MARCH 11: It's Indian Open week and the biggest event in Indian golf will tee off to an exciting finish, amid the glitz and glamour of the ITC Classic Golf Resort in Gurgaon. As far as majors go, this is the closest Indian golf gets to having one. The sub-continent's golfers look forward to this prestigious event - which is also a part of the Asian PGA Tour - throughout the year.Once again, the golfing community is waiting to welcome the top names from the Davidoff Asian PGA tour. And their enthusiasm for every shot played during the 72-hole championship is often evident from their discussions and description of each day's proceedings - for the next one year. This year is even more special as the Indian Open returns to the vicinity of Delhi after five years. Due to tobacco laws that restrict advertising of these products, the Wills Indian Open, which alternated between Delhi and the Royal Calcutta Golf Course, was held in Calcutta till the matter could be resolved. As a result, this year it will be held outside Delhi, at the sponsors own golf course - the ITC Classic Golf Resort.Designed by Jack Nicklaus, a golfer who played a fade, this golf course favours players who have adopted a natural fade. Lots of bunkers and water hazards on the sixth, seventh, ninth and 16th holes complete the layout. Add to this lots of mounds as well as a couple of elevated greens and you have a general idea of what the golf course will play like.Just off the fairways one has a thick rough to contend with, but unlike most other courses in the country, these fairways are not tree lined. The long par threes add a touch of uncertainty to the usually easy par holes and the narrow medium sized greens call for the ball to be hit high and on target. Overall, it will be a good test of golf since the course encourages shot making and a player will get maximum use of every club in his bag.Another change introduced this year is the availability of Pro-Am spots which can be bought for Rs 10,000. This will also earn the buyer a ticket for the rest of the week, an Indian Open T-shirt, a cap alongwith a few other giveaways.Among the professional entries, the highlight of the event so far is Jeev Milkha Singh, who will be looking for his first Indian Open title and will spearhead the Indian challenge after having missed this event for the last few years. However, the Chandigarh-based pro, who pulled out from the Qatar Masters on Thursday due to a bout of tendonitos, will have to recuperate before he can confirm his participation.Twenty-six years after amateur golfer Billoo Sethi, who won the Indian Open in 1965, Ali Sher set the ball rolling for the Indians with his victory in 1991. Today the stigma of Billoo Sethi being the only Indian to have won the Indian Open is behind them and the top golfers will be a strong force to contend with. Defending champion Arjun Atwal, followed by twice champion Ali Sher, Feroz Ali and Vijay Kumar will all be in the hunt yet again. However, since there is no Asian PGA tour event before or after the Indian Open, there will be some Americans who may not consider it worth their while to make the trip for a single event. So far, eighty participants are expected and top Asian golfers like Kyi Hla Han, Prayad Markesang and Boonchu Raungkit have confirmed their entries.The weather promises a lot of sunshine and the organisers have been on their toes for the last year. Furthermore, the Asian Professional Golf Association's representative, Antonio O' Campo has been to the course and checked on the set-up. The only hurdle that stands in their way now is the long distances spectators will have to cover to get to the Classic Golf Resort. Furthermore, unlike the Delhi Golf Course where members would take an hour off from work to watch the pros come on to the fifth and ninth greens, the ITC will keep such observers at bay. On the other hand, this opportunity can be utilised to build this tournament like golf's majors, which are held in small towns and people take days off and come from all over the world to watch. It may just give golf the boost it needs.In the meanwhile as we hope that for competitors like Vijay Singh, who has been aired on the Star Sports clipping of the Indian Open, the competition, as always, will be fierce. And some of the best golfers in Asia will fight tooth and nail for the winner's purse of approximately fifty thousand dollars.Results last week:USPGA: Doral-Ryder OpenWinner: Jim FurykEPGA: Dubai Desert ClassicWinner: Jose CoccerosLPGA: Takefuji ClassicWinner: Karrie WebbComing UpUSPGA: Bay Hill InvitationalSPGA: Liberty Mutual Legends of GolfEPGA: Madeira Island OpenAPGA: Wills Indian OpenLPGA: Standard Register PingGolfer of the week: Jim FurykWinning the Doral-Ryder Open from seven shots back, Jim Furyk is following in Tiger's footsteps, where no margin is too big.
