India will be fielding a young but strong team of golfers at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, this August. The four-member boys team and the three-member girls team were chosen after a grueling six-round trial that concluded on April 30.
All contenders were required to play six rounds conducted by the Indian Golf Union. Two of the rounds were held at Classic Golf & Country Club, Gurugram, while four were played at Jaypee Greens, Greater Noida. After six rounds, the best five scores were considered.
17-year-olds Sifat Sagoo, Ridhima Dilawari and Diksha Dagar were the top three girls. Kshitij Naved Kaul, Aadil Bedi and Harimohan Singh, also 17, were the top three among boys. 18-year-old Dubai- based Rayhan Thomas, whose achievements include a win in a pro tournament (2016 Dubai Creek Open) while still being an amateur, was given a discretionary spot based on his ranking (21 on the World Amateur Golf Ranking).
The Asian Games will be conducted from August 20-23, 2018 at the Pondok Indah Golf Course, Jakarta, Indonesia.
India’s track record in golf at the Asian Games has been impressive. When the sport was introduced at the Asian Games in 1982, Lakshman Singh and Rajiv Mohta won gold and silver, respectively, and the Indian contingent comprising Amit Luthra, Laxman Singh, Rajiv Mohta and Rishi Narain won gold in the team event. Shiv Kapur then won the individual gold in 2002.
India have since clinched silver in the men’s team events in 2006 (Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Chiragh Kumar and Joseph Chakola) and 2010 (Rashid Khan, Rahul Bajaj, Abhinav Lohan and Abhijit Chadha).