golfers whose prospects are capable of flying as far as their booming drives.

While both of them are still hunting for their maiden wins on the Asian Tour, they have had consistent results.

Jyoti Randhawa, who has spent most of the time in Europe, did find time to contend at the SAIL Open where he was third. He was also tied 18th at the Avantha Masters.

Rai has posted two top-20 finishes and Anirban Lahiri has one. But Lahiri, who had five top-10s last season, is looking at a breakthrough in the second half which is sprinkled with numerous big-money events.

From an event perspective, Indian golf is placing itself as one of the premier halts with three high profile events. Even as the Hero Honda Indian Open is one of the big events of the second half, the Asian Tour added the Avantha Masters, an event co-sanctioned with European Tour and carrying a purse of $2.1 million.

In the SAIL Open, which entered its third year, Indians occupied second to sixth places, besides another one in tied ninth. It was among the most successful home events ever for Indian golfers with six others in top-20.

The arrival of another Asian Tour event co-sanctioned with European Tour, the Avantha Masters, now scheduled till 2012, also signalled the growing strength of India as a golfing destination.