Lahiri could be playing the Asian Games in 2022
As we reported in January, the 2022 Asian Games has added a new element to the golf event by following the Olympics and allowing professionals to compete from now on. But unlike the Olympics, where selection is based purely on the professional world golf rankings, the Asian Games has not set criteria for selection. Instead, countries are free to select players on the basis of their own criteria.
A team could comprise all pros, all amateurs, or some combination of the two. For example, the Korean Golf Association (KGA) has announced it will send two pros and two amateurs for the men’s competition, while the women’s team will be made up of one pro and two amateurs.
The big question then is what should India do? The obvious answer is that India should send teams that have the best chance of winning a medal. For the men that would mean selecting the best pros, who are inarguably better than the top men’s amateurs in the country.
If selection were to be made based on current Official World Rankings, the Indian team would comprise of the following four players:
- Shubhankar Sharma (161 st ),
- Anirban Lahiri (311 th ).
- Veer Ahlawat (421 st );
- Chikkarangappa S (431 st )
While the rankings will change between now and the eventual cut-off date for selection, Sharma and Lahiri are virtually certain to be the top two and although both players have busy schedules in USA and Europe, Lahiri should be available as the Asian Games golf event is scheduled for Sept 15 to 18, which is just after the current PGA Tour season ends in August.
The European Tour where Sharma plays has the Italian Open that week and the high profile BMW Championship in London the week before and so he will face a bit of a challenge. That said, representing India is likely to be a high priority for Sharma who is anyway certain to qualify for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship since his second place finish in Abu Dhabi has already earned him enough Race to Dubai points.
Looking at India’s history in the Asian Games. India’s amateur golfers have a proud history at the Asian Games. The 4 member team, led by Lakshman Singh, won gold in 1982 in New Delhi. Singh claimed individual gold that year too, while Rajeev Mohta won the silverl. Shiv Kapur duplicated Singh’s feat in 2002 in Busan by winning the individual gold while the team won silver in 2006 in Doha and again in 2010 in Guangzhou.
One could therefore argue that India’s amateurs have done the country proud and also deserve their chance to represent India on the continent’s biggest team golf stage. Given that the change in participation rules has come so late, amateurs have been looking forward to playing in Hangzhou while the event may not even be on the radar for the top Indian pros.
India could choose to compromise like South Korea and pick two pros and two amateurs for the men (Korea has announced it will hold a selection trial in March to pick the two amateurs while the pros will be determined by the world rankings).
In the final analysis though, IGW’s view is that in an event of the importance of the Asian Games, you play to win the game, not give players exposure. The Asian Games is too important an event to compromise on and India needs to send the best team it can. For the men, that means the pros without any doubt.
Things are slightly more complicated on the women’s side. LPGA regular and Tokyo Olympic sensation Aditi Ashok undoubtedly deserves a place on the team. Tvesa Malik, who had considerable success in 2021 playing the Ladies European Tour, could have a strong case for selection as well if she continues her good form. Beyond the two of them it’s not clear the pros are that much better than the top amateurs.
Amateur women players regularly win events on the Hero domestic pro Tour. Two weeks ago Sneha Singh, the 17-year-old amateur from Hyderabad, shot a tour record 7- under 29 over her final nine holes to win the season’s second leg. Singh also finished second in the third leg, and she isn’t even the highest ranked amateur from India. That would be 15 year old All India Ladies Champion Avani Prashanth of Bangalore.
In other words, the IGU has its hands full coming up with a selection process for the women. So far the IGU has not made any announcements about its selection criteria for the Games. Hopefully, the process will be made public sooner rather than later, so the players know what to expect and can plan their schedules accordingly. That’s another important step in making sure the best possible team ends up at the Games.
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Credits:-
Photo – Olympics.com