What they are playing for: the trophy!

What’s common between Jamshedpur’s Karan Taunk and Sri Lanka’s Sisira Kumara? Or, Bhutan’s Bikash Bogati and Malaysia’s Abel Tam? The hunger to power putt through the Tata Steel 112th Amateur Golf Championship of India that got underway at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club on Tuesday. And why not? The tournament that dates back to 1892 is “the important event of the year for amateur golf”.

“The tournament is big, steeped in history. The critical thing is anybody who has done well for India has always been part of the amateur tour. So, in golf, you cut your teeth playing amateur golf. Nothing matters more than being the national champion,” says Brandon De’Souza, former India No. 1 and the CMD of Tiger Sports.

No wonder the young turks were ready for the battle. “I try my best. I don’t follow anyone. I just play my game,” laughs Sisira, Sri Lanka’s No. 3 who admires Tiger Woods. No wonder his team-mate Vijitha Bandara, No. 2, quips: “I am following him!”

Besides being the cutest, the Nepalese trio — Bikash Bogati, Bishnu Sharma and Dinesh Prajapati — are also the fittest of the lot, points out coach Brandon. And, on their first ever trip to India, they are looking to garner some confidence. “The team’s strength is that slowly but surely they have started to get some exposure. Considering that the golf courses are much shorter back home, I am not expecting them to win but now they have the confidence to know that they can compete at this level. Golf is a mind game. It is the six inches that make the difference,” says Brandon. So, what are the boys most worried about? “Green speed and getting it up and down when you miss a green,” say the Rickie Fowler fans. “Play within yourself, get your clubbing sorted out and enjoy the game,” is the coach’s mantra.

(L-R) Karan Taunk with Dinesh Prajapati and Bikash Bogati

Karan, who was at RCGC for another tourney two weeks back, feels his recent brush with the greens will help. “Everything looks a lot wider and the hole looks a lot bigger,” says the golfer who spends six to eight hours on the course every day. Karan relaxes with Duran Duran’s Come Undone and to keep fit he cycles and pays special attention to his short game, a golfer’s “insurance”!

Where there is competition, there is camaraderie. Bhutan’s Dechen Ugyen, who has been playing for the last seven years, is looking to make friends on the greens. “It’s fun. Our first aim is to win, but we are also looking at some good amateur golf,” says Dechen, who has teamed up with Tshendra Dorji. So who do they think will give them a tough fight? “India!” smiles Tshendra.

Simarjeet Singh, Gagan Verma and Udayan Mane are some of the other Indian players who are taking part in the week-long golfing gala.

For many, it is a walk down memory lane. Ana Punchihewa, president, Sri Lanka Golf Union, remembers swinging it in this tournament way back in the ’80s. “One used to put up with families then,” smiles the former president of Sri Lankan cricket. Punchihewa had to start from scratch in golf. “In cricket, the walls and the foundation were there. In golf, I had to build the foundation, the walls and the roof although we had a rich heritage of 125 years!”

He is a proud man though with stars like Nandasena Perera, Mithun Perera and Anura Rohana, all from humble backgrounds, shining through from the island nation with just “four golf courses and just over 300 golfers”.

For those looking to choose between cricket and golf, Punchihewa feels that the decision has to be made as a kid. “In cricket, you finish by 35-36, unless you are a Sachin Tendulkar or a Sanath Jayasuriya. Golf is for life,” he says.

“(To popularise) it has to be a collective thing… players, sponsors, council and public at large,” says Farzan R Heerjee, chief corporate relations, Tata Steel Limited, who lives only for golf!

Golf builds character, feels George Bandusena of the Malaysian Golf Association committee member. And though football is the crowd-puller back home, golf has its takers too. “Albright Chong and Solomon Emilio Rosidin are the rising heroes,” says the administrator of Sri Lankan descent.

Capping off this SAARC country meet is Bangladesh, represented by Md. Sagor and Md. Liton. Their hero? Siddikur Rahman who made a neat $500,000 playing in Asia.

The only ones missing in action? Pakistan. “I guess they were not invited because they beat us at cricket! We do not want them to beat us at every sport!” laughs Brandon.

On a serious note, Brandon stresses the importance of taking amateur tournaments seriously. “Everybody thinks professional golf is the way. The scary thing is if you are not good enough, you are going to be on the road.”

Pictures: Pabitra Das