Big steps on the learning curve

In a year that took the learning curve higher than ever for the 21-year-old, just his first full season as a professional, he travelled from the many domestic tour crests to a few Asian Tour troughs, but it was at home that Rai found the perfect balance between the two. Rai8217;s four patient rounds at last week8217;s Asian Tour Indian Open, hidden among more famous names at the Delhi Golf Club but closely watched by family, gave him a 21st place finish.

More than that, though, it gave him extra confidence of having done it from among the best continental players.

8220;The experience was so much more meaningful because I put four solid rounds together in a big event,8221; says Rai. 8220;It gives me the feeling that my game is beginning to come around and working under pressure too.8221;

But that is not credit to just a week8217;s show. Rai started this domestic season with a fabulous run at the big Bilt Open, finishing in third place, and in the 12 months since then, he has found himself being in the weekend mix at each tournament he8217;s played. With three more top-ten spots in the process to boot, the current 12th spot on the Order of Merit surprises no one.

Lesson in experience
The travels around Asia, on one of the country spots for India, had been without a spectacular week, but Rai chooses to concentrate on the sum of the parts. It8217;s a sport, after all, where living out of the suitcase is a lesson in itself. 8220;It8217;s been a learning time there. For a first season on the road, I think I8217;ve done well to make the experience worth the while,8221; he says.
To give a little spurt to his final aim of 8220;regularly playing in Europe and USA,8221; Rai has been having a go at the early stages of the European Tour qualifying school for the past two years. 8220;It is just different sort of conditions and that means different challenges. This time it was constantly raining and it was extremely cold throughout the qualifying stage, so that was a big test in itself,8221; Rai says.
But that8217;s a little bit of digression, and so, the focus is back to the present at once. 8220;At the moment, my short term goal is to just give my 100 per cent everyday, in practice and in competition, work on little niggles,8221; Rai says. 8220;This season has given me a lot of satisfaction and the hope to improve rapidly next year too.8221;