Vani Kapoor is going global. The 22-year-old star golfer, who is now eyeing an unprecedented hat-trick on the Indian professional tour after being the top woman golfer for the last two years, has demolished the competition and won almost every major title that’s on offer in this country. Now, she’s getting ready to drive into the distance on courses around the world.

“Until last year, I used to play all the 16 events on the Indian calender, but I’m now focusing on international tournaments,” says Vani, who recently became the only player to clinch 17 titles in the history of women’s golf in India.

Her immediate goal is the prestigious Ladies European Tour (LET).“This year, I’ve played four LET events and will play four more by December,” says Vani. She’s also scheduled to play four LET Access Series tournaments that allow players to graduate to European Tour events.

But the bigger challenge for Vani is to earn what’s called a full card in this year's qualifiers in Morocco. “The card will entitle me to play all European tournaments,” says Vani, who was recently picked to be the Golf Ambassador of Thailand (Asia’s golfing hotspot) by the country’s tourism board.

In 2013, she managed a third place in Mineks & Regnum Ladies Classic in Turkey, an LET Access Series event.

Then, last year, she came in ahead of the field at the Women’s Indian Open, the country’s pre-eminent tournament, at the newly designed DLF Golf & Country Club which is reckoned to be a particularly tough course by players. She finished in the top 20.

“We all struggled and none of the Indian professionals could make the cut,” says Calcutta-based Neha Tripathi, who topped the Indian professional tour in 2013.

This year, Vani’s best international performance has been at the Victorian Open in Melbourne, where she finished 42nd. “You are up against bigger players who are very aggressive. This apart, the courses are longer and the weather is often blustery, which I am unaccustomed to,” says the golfer.

It’s only getting bigger and tougher for Vani.

“Vani is going international and it’s not financially feasible for us to travel along with her,” says her mother Asha.

Along the way, Vani says that she has had to take some tough decisions like skipping the pre-boards twice. “I was about to become India’s No. 1 amateur in both 2009 and 2011 and that, unfortunately, clashed with my exams in class 10th and 12th,” says Vani. “But my school, The Shri Ram School, was very supportive and, thankfully, I passed with flying colours.”

But behind an impressive tally of titles and trophies, there’s a story of a young girl who never even wanted to touch the golf clubs.

“I used to hate golf and was literally forced into it,” says Vani, who is now a certified golf coach.

“When I saw Vani playing at her school camp, I told her mother that she is talented,” says Anitya Chand, who has been working with her since she was 10.  “But Vani went back home and told everyone that there was a new coach who was telling her mother all lies. We still laugh about it,” says Chand.

That she had great promise became apparent when she clinched her maiden professional Indian title as a 17-year-old amateur and decimated top professionals including Sharmila Nicollet and Smriti Mehra to win by a huge margin of 10 shots.

Her big moment arrived when Vani represented India in Bali at the Queen Sirikit Cup in 2009. Soon afterwards, she was picked to play at the Asian Games in Guangzhou, China, in 2010.

“I also played the Women’s Indian Open by virtue of being a top amateur and made the cut twice,” says Vani who was also adjudged Best Amateur in 2009 and 2011.

Though Vani has just embarked on her international journey, she’s already triumphed in one big battle — the financial one. One of her sponsors is the Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI), which covers the expenses incurred on four European Tour events. “It costs lakhs to compete in European events and, thankfully, my parents don't have to pay now,” says Vani.

Her biggest sponsor is DLF, which looks after her domestic circuit costs and two European Tour events. It also flies her to the Butch Harmon School of Golf, Dubai, one of the world’s best golf schools. “The staff reviews my game, charts out my diet plan and even prepares my fitness regimen,” says  Vani, who’s also backed by Callaway, the American golfing equipment giant.

But there’s one area where she falls short — literally. She’s only 5ft-3in and that affects her ability to drive the ball longer and that puts her at a disadvantage against taller players. “I’m now doing swing speed training that includes explosive exercises like jumping and sprints that prepare the body to drive the ball longer,” says the golfer.

Vani is aware of the fact that there’s a fair amount of work at hand this year, but difficulties notwithstanding, the golfer seems confident. She says firmly: “I am ready to swing full-throttle.”