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Strong field SAILs into Delhi

The Asian Tour’s leading players will be back to contend for the US$300,000 SAIL Open at the Classic Golf Resort from March 18-21 when the Tour resumes after taking a one-week break.

Thailand’s Thaworn Wiratchant will be amongst the Asian Tour’s elite hoping to equal fellow compatriot’s Thongchai Jaidee’s record of a 11th career victory on the Asian Tour when the second edition of the SAIL Open gets underway next week.

The 2005 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion’s start to the season has been frustrating so far, having missed the cuts in three of the four events that he has played in so far.

However, the 42-year-old Thai believes that it will be matter of time before he regains the form that has led him to 10 career titles on the Asian Tour.

“It has been a slow start to the season for me and I’m hoping that my form will return, starting with a good performance in India,” said Thaworn.

Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing is also another Asian Tour standout, eager to rediscover last season’s form where he won his maiden title at the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia.

The Singapore number one also had to endure a slow start to the season where he has missed the cuts in four of the five events that he has taken part in so far.

Meanwhile, the home crowd will be buoyed by the return of their local favourites, with eight-time Asian Tour winner and 2002 Asian number one, Jyoti Randhawa spearheading the home challenge.

Randhawa will once again be adopting a similar relaxed attitude to his game after that new mantra saw him lift the recent Singha Thailand Open title on the holiday isle of Phuket.

“I’ll be riding on my motorbike and going trap shooting when I’m back home again,” said Randhawa.

“You’ve got to relax a little as that will not put too much pressure on yourself. It worked in Phuket and I’m hoping it’ll work again for me at home,” added Randhawa.

Other leading Indian names who will undoubtedly receive full home support at the full-field Asian Tour event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) include three-time Asian Tour winner Gaurav Ghei, former Volvo Masters of Asia champion Shiv Kapur, Digvijay Singh and a rising talent Gaganjeet Bhullar.

The SAIL Open forms the sixth leg of this season’s Asian Tour Schedule and is the first of the two Asian Tour events in India this year.

March 13, 2009