Smriti trains guns at LPGA
With a ‘ consistent’ season on the Indian women’s professional golf tour, Smriti Mehra feels that she is back on track and wants to play in the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour again.
“I have been playing consistent golf. One of my biggest goals this year is to go back to the US and play in the LPGA. Whatever I do, wherever I play — my every effort will be towards making it there,” said Smriti after receiving the Hero- Women’s Golf Association of India ‘ Player of the Year’ award at the DLF Golf and the Country Club on Wednesday.
A pioneer in Indian women’s golf and one of those behind setting up the WGAI, Smriti has been concentrating on the domestic tour after she lost her LPGA card in 2008. In the 2011- 12 season, she played 15 events here, winning seven of them to top the Order of Merit list.
Budding stars Ankita Tiwana and Nalini Singh Siwach ( second in the OOM) won ‘ best rookie of the year’ and ‘ best putter of the year’ awards. While Smriti received a cheque of ` 50,000, Ankita and Nalini picked up ` 25,000 and ` 15,000, respectively.
However for Smriti, the season wasn’t a stroll in the park. “In October last, I struggled with my putting. It was a bad phase,
It was then my brother gave me a half- hour lesson that completely changed the way I think
where I played really bad in Spain, Thailand and then at the RCG ( Kolkata) — where I even lost to Nalini. “It was then my brother gave me a half- hour lesson that completely changed the way I think. In seconds, I could see my way ahead,” revealed the 39- year— old, who plans to go for the LPGA qualifiers this December. Smriti feels there has been a wind of change of change in Indian women’s golf in recent years. “Now the girls think beyond amateur golf. They have a different mindset, they have started believeing that they can compete in international level, against top golfers in the world.
“And with players like Sharmila Nicollet ( qualified for European Tour) and budding stars Nalini have come out, women’s golf in the country is certainly growing.”