Indian professional golf booming on Asian Tour

As the son of a greenskeeper, S.S.P Chowrasia understands the hardships of making ends meet in golf.

For years, his father toiled diligently to provide for the family and it was natural that Chowrasia picked up the game by sneaking onto the Royal Calcutta course to play several holes.

His dream was to become a professional golfer and make a better living for the family and it all came true with one glowing rookie season on the Asian Tour. The 29-year-old earned over US$100,000 with three top-10s in 2006, bought a house next to the golf club and no longer needs to sneak in the course for his practice.

“My first full year was superb. I finished in the top-40 of the UBS Order of Merit and it changed my life. Now I have a full card and I am looking forward to doing well.”

He regretted not joining the Asian Tour much earlier. Chowrasia, nicknamed “Chip-putt-sia” for his short game prowess, had the opportunity in 1999 after finishing second behind Arjun Atwal in the Indian Open but he did not take the risk.

“Getting onto the Asian Tour was the best decision of my life. I wish I had got onto the Tour earlier on, soon after I came second to Arjun. It has been a fantastic experience,” said Chowrasia.

His emergence mirrors India’s continued rise in its golf fortunes, which the nation’s leading players have linked closely to the exciting growth and expansion of the Asian Tour.

Leading stars such as Jeev Milkha Singh, Gaurav Ghei, Jyoti Randhawa, Arjun Atwal and Shiv Kapur achieved their fame through their Asian odyssey and are now getting the recognition that was once afforded only to the country’s cricketing heroes.

Singh, the recipient of the Padmashri award this year from the government, is a prime example. He made use of the playing opportunities in Asia during the 1990s to turn into a world-class player, highlighted by an irrepressible season in 2006 in which he won four times and claimed the prestigious UBS Order of Merit crown.

“The Asian Tour has thrown up so much of talent in the last 10 years. It is amazing that in such a short span, we have seen so much growth. There's a lot of money to play for and there are more events coming,” said Singh.

“Apart from me, we have seen Arjun, Jyoti and Gaurav all come up through the Asian Tour. It has been the first big step for all of us and it is going to be that way in future too.

“There are now more full field events which mean more opportunities for the players and with more money, the quality of play also goes up.”

The Asian Tour has staged 18 events offering nearly US$6 million in India since 1995, but more importantly Indian players have been given ample opportunities to ply their trade in Asia and make a career out of the game.

This year, no fewer than 20 Indian professionals have playing rights across Asia’s finest fairways which have turned three of them into golfing millionaires.

Randhawa, thanks to six career victories, is the highest ranked Indian on the career money list where his US$1.8 million haul is only second behind Thai star Thongchai Jaidee.

Singh is sixth with US$1.3 million while US-based Atwal, a former Asian number one, holds the honour of being the first Asian to surpass US$1 million in career earnings in 2003.

Ghei is 18th with over US$900,000 while Kapur and Amandeep Johl have earned over US$617,949 and US$588,302 respectively.

Asian Tour’s Executive Chairman Kyi Hla Han said he will continue to work closely with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and Indian Golf Union to ensure that Indian golf remains on the crest of a wave.

“We have a close association with the PGTI and will continue to seek initiatives to benefit their members on the Asian Tour,” said Han, a former Asian number one himself.

Ghei, who holds three career titles and is currently seventh on the UBS Order of Merit, hailed the contribution of the Asian Tour towards the development of Indian golf. “One of the first steps in world golf for Indians is the Asian Tour,” said Ghei, winner of this season’s Pine Valley Beijing Open. “That's where we all started from and youngsters are aiming now to get in there first. For a long time, that was the big stage for us.

“As things have grown on the Asian Tour, so did the competition level and prize money and that has helped Asian Tour players to aim for the bigger stage.

“Jeev won the Volvo Masters of Europe along with the Volvo China Open last year and that was a huge thing back home. Jyoti is playing so well now as is Shiv. There are a lot more players coming through the ranks.”

While Singh, Randhawa and Ghei are amongst the first generation of professional golfers to emerge on the Asian Tour, Rahil Gangjee represents the new breed of Indian stars.

As a teenager, he idolised Calcutta neighbour Atwal, who was winning titles across Asia back then, and was inspired to succeed. His breakthrough came at the 2004 Volkswagen Masters-China where he beat a field that included Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam.

The 28-year-old Gangjee knows that the opportunities on the Asian Tour are priceless. “The Asian Tour is the talk in world golf. It has grown so strong. The quality of play, the courses, sponsors and the Asian Tour have all put together such a great Tour. And the beauty now is we have more full field events and that means more opportunities for players,” said Gangjee.

“The quality of my life has improved largely because there is more to play for these days. And that's what a golf career is meant to be.”

Kapur, who was the 2005 Asian Tour Rookie of the Year thanks to his triumph in the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia, said the Asian Tour provided his career’s launch pad.

“The Asian Tour is where we all started from. For me, the two years were a great experience. This year I am spending a lot of time abroad but I will play in all big events in Asia.

“I am sure prize money will keep increasing along with the quality of play, which is world class,” said Kapur.

July 16, 2007

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