Question mark over SSP as big names start trickling in

The normally golf ball-gobbling Delhi Golf Club seems to be trying to make up for that infamy.

The normally golf ball-gobbling Delhi Golf Club seems to be trying to make up for that infamy. No, the feature jungle hasn’t been trimmed or fenced. It’s the week of the annual Indian Open extravaganza, and the theme of the decor, as the decking up begins, is giant replica golf balls mounted on high poles.

A little less than three days to go before Jyoti Randhawa begins his charge for a never-before fourth title as the players began trickling for their first view of the course, highlight Daniel Chopra also made his appearance, fleetingly, to register at the tournament office before disappearing rather hurriedly for a practice round.

Randhawa, who will battle some severely yo-yoing form this season in his quest for history is expected to swing by on Tuesday, the official practice day, as is Jeev Milkha Singh who, after much dilly-dallying, finally decided to play and try improve his recent not-quite-memorable record at home.

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But there’s a question mark over the participation of one person who does have great memories of this course. SSP Chowrasia might have trumped predictions and big names in his Indian Masters win this February at the DGC, but a repeat this week looks somewhat uncertain for the Kolkata player as he races against time to recover from his niggling right wrist injury.

Home boy Shiv Kapur is missing again, as he was last year, trying to garner some essential euros on the European Tour in the battle to keep his card. Lying a sorry 112th on the Order of Merit, Kapur is playing the Madrid Masters this week.

There are enough Indian names to make up for the loss however, and they will make a fair crack at matching last season’s performance that had five Indian names in the top 10 on the leaderboard. Forty-six Indian players, leaving aside the eight amateurs, will be up in the fight for the raised prize money of $1 million.

The key on this course, as always then, will be to keep those golf balls in sight. The real ones, not giant replicas.

The theft prompted an immediate shutdown of the Louvre museum in Paris. (Pixabay)

Louvre Museum in Paris shut after thieves armed with chainsaws loot Napoleon-era jewels

World1 hr ago

Thieves armed with chainsaws stole nine pieces of jewelry, including items belonging to Napoleon and Empress Joséphine, from the Louvre Museum. The museum was immediately shut down and a police investigation is underway. French Culture Minister Rachida Dati confirmed the incident and the Louvre remains closed. The robbers used a freight elevator and broke through glass displays.

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