After a tough few seasons, Chiragh Kumar is back in the reckoning on the Asian Tour with his maiden international victory at the Panasonic Open India on his home course, the Delhi Golf Club, on Sunday
After a tough few seasons, Chiragh Kumar is back in the reckoning on the Asian Tour with his maiden international victory at the Panasonic Open India on his home course, the Delhi Golf Club, on Sunday.
The 31-year-old Delhi golfer was runner-up at the 2011 Indian Open at the same venue to finish as high as 21st on the money list in Asia to gain his card on the Asian Tour for the first time.
Chiragh however, suffered an ankle injury the following season that affected his results for close to a year. He struggled with form on the continental tour thereafter and lost his card a couple of times. He narrowly missed out on his full playing rights on the Asian Tour for 2015 after finishing 65th on the Order of Merit last season.
The 2006 Asian Games silver medallist has now resurrected his career with two top performances within a span of four weeks. Chiragh’s tied second at the Venetian Macao Open in mid-October was the precursor to his breakthrough win in Delhi last week and he joins 2006 Doha teammates Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar in the winner’s circle on the tour.
“The most important thing is that I was finally able to get over the line. I came close to winning in 2011. At that time I told myself that I can win at the Indian Open but David Gleeson was too good to beat that week. Nonetheless, I’ve been patient over the last few years and have been telling myself that I can win,” said a relieved Chiragh, who is now 12th on the money list with a current season’s haul of $179,737.
His win also pushed him up 268 places from 578th to 310th in the official world golf ranking. Chiragh drew on the experience of playing alongside Australian Scott Hend in Macao recently.
“I played with Scott Hend on the third day. He didn’t have a great round but he played good on the last few holes. I told myself that this is what great players do. They keep grinding it out and never give up. It is not over until it is over. That’s something that I learned. The way he played on the back nine was amazing to see,” Kumar said.
With the Asian Tour season approaching its finale, Chiragh will surely be one of the Indians to watch out for in the remaining events as he looks to make a final push in the Order of Merit which has already been sealed by fellow Indian Anirban Lahiri.
