India to field seven-strong team at Hangzhou Asian Games golf competition

Seven players – three women and four men – will carry India's challenge in the golf medal competition at the upcoming Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in September-October this year.

While international tour regulars Aditi Ashok (LPGA), Anirban Lahiri (LIV Golf League) and Shubhankar Sharma (DP World Tour) were exempt on the basis of their world rankings, the others came through a selection trial held last week under the auspices of the Indian Golf Union (IFGU) at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club.

Aditi will be joined on the ladies team by two-time national champion Avani Prashanth and leading women’s domestic professional tour regular Pranavi Urs. Two-time Indian Open champion Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia and 2018 Panasonic Open India winner Khalin Joshi fill out the men’s squad.

In all, the IGU invited 53 probables to the trial in Kolkata of whom 36 – an even split of 18 between the women and men – turned up including past Olympians and Asian Games participants amongst whom was 2010 team silver medallist Rashid Khan.

The golf competition at Hangzhou will be held between September 28 and October 1.

The selected team bears a distinct Karnataka stamp with all three women and two on the men’s side – Lahiri and Joshi – cutting their golf teeth in either Bangalore or the state’s former royal capital, Mysore.

On the final day of the 54-hole selection process, Avani and Pranavi shared top spot on 10-under par 206 in a battle that went down to the 54th and final hole of the trials.

Pranavi trailed Queen Sirikit Cup champion Avani by one shot after the second round and carded a three-under 69 despite a bogey on her penultimate hole. For her part, Avani dropped a shot on the final hole of the trials to fall into an inconsequential tie for top spot.

Gurgaon’s Tvesa Malik shot a 68 to finish third just one shot shy of the top placing on 9-under 207 while early leader Amandeep Drall (71) of Punjab was fourth on 7-under 209.

Joshi dominated the men’s trial having led the competition from the first day itself and duly completed his end-to-end run with a final round of 4-under 68 and a total of 13-under 203 for the 54 holes.

Chawrasia also had a 68 and totalled 11-under 205 for second place. Of the others in the men’s selection race, Kolkata’s Viraj Madappa (68) and Aman Raj (72) of Patna ended in a tie for third place on 7-under 209.

Avani’s maiden Asian Games berth seals her status as in the women’s talent pool despite her age (16) and amateur status while for Pranavi, in her second season as a professional, the result will be a boost for her upcoming Epson Tour engagements.

Lahiri won team silver at the 2006 Doha Asian Games and has since played the Rio and Tokyo Olympic Games. Hangzhou will be his second Asian Games. Chawrasia was Lahiri’s teammate in 2016 while Udayan Mane made the grade with Lahiri for the 2020 Tokyo Games held in 2021.

Aditi Ashok last played at the Asian Games in 2014 at Incheon, South Korea. She also represented India at the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Games where her final-day heroics captured national attention despite a fourth-place finish.

Qualifying scores

Women: 206 – Pranavi Urs (70-67-60), Avani Prashanth (70-66-70)

Men: 203 – Khalin Joshi (67-68-68); 205 – S.S.P. Chawrasia (69-68-68).