Gangjee grew up with the ambition of becoming a race horse jockey but his father, a tea trader, told him to quit the sport as he felt it was dangerous. The only danger he faced on Sunday was nervousness which he superbly overcame.
“My heart rate was up especially when I got to the (18th) green and I knew I had to get up and down. That’s where my heart started racing and my mind started going all over the place. That was the chance I had to convert and I did,” he smiled.
Shiv Kapur of India, who sealed the Panasonic Swing Ranking to win the top bonus prize of US$70,000 and an exemption into an event on the European Tour this year, was delighted to be part of a successful week for Indian golf.
The Panasonic Swing ranking is based on an aggregate points system earned by players at five selected tournaments and Kapur collected the most points thanks largely to his win at the Panasonic Open India last November.
“It is amazing. Rahil is a close friend and I told him I was feeling the pressure standing on the 18th green. I’m so happy for him. It couldn’t happen to a nicer guy,” said Kapur.
“On a personal note, winning the Panasonic Swing ranking was a big goal for me. Coming into this week, I carried a lot of pressure trying to win the Panasonic Swing and it showed in my result. I’m really proud to be able to win the first ever Panasonic Swing,” he added.
With the victory Gangjee moved to third place on the Asian Tour’s Habitat for Humanity Standings with earnings of US$283,018. Sharma leads the rankings on US$548,125 while Matt Wallace of England, who won the Hero Indian Open, trails in second place on US$291,660. Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat (US$251,173) and Paul Peterson (US$215,758) of the United States sit in fourth and fifth place respectively.
(Read more in the May issue of Golf Digest India. Download here.)