Jon Rahm, Wyndham Clark, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods were among the stars packing their golf bags and leaving the famed Kentucky course after a testing second round on Friday
Dubai-based golfer Anirban Lahiri hopes to cause a "ripple" when he represents India in golf in the forthcoming Asian Games in China.
The 36-year-old Dubai Golden VISA Awardee will be joined in the men’s golf team event by Shubhankar Sharma, Khalin Joshi and SSP Chawrasia in the Indian team.
The Asian Games golf tournament will be held from September 23 to October 8 at West Lake International Golf Course, located in Xihu District, Hangzhou, China.
“I played in the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar, where India achieved a silver medal and South Korea the gold. I played alongside fellow Dubai Golden VISA Awardee Gaganjeet Bhullar,” Lahiri told Khaleej Times.
“I was approached about 18 months ago by the Indian Golf Union (IGU) to represent India at golf in the 2023 Asian Games. Winning an Olympic or Asian Games gold medal would be a bigger deal in India than me winning on the LIV Tour or Asian Tour,” he added.
"It would send a huge ripple through the game of golf throughout India.”
Lahiri turned professional in 2007 and joined the Asian Tour in 2008. He is also a winner of the prestigious 2014 Arjuna Award, the second-highest sporting honour in India.
“Traditionally the Asian Games has been an amateur-only event but now it is open to professionals as well,” he said. “I never thought I would play again in the Asian Games after my 2006 cap.
“In my 16 years as a professional I have only represented my country a handful of times: playing in two World Cups of golf and in two Olympic Games,” said Lahiri, who has posted 18 pro wins on the tour.
“I have come from an army family background so playing under the flag of India and national patriotism has always been very important to me.
“Everyone dreams of winning a green jacket or standing on a podium with the national anthem playing,” he added.
The format for the men’s tournament is the best three scores from a team of four over the four rounds and for the ladies' tournament, the best two scores from a team of three players each day.
The Asian Games is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from all over Asia.
Since the 1982 Games, they have been organised by the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), after the breakup of the Asian Games Federation.
The Games are recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are described as the second largest multi-sport event after the Olympic Games.
Indian squad for Asian Games golf event
Men:
Ladies:
ALSO READ
Jon Rahm, Wyndham Clark, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods were among the stars packing their golf bags and leaving the famed Kentucky course after a testing second round on Friday
Top players can compartmentalize their lives, shut out all other outside distractions and can just focus on their game, says renowned golf coach Peter Cowen
The maverick West Indies' wicketkeeper-batsman hit eight sixes in his 29-ball 75 to set-up a comfortable win over the pre-tournament favourites
Bengaluru needs to win the match by at least 18 runs if they score a minimum of 200 runs batting first or win in 18.1 overs if they are chasing 200
The American is faces four criminal charges with assault of a police officer, criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding signals from an officer directing traffic
It is the first meeting between the world No.1 and No.2 in the tournament's history with a winner's purse of €699,690 at stake
'Let your hands talk in the ring. I am excited … let’s make history., said the Ukrainian Usyk after the official weight-in where the Briton avoided eye-contact with his opponent
The American sits five shots off the lead with Dubai-based Thomas Detry and Thorbjorn Oleson staying in contention on a record-setting day