Golfing greats descend on difficult DGC forward of DP World India Championships

With the star-studded DP World India Championships making its debut later this week, Tuesday noticed a number of the largest names in males’s golf, together with Rory McIlroy and not too long ago topped Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, getting a primary really feel of the Delhi Golf Club even because the Indian execs welcomed a return to acquainted environment on house soil.

Donald, who arrived solely on Tuesday morning, admitted it was robust to modify from crew mode to particular person play however was comfortable to get again to what he mentioned was his ‘day job’.

“It’s a unique really feel. The previous few years have been quite a lot of Ryder Cup, and particularly the previous couple of weeks. You don’t take into consideration course administration an excessive amount of as of late, you’re simply attempting to hit the ball so far as you’ll be able to… whereas this course, the penalty for lacking the fairways, I’ve been advised, is kind of extreme. I believe it creates a bit of bit extra thought course of,” Donald mentioned throughout a media interplay right here.

Anirban Lahiri, one of many six Indians to have wins on the DP World Tour, was excited to return to the DGC after 10 years since profitable the Indian Open.

“I’m very excited to be again. A number of issues have modified since I final performed the course. It’s undergone a good looking renovation. It’s nonetheless received a well-recognized really feel. I’ve had my struggles right here (however) the previous couple of occasions, it’s develop into extra of a good friend, and I hope to have that relationship proceed.

Compatriot Shubhankar Sharma, who considers the DGC as his house course, was equally wanting ahead to the problem. “Really excited. I’ve been wanting ahead to this occasion since January. I type of already knew it was coming, inside data. The course is in wonderful situation.

“The final time I used to be right here was in 2020, and that was only one exhibition spherical to lift some funds. But once I teed off on that first gap, it felt like I by no means left. I spent so many evenings right here as a child practising, simply having placing competitions,” he reminisced.

And whereas most of them insisted that there can be little house benefit, Shubhankar believed in any other case.

“At the tip of the day, the golf green dimension is definitely the identical; it’s the bushes that make it look smaller. Where the house benefit is available in is that these gamers have grown up enjoying right here. Obviously there’s the intimidation issue of the bushes being there. It works for Indian gamers as a result of we’ve seen this course earlier than.”