By V. Krishnaswamy, one of India’s leading sports writers, who has covered over 20 Majors and 250 international golf tournaments. Follow him on Twitter via @Swinging_Swamy.

Ponte Vedra Beach, March 17: Hideki Matsuyama, who started his campaign at THE PLAYERS Championship with rounds of 71-72, rounded off the week with stunning rounds of 66-67 over the weekend to signal his return to form.

He finished tied-eighth alongside Justin Rose, Jason Day and Brian Harman at 12-under for the week and four shots behind the winner, Rory McIlroy (70) who was 16-under at the PGA TOUR’s flagship US$12.5 million tournament.

Matsuyama, who was ranked as high as number two in the world in mid-2017 had dropped to 30th after the first week of 2019. But he has been picked up pieces since then with tied-third result at Farmers Insurance and tied-ninth finish at the Genesis Open. Another Top-10, and that at a star-studded event like the PLAYERS will add to his confidence as he gets set for four Majors in next four months.

Matsuyama’s day was highlighted by an eagle at the par-5 16th hole where his second shot, a five-Iron came within six feet for the eagle. Matsuyama had four other birdies against one bogey in his 67.

He said, “I hit some good quality shots, especially with the irons and made some putts. It was a good weekend. Hit a five iron (on 16) and hit it exactly where I wanted it to go,” he said.

After an amazing 2017, Matsuyama suffered a wrist injury which halted his progress. He now seems back on the rails, as he has not missed a single cut after the 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie.

“Compared to last year, it’s much better this year. It’s been satisfying. Without results, it would be a struggle. I feel confident with my game,” said Matsuyama, who will tee up at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play in Austin, Texas in two weeks’ time.

Asia’s next best was Korea’s Byeonghun An at tied-26th following a final round 71 as he had five birdies and two other bogeys during his round. He put his third shot into water on the 18th and suffered a double bogey.

Also from Korea, Sung Kang finished tied-47th while 2017 PLAYERS champion Si Woo Kim carded 73 to finish tied-56th. Chinese Taipei’s C.T. Pan settled for tied-72nd after a 76.

Earlier, Anirban Lahiri missed out on the final round after failing to make the secondary 54-hole cut, while Kiradech Aphibarnrat did not move past the 36-hole cut.

Tiger Woods finished tied-30th with a final round of 69 and a total of six-under 282, which may have been a lot better and given him a chance to make a charge but for the quadruple bogey ‘seven’ on the Par-3 17th on the second day.

He said, “Yeah, I was close to getting over the hurdle and getting things rolling, and unfortunately I made a 7 over at 17. I missed a few putts that I could have very easily got the momentum going that could have gotten me on a run. I was close. I mean, I know that the score doesn’t really indicate that, but this is probably the most stressful golf course you ever play when there’s wind out here. So all in all it was a solid week.”

McIlroy said, “It means a lot. I knew today was going to be difficult just by looking at the forecast. I thought anything in the 60s was probably going to get it done for me, and I didn’t quite get to that number, but I needed to show a lot of character out there, too, over through fourth which I double bogeyed. I hit it in the water, and I think all the experiences I’ve had over the last few weeks in terms of trying to win and not getting over the line definitely helped me,” said McIlroy.

He added, “I am very proud, very honoured to be able to call myself a PLAYERS champion, a tournament I haven’t won before, so great to obviously add to the CV.”

Ends.

March 16: South Africa’s Justin Harding hauled himself back into contention after firing a second round six-under-par 65 to head into the weekend rounds five shots back of compatriot and leader Louis De Jager at the Kenya Open on Friday.

Like his back-to-back victories in Indonesia and Thailand on the Asian Tour last year, Harding, who triumphed in Qatar last week, is also chasing a back-to-back-win on the European Tour and become the first player to do so in Europe since Justin Rose achieved that feat in 2017.

The world number 52 is currently tied for fourth alongside Italy’s Guido Migliozzi and India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar, who slipped one place down the leaderboard after signing for a 70 at the Karen Country Club.

“I was a little bit more aggressive today as you have to get it in close here as it can be awkward in places. You have to pick and choose your moments here and I did that well out there.

“I have been trying to make less mistakes recently and I went over the green just once today – that wasn’t the case yesterday – so I am really happy with my performance,” said Harding.

Ends.

By V. Krishnaswamy, one of India’s leading sports writers, who has covered over 20 Majors and 250 international golf tournaments. Follow him on Twitter via @Swinging_Swamy.

Ponte Vedra, Florida, March 15: After toiling for close to just under five and a half hours on the first day of the PLAYERS Championship, Anirban Lahiri opted to return on Friday morning to make his par putt from three feet 11 inches on the 18th.

“It was dark and I could barely see. It was windy and I did not want to take chances and fritter a shot,” said the Indian, who was two-under through 17 and a half holes.

Lahiri’s playing partner and friend, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, had a very rough day despite a birdie start. He finished at 12-over 84 and ended his last three holes with a bogey-double bogey and triple bogey, which meant a lot of disappointment for his fans who came out wearing shirts with “Rat Pack” emblazoned across the front.

Lahiri’s whose best opening round of 69 came last year – but his second round 75 caused him to miss the round, is looking at two-under 70 start. It would keep him in the current tied-35th place.

Tommy Fleetwood and Keegan Bradley, who co-lead after 36 holes last week at the Palmer Invitational, were sharing the lead again after first day with each of them returning with a 65, the former delivering that in the morning wave and the latter did so in the windier afternoon. A good number of the low scores came in the morning and notable among them were Korean An Byeong-Hun’s 66 and Rory McIlory’s 67.

Mcilroy, who has been sixth or better in his last six starts and has been knocking on the doors of a win, was tied-4th at 67. He was tied-fourth with Vaugh Taylor and Ryan Moore, who slam-dunked an ace of the Par-3 17th at the Island Green.

Tiger Woods seemed set for a good start as he birdied 16th and 17th to get to three-under but he bogeyed the 18th to fall to 70. The last bogey left a bad taste in the mouth for the two-time winner who is tied-35th.

Lahiri was playing in the final group of the afternoon session, when the conditions were particularly tough with swirling winds. “When I got to the course in the afternoon and began play, I was beginning to wonder if I was playing the same course as the morning. I think I played solid to be two-under with one more putt for par on 18th,” said Lahiri, whose past three visits to the TPC Sawgrass have lasted only two rounds each.

Lahiri opened the day with a birdie on first and added two more on 11th and 15th. But the most satisfying part was that he kept his bogeys to just one, on the par-3 eighth.

Lahiri said, “They (greens) got dry quicker than I thought. I played last out in the afternoon two years ago and I just feel bad for the guys who are going out last tomorrow. It’ll be near impossible on the greens,” said Lahiri, who will return at 9am Friday to complete his last hole before going back out at 9.35am for his second round.

Lahiri nailed a nice birdie on par-5 second from seven feet following a fine chip form nearly 70 yards. He missed a birdie possibility on sixth from just under 10 feet. On the very next hole, the seventh, he did well to save par from just under 11 feet after his first putt rolled down way past the hole.

He was not as fortunate on the eighth, where he missed the green and went into the greenside bunker from where he got out to 12 feet but missed the par putt.

On Par-5 ninth he went to the left and then to right from where faced with a downhill lie he hit a great pitch to just over six feet but the birdie putt lipped out.

On 11th, an excellent chip from nearly 80 feet set him for a 21-inch birdie putt. He then holed a testy nine-foot par on the Par-3 13th.

“I’m a bit disappointed as I bailed out on a lot of golf shots. I’m working on my swing and there’s a little process of getting the confidence back. As the week progresses, I’ll go at more flags and commit to more swings. I played solid and hit a lot of greens. I would like to hit it a little closer tomorrow,” said Lahiri.

Ends.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, March 15: India’s Shubhankar Sharma is ready to rekindle his love affair with the Maybank Championship when the US$3 million event gets underway at the Saujana Golf and Country Club next week.

Sharma’s two-shot victory at the Saujana Golf and Country Club last year was the springboard to further success as he would go on to clinch the prestigious Asian Tour Order of Merit at the end of 2018.

The 22-year-old will be returning to the same venue where he overturned a four-shot deficit and closed with a magnificent 10-under-par 62 to win his second Asian Tour title last February.

“The most memorable moment for me in 2018 was winning the Maybank Championship. That started things off for me. The victory opened many doors for me,” said Sharma, who also went on to play in all four Majors and all the World Golf Championships tournaments in the year.

With his victory at the Maybank Championship, Sharma became the first Asian and second Asian Tour member after inaugural Australian winner (2016) Marcus Fraser to clinch the title.

“2018 is the year that I’ll remember for the rest of my life and obviously that win in Malaysia played a huge role in those good memories too. I’m feeling ready to go and take off from where I left last year,” said Sharma.

The Indian joins an illustrious list of Asian Tour Order of Merit champions that include Australia’s Scott Hend, Malaysia’s Gavin Green, Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee, compatriot Arjun Atwal and David Lipsky of the United States, who will all be returning to contend at the Malaysian showpiece which starts from March 21-24.

Green, who became the first Malaysian in the Asian Tour’s history to lift the coveted Order of Merit title, will be banking on the home ground advantage for a better showing after finishing tied-39^th and tied-47^th in 2018 and 2017 respectively.

“I feel I’m mentally and physically prepared. Definitely there’s a chance (to win) but I need to stay patient and handle the pressure of playing in front of the home crowd,” said Green.

Other notable names in the strong 156-man field include Major champions Ernie Els and Padraig Harrington. Japanese star Ryo Ishikawa as well as Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Poom Saksansin.

As part of Maybank’s commitment and efforts to bolster regional talent and provide a platform for players to take their game further, the ASEAN invite category will also feature Singapore’s Johnson Poh and Jesse Yap, Myanmar’s Ye Thet Aung, Indonesia’s Danny Masrin and Philippines’ Angelo Que, who are part of the five-player ASEAN line-up.

Ends.

March 15: India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar opened his campaign with a promising six-under-par 65 to sit in third place at the Kenya Open on Thursday.

Bhullar, a nine-time Asian Tour winner, fired a bogey-free round highlighted by six birdies to trail the first-round co-leaders Jack Singh Brar of England and Louis De Jager of South Africa by one shot at the European Tour event which is held at the Karen Country Club, Nairobi, Kenya.

Playing in his first start in the Kenyan capital, the Indian was thrilled to put up a low round despite the challenging layout.

“The golf course is really interesting, very similar to what we have back in India. Anything from a two iron to a driver works well off the tee.

“I gave myself a lot of good opportunities and I kept the ball in play the whole day and putted well. To make six birdies and remain bogey-free in testing conditions felt great, even though I felt I left a couple out there,” said Bhullar.

Three Asian Tour players are currently in a share of 24th place. They include India’s Chikkarangappa S., South Africa’s Justin Harding, and Yanwei Liu of China after they posted matching 70s.

Also in the field is American John Catlin who signed for a 72 to take tied-37th and India’s Khalin Josh, who carded a 72 to sit in tied-54th place.

Ends.

By V. Krishnaswamy, one of India’s leading sports writers, who has covered over 20 Majors and 250 international golf tournaments. Follow him on Twitter via @Swinging_Swamy.

Ponte Vedra, Florida, March 14: Anirban Lahiri will tee off late in the afternoon on the first day and he goes out on the first two days with old Asian Tour colleague, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who has now followed him onto the PGA Tour and has already achieved a great deal of success including Tied-3rd at WGC-Mexico. The third player in the pairing is little-known American Ryan Blaum.

Lahiri and Kiradech have both come up from the Asian Tour, where they are still members and make frequent appearances, but for now the focus is all on what is the first big event of the season apart from the Majors and WGCs.

Lahiri, whose last win came at Hero Indian Open in 2015, is hoping to move past his three missed cuts while Kiradech knows he has it to join the likes of KJ Choi (2011) and Si Woo Kim (2017) as Asian winners of this storied event. He was in line for a Top-10 before a quadruple bogey ended those hopes on the final day last year.

Lahiri  needs to make quick points and rack up good finishes on a Tour, which has been his home for the last four years.

Meanwhile, there are a lot of personal goals and career achievements in focus this week.

With the tournament shifting from its May date to March, Tiger Woods tees up as the only March and May winner of the tournament. Adam Scott (2004) is the only other player to have won in March in this field.

Dustin Johnson has not finished in Top-10 even once in past 10 starts and his resume shows that this is the only event he has played 10 times or more and not had a Top-10 finish.

Henrik Stenson, who played and finished Tied-3rd in his only appearance in March, won in May in 2009 and marks the 10th anniversary of that win. He also revealed that the day he won, he received  a speeding ticket whole getting back home from Ponte Vedra to Orlando. “But I could live with it,” said Stenson, displaying his amazing sense of humour.

Vijay Singh, who despite his 56 years, has been doing well on the PGA Tour while winning on Seniors, marks his 25th appearance at the Players, which he has never won.

Reigning FedExCup champ Justin Rose is World No. 2 but his 15 starts here have yielded just one top-10 finish, T-4 in 2014.

Bubba Watson has 11 PLAYERS starts without a top 10  while World No. 3 Brooks Koepka doesn’t have a top-10 in four starts.

Phil Mickelson won in 2007 when it first moved to May but he has not had a top 10 since. In 25 career starts, he has just three top 10s.

Jason Day has a win in 2016, two other top 10s and three missed cuts.

So, there really are no favourites and anyone can walk away with the Trophy – just as Webb Simpson did last year ending a four and a half year title drought.

So why doesn’t TPC Sawgrass have any favourites? David Duval, who won the title in 1999 when the conditions were brutal on the final day, is now a Golf Channel analyst. He said, “All the notables in the game now are a reflection of what is going on in the game; they’re the bombers, they hit it forever. That’s not a necessity here.”

He added, “I think also that a lot of the modern players seemingly like to bully a golf course into submission with length. This golf course doesn’t not allow that. You have to play the golf course as it was built and designed (by Pete Dye) and you can get around that way.”

Rose’s final verdict: “This golf course allows everybody that chance to win, which is I think appropriate for the PLAYERS Championship.”

Ends.

New Delhi, March 14: The 2019 edition of the Hero Indian Open, which is India’s flagship golf tournament and country’s longest running international sports event, will see some of the most well-known golfers from around the world vie for top honors.

To be played on the Gary Player layout at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram from March 28 to 31, the 2019 edition will be the 14th consecutive year that Hero MotoCorp Ltd, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer and one of the biggest corporate promoters of sports around the world, is supporting the tournament.

Top Indian golfer and reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Shubhankar Sharma together with compatriot Anirban Lahiri, who lifted the coveted Order of Merit title in 2015 as well as reigning Scottish Open champion Brandon Stone will be seen in action in the 55th edition of the Hero Indian Open.

The other notable players who have confirmed their participation in the most lucrative golf tournament in India carrying a prize purse of US$1.75 million, include Andrew Johnston – the Runner-Up of the Hero Indian Open 2018, and Bernd Wiesberger, with four European Tour wins to his credit.

At the Hero Indian Open 2018, Johnston came within a whisker of winning the tournament, rallying from a two-shot deficit in the final round to get into a play-off, before losing to Englishman Matt Wallace. This year, Johnston will be aiming to lift the coveted winner’s trophy, besides treating himself to his favourite Indian dishes.

Golf fans in the country will also get to see Brandon Stone, who won the 2018 Scottish Open with a stunning final round of 10-under 60.

Also in the fray will be Bernd Wiesberger – the most successful Austrian player on the European Tour – who beat European Tour Number one Tommy Fleetwood in a play-off at the 2017 Shenzhen International. Wiesberger has also been a member of the past two winning European teams at the EurAsia Cup.

With less than two weeks to go before the tournament, the entries are still coming in. Other Indian players such as S.S.P. Chawrasia, the resurgent duo of Shiv Kapur and Rahil Gangjee, and youngsters Ajeetesh Sandhu, Viraj Madappa, Khalin Joshi and S Chikkarangappa are also expected to be seen in action.

J. Narain, Advisor (Sports), Hero MotoCorp, said, “It is truly heartening to see such a strong Indian contingent and a world class field at the Hero Indian Open 2019. This will certainly attract more youngsters and budding golfers to come and watch the tournament, which in turn will contribute immensely towards the long-term growth of the game. At Hero MotoCorp, we have been the Title Sponsor of the Hero Indian Open for close to a decade and half and we remain firmly committed to the promotion of golf in India and around the world.”

Lt. Gen. D. Anbu, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, SM, President, The Indian Golf Union, said, “The Indian Golf Union is extremely pleased to announce the 2019 edition of the Indian Open. This is the flagship property of the Union and the most important event in showcasing IGU’s strategy in growing the game’s footprint in India. Hero MotoCorp has been a steadfast supporter of the Indian Open and we are proud of this partnership, as we are with the European Tour, which has sanctioned the event. The event’s rich history and its eminent, past winners will encourage its continued growth and we look forward to keen competition and a worthy winner.”

Ben Cowen, Deputy Chief Operating Officer – International, European Tour said, “We are extremely excited for the fifth edition of the Hero Indian Open as part of the European Tour International Schedule and we are looking forward to returning to the wonderful surroundings of DLF Golf and Country Club. Every golf tournament is indebted to its sponsors and that is particularly the case with Hero MotoCorp and their inspirational Chairman, MD and CEO Mr Pawan Munjal. Mr Munjal’s relationship with the European Tour, not just at this tournament, but through the innovative Hero Challenge and many other projects, is second to none, and we thank him for his vision and commitment to our sport. We must also acknowledge the owners of this historical event, the Indian Golf Union, for their hard work in continuing to grow golf in this great country.”

Aakash Ohri, Sr. Executive Director, DLF Home Developers Ltd, said, “The Gary Player course at the DLF Golf & Country Club has the unique distinction of being the venue for both the men’s and women’s Indian Opens, which have been so well supported by Hero MotoCorp. The course, which is in pristine condition thanks to our hard-working green keeping staff, has proved to be a challenge for the best pros over the last few years and has been appreciated by all. The Hero Indian Open, the country’s marquee golf tournament will enter in its 55th edition this year and we look forward to another exciting edition of the Hero Indian Open later this month.”

Cho Minn Thant, Asian Tour Chief Operating Officer, said: “On behalf of the Tour and our players, I would like to extend our fullest appreciation to Hero MotoCorp and the Indian Golf Union for their support in growing this historic event over the years. Since its inauguration in 1964, the Hero Indian Open has a long history of boasting a stellar field and propelling the careers of the finest talents in the country including tournament winners S.S.P Chawrasia and Anirban Lahiri. India’s number one Shubhankar Sharma, came close to winning his National Open with a record-breaking 64 in the second round last year, and the reigning Habitat for Humanity Standings winner is now excelling on the global stage.”

The 2019 Hero Indian Open will also mark the first time the event will be held since the passing away of its inaugural winner, the legendary Peter Thomson, who was also instrumental in making the Indian Open popular.

Thomson, five-time British Open winner, also won the Indian Open three times in 1964, 1966 and 1976. Thomson, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988, passed away on June 20, 2018, at the age of 88.

The Hero Indian Open has provided a superb platform for home grown talent to showcase their abilities alongside the top global stars and take a faster path to stardom. The event has nine Indian winners, who among them have won the title 13 times. Since Hero took over the sponsorship in 2005, the previous 13 editions have produced six Indian winners.

The Indian winners have been: P.G. Sethi (amateur – 1965); Ali Sher (1991 and 1993); Feroze Ali (1998), Arjun Atwal (1999), Jyoti Randhawa (2000, 2006, 2007); Vijay Kumar (2002); Chinnaswamy Muniyappa (2009); Anirban Lahiri (2015), SSP Chawrasia (2016, 2017).

About Asian Tour
As the official sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia, the Asian Tour leads the development of professional golf across the region, enhancing the careers of its members while maintaining a commitment to the integrity of the game. The Asian Tour, through its membership of the International Federation of PGA Tours, is the only recognised pan-Asian professional golf tour in Asia. The Tour is officially recognised by the Official World Golf Rankings and provides its events with valuable ranking points for participants to be recognised on the world stage. Tour Partners include Rolex (Official Timekeeper), Panasonic (Official Consumer Electronics), Habitat for Humanity (Official Sustainable Development Partner), Titleist (Official Web Partner), FootJoy (Supplier), Bloomberg TV (Official International Media Partner), Bloomberg Businessweek Chinese (Official International Media Partner), Wall Street Journal (Official International Media Partner) and Sentosa in Singapore, Home of the Asian Tour which also has an office in Kuala Lumpur. The Tour is an affiliate of The R&A.

By V.Krishnaswamy, India’s leading sports writer, who has covered more than 20 Majors and 250 international golf tournaments. Follow him on Twitter via @Swinging_Swamy. 

Ponte Vedra Beach, March 13: Anirban Lahiri has never needed a good result like he does in these next few weeks. The PLAYERS Championships this week has not been good to him in the past three starts, but the Indian ace reckons he is close to setting that right. A good result this week could bring back confidence and set him back on the rails.

If Lahiri is upset with his last three starts, all of which ended after 36 holes, Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat wants to erase memories of a quadruple-bogey seven at the 17th last year. That Island Green took away the chance he had of a Top-10.

Lahiri, who is working on some technical changes in his swing feels the ‘rectification work’ is beginning to click. Lahiri hopes and feels becoming a father for the first time last month and the shifting in the date of the PLAYERS Championships to March away from its previous slot in May, could change his fortunes, too.

Lahiri, who till recently used to be seen as a good putter, has been suffering on the greens. On Monday, he was there till late and was in fact the last to leave the practice green at the TPC Sawgrass. ‘The putter needs to work once again,” he said.

“I’m having one super-destructive round at every event of late,” said Lahiri. “I am making technical changes to my swing which is why there is some inconsistency. Some days I hit it great, some days I don’t. I’ve also been inconsistent on the greens. In the 80 that I shot last week, I lost six shots on putting which is not me. I’m going to be spending a lot of time on the greens this week.”

He took a fair amount of time off golf as he was with his wife, Ipsa, in India, while waiting for the arrival of their daughter Tisya early last month.

Soon after Lahiri married Ipsa in mid-2014, he went on to win four times on the Asian Tour and European Tour and secured his PGA TOUR card as well. He is now hoping the arrival of Tisya will change his luck, too.

“Physically I feel good, mentally I feel good and I personally think I’ve turned the corner as far as my golf swing is concerned,” he said. “Ipsa has been my lady luck and hopefully Tisya can bring me more luck which I could do with some right now.”

On the event as such, which every PGA Tour player calls as ‘theirs’ he called it an amazing event.

He said, “It’s an amazing event. Anyone who comes here realises the stature of the event, the amazing way it’s run, the big crowds and TPC Sawgrass, it’ just amazing. I’m looking forward to this date, maybe it’ll bring a change in fortune as I’ve not had success here in May for whatever reason. Maybe this new wind and these new conditions might turn it around for me.”

Kiradech wants to erase memories of 2018

At last year’s PLAYERS, Kiradech launched a brilliant final day campaign, getting to eight-under for the day before a quadruple-bogey 7 at the Island Green at par-3 17th signature hole sank his hopes. He still had a round of 67.

But for that quad, Kiradech would have got his full exempt status straight away instead of waiting till later. Earlier in the week he had a double at the same hole. But for those six shots, he could potentially have been Tied-second but instead finished T-30th.

This year he is in fine form again. Earlier this month, Kiradech was T3 finish at the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship. “I’m confident with my golf swing. I had a good week in Mexico and last week (Arnold Palmer Invitational) was also a good week (he finished T23).”

On last year’s 17th, Kiradech, ranked 39th in the world, recalled, “Just one hole I didn’t play good. I’ve forgotten already what I did last year and it’s a new tournament. The course is always in good shape, it’s a fantastic week. It’s in perfect condition and the fans are out to support us. I don’t think the course is different with the date change (from May). The wind is always difficult around here as it swirls from every direction. On 17, it can be tough as the grandstands block the winds so you can’t see what happens up in the air. It’s all up to me, and I want to put myself in the right position and keep it in play.”

Since he is playing mostly in the US, Kiradech has shifted to Orlando with his wife Tunyatorn Chaiyarat.

This week Webb Simpson is the defending champion and will face a stellar field which features two-time PLAYERS champion Tiger Woods, current FedExCup number one Xander Schauffele and world number one Justin Rose.