Attacking golf my mantra, says Shiv
Three- time Asian Tour winner in 2017 Shiv Kapur feels it will be tough for Indian golfers to outdo their international counterparts and retain the Hero Indian Open title at the tricky DLF Golf course this time.
Two- time defending champion S. S. P. Chawrasia won the event at two courses, the Delhi Golf Course and at DLF, while Anirban Lahiri did so in 2015 at the DGC.
“It is great to see Indians going as favourites but there are a bunch of strong international players, so it will be a very tough for India to sort of retain the trophy,” said Kapur, who won the Yeangder Heritage, Panasonic Open and the Royals Cup within eight months last year.
The field of the 54th edition of Indian Open that gets under way on Thursday features two European Ryder Cup captains, 2011 Open winner Darren Clarke and Thomas Bjorn, till recently a top 10 world ranked player.
Emiliano Grillo of Argentina, who is a PGA Tour winner and member of the 2017 Presidents Cup team, Britain’s Andrew Johnston, past champion Thongchai Jaidee and Ryder Cup player, Chris Wood, who won the 2016 BMW PGA Championships, are also in the field.
Considering that Chawrasia had dominated both the DGC and DLF golf courses with back- to- back wins, Kapur was asked how he would approach the week as he too tamed the Delhi course last year en route to the Panasonic Open.
“Whatever he did, it clearly works. He blew the field away last year and that is something to ponder about. But I will play more attacking golf this year than last year because since it is a tough course, we tend to play more defensive.
“I said this at the Panasonic Open, I will play it like I play like a Sunday round, take on and play lot more drivers. I think if I come out with attack, I might make some bogeys but I will end up making few birdies as well. But if I am defensive and have a bunch of pars and a big number might hit you.
“But obviously, SSP has got the formula down at old DLF, new DLF, DGC, so you know I can learn a lot from him.”
Talking about the DLF course, where golfers struggled last season even as Chawrasia strolled to a sevenshot lead, Kapur said: “I think we are making it into a mental beast. It is a tough golf course and with the sort of wind we have it would a tough test but I don’t think it is an unfair test. Some of the changes will make decision making little easier.”