Bhullar faces bright lights

Shiv Kapur and Jeev Milkha Singh are busy with international assignments as well,and a returning-from-injury Arjun Atwal might be the sentimental favourite,but he declared on Wednesday that hed come here just expecting to play well and anything else was a bonus. I had this week off,so my brother suggested I play here. I think it was a good decision to come,and if it was this time last year,I would be expecting to win. This time,with my injury,and having been off for so long,I want to see how I hold up, Atwal said.

Gaganjeet Bhullar,though,has discovered the limelight on him gradually brightening in recent months,and the 21-year-old again found himself pushed into the focus of leading the home challenge. He insisted there was not a shred of pressure on him despite that,or of the task of extending his winning streak hes won the last five tournaments on home soil,the latest being at DLF Golf & Country Club two weeks back. When I play at home,I feel no pressure, Bhullar said. The home crowd always spurs me on,Im more relaxed and its just easier to focus on the game.

Its his performances overseas that have made him the one to look out for,though. Winning on the Asian Tour means my mental block of getting it done in a big tournament is gone. Though,there are a lot of good players here,Arjun,Daniel (Chopra),Thaworn (Wiratchant) and of course Michael Campbell,I hope I can do well, Bhullar said.

Expect a big bunch in the afternoon too,when the tournaments trump card heads out for his opening round. Campbell has made only six cuts in 17 European Tour tournaments in 2009 and hasnt been close to the form that saw him win the 2005 US Open,but the New Zealand player said he hoped to make the most of his first time in India. I hope this tournament can kick-start my season,which hasnt been great since my shoulder injury last year, he said. Im loving my time here,and I hope the tournament is a good one too for me.