DeChambeau steals all the focus as International Series India tees off its inaugural edition

There’s a buzz around the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon that hasn’t been felt very often before, and much of that comes from the presence of one man, Bryson DeChambeau.  

The reigning US Open champion is here as the headline act of the $2 million International Series India presented by DLF, and the buzz is definitely on the rise at one of India’s best-rated golf courses even though there are 107 others in the field.  

That includes Anirban Lahiri, a driving force behind the presence of his LIV Golf colleague and team captain at Crushers GC and a name to reckon with in Indian golf.  

“When he asked me to do It (play the DLF event), I really didn't question it. I really didn't think much of it. Everybody was saying, why are you even doing this? Because it's honour-bound here. I love him to death,” DeChambeau said of Lahiri’s influence on his India visit.  

His LIV team-mate was quick to return the compliment in his assessment of the week. “I’m trying to stay focused because I’m here as a competitor first. But I love the responsibility and am grateful to Paul, Bryson, Joaquin, and everyone who agreed to come. Hats off to DLF — they’ve gone the extra mile to elevate everything. I hope we reach the 8,000–10,000 spectators per day mark because that will be a landmark achievement for golf in India," DeChambeau said. 

With their season teeing off in Riyadh next week, this India visit by a sizeable number of LIV Golf members has elevated the status of the year’s first International Series event substantially. Equally, it gives the 14 home golfers in the field a feel and taste of the sport played at the highest level.  

In terms of quality too, this is a high-class list of entries as it includes as many as eight past Asian Tour Order of Merit winners including Lahiri (2015), Shubhankar Sharma (2018) and Jeev Milkha Singh (2006, 2008), and over 20 past and present members of the LIV Golf roster of whom 13 are part of the new season.  

But the focus, despite this parade of achievers that includes 11-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar, is the genial DeChambeau. Even with a loaded schedule that included practice rounds a flying visit to the Taj Mahal, media interactions and an extended clinic co-conducted by Lahiri for club members and guests, the two-time US Open champion has not taken his foot off the pedal going into his first tournament in six months.  

“First, I want to say thank you to all of India for welcoming me so warmly, I would say, and to DLF for their incredible efforts in the Asian Tour and International Series. All of them for hosting me here. It's been a fantastic couple of days so far,” DeChambeau said on tournament eve.  

“I think this is an amazing opportunity for all of golf to come together and see what India can truly produce for the world. And it's a growing economy, it's a growing population that needs golf. There's a lot more to come, so that's why I'm here. “There's a lot of opportunity around those types of ideas and how they affect and influence communities, not only just socially and economically, but there's a culture that gets created. I think it instils a lot of positive, traits and humans. Golf does that,” he added.  

On his preparations as it will be his first event since the LIV team championship in September, the Dallas, Texas, native added, “My personal approach is to practice as hard as I possibly can. And that instils a sort of feel for me that I get, where I can create this repeatable motion, where I can do it again and again and again. “My mental game is all directly related to how repeatable I am.”  

DeChambeau had good words for the sparkling par-72 course, which will play to 7,425 yards for the week. “There's a lot going on and I think the person that's going to do well this week has to see it for what it is, which is a strategic golf course.  

“You have to plot your way around, be very methodical, and you can't overpower it. It's not something you can overpower, but you've got to be very technical about here. So 16 through 18 is a great stretch of golf. It is gettable. If you hit the right shots into it, I feel pretty comfortable with it. “I think I'll give it a good go this week,” he said.  

The DLF GCC is expecting a good turnout and along with the International Series management, has brought a LIV Golf touch to the event. That includes giant screens to follow the action, which will be live on Eurosport, arena-style seating, live music and more for those who have registered as visitors for four days.