Fresh test awaits golfers
The revamped state- of- art DLF Golf and Country Club is all set to test the accuracy and patience of a host of golfers when the eighth edition of the Hero Women’s Indian Open gets under way here from Friday.
Huge and deep bunkers, sloppy greens and narrow fairways are some of the striking features of the new Gary Playerdesigned course ( back nine), and are enough to give a hard times to the field during the three- day tri- sanctioned tournament.
The course has undergone a complete overhaul since 2012, the last time when the tournament was held here.
The last two editions had taken place at Delhi Golf Club.
The par- 4 17th hole has been one of the talking points of the course and demands to be played with a lot of precision.
“The 17th is very tricky. You have to place the ball correctly or else you find it in the water. I feel the player with the best combination of all — accurate tee shots, approach and putting — should manage to overcome it and win the tournament,” said Hero Order of Merit leader and home star Vani Kapoor.
An increased prize purse of $ 400,000 had also made this year’s tournament more alluring with a host of stars like defending champion Gwladys Nocera, British duo Trish Johnson and Melissa Reid, who is fourth on the Ladies European Tour Order of merit, former champion Thidapa Suwannapura besides the talk of the town Cheyenne Woods, niece of the great Tiger Woods, to participate this year.
Cheyenne, who has one win on the Ladies European Tour, would look to live up to her surname this week.
“It is a tough field but I am in good form and hitting the ball well,” said 15time winner Gwladys.
The home expectations will be led by fit again Shamila Nicolet and a confident Vani in the strong field comprising 114 players from across 35 countries.
Indian hopes are also on 17- year- old Aditi Ashok who is in red- hot form with her recent achievements including title wins at the Singha Thailand Amateur Championship, the 2015 British Ladies Amateur Strokeplay Champ- ionship and the prestigious 2015 St. Rule Trophy at St. Andrews.
Last year’s top Indian finishers Vaishavi Sinha ( fifth) and Gauri Monga ( tied eighth) will also add to the home stars’ presence.
Home player Vani said accuracy would be the key on this tricky course.
“The back nine hardly has any flat areas. One needs to go out tomorrow with a strategy, focusing on one shot at a time.
“The course doesn’t have many trees but thick bushes and really narrow fairways, with bunkers that come into play every now and then,” the youngster said.
While Vani praised the scenic beauty of the course, she added, “it’s the most challenging couse I have ever played.”
“I have practiced really hard for a month. I am adjusted to the new swing and playing confident. Even par would be a good score here,” the 21- yearold said, who predicted three to four- over as the winning score.