Randhawa, Atwal aim to cash in at Hero Honda Open

Jyoti Randhawa is hoping that good memories of the Indian Open, sponsors Hero Honda and Delhi Golf Club will translate into another win on home soil this week.

The 2002 Asian number one triumphed in the 2000 Indian Open and won back-to-back titles in the Hero Honda Masters, both at the challenging Delhi Golf Club, in 1998 and 1999.

Randhawa, back to full fitness after an injury-plagued season, said that his previous wins will give him an extra buzz when he tees off in the Hero Honda Indian Open from October 27 to 30.

"It will be a big week and I will have that special feeling which I often enjoy when playing in an event, and on a course where I have won before," said the 33-year-old Randhawa.

"I like to play in India whenever I can and the Indian Open is a fantastic tournament. I have won before at Delhi Golf Club - it is a great golf course with a lot of character. It is completely different from what we (Asian Tour players) normally play on. It is demanding on your game," said Randhawa.

Randhawa, currently lying third in the Asian Tour Order of Merit despite enduring injury woes during the summer, was delighted that Hero Honda was backing the Indian Open for the next three years.

"Like all the Indian players I am proud of our home. It would be nice if an Indian player could win the title this year," he said.

Randhawa has recorded four top-20 finishes on the Asian Tour this season, including a runner-up spot behind Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee in the Carlsberg Malaysian Open, but his injuries saw him miss many tournaments on the Japan Golf Tour.

Arjun Atwal, the only other Indian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit, will compete in the Hero Honda Indian Open after a fantastic year on the US PGA Tour where he is ranked 76th with winnings of $963,768.

Like Randhawa, 32-year-old Atwal has tasted success in the Indian Open and in a Hero Honda sponsored event at Delhi Golf Club, raising the likelihood of a showdown between the country's two most successful players.

"I still feel that was the most important win of my career," said Atwal of his win in the 1999 Indian Open at Royal Calcutta Golf Club. "I had come close to winning on a number of occasions, but that was the first and gave me the confidence to realise I could win at that level. So to be returning to play in the event this year, especially after the year I have had in the States, is special."

The Indian Open, India's oldest running international sporting competition, has been staged at Delhi Golf Club for the past three years. Mardan Mamat claimed the title last year to become the first Singaporean to win on the Asian Tour.

October 24, 2005

Bookmark page with:

Return to Top of Page