The three-day selection trials for the Asian Games 2023 took place at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in Kolkata. The trials were conducted by the Indian Golf Union. Khalin Joshi, a regular golfer on Asian Tour made the lead in the three-round tally with 67, 68, 68 who finished two strokes ahead of four-time European Tour winner SSP Chawrasia who accounted 11-under 205 in Kolkata. Aman Raj (72) ended in a tie for third place at 7-under 209.

 

 

Tournament director Paramjit Singh (from left), Khalin Joshi, SSP Chawrasia, Indian Golf Union director general Maj. Gen. (retd.) B Bhushan, Avani Prashanth and Pranavi Urs after the conclusion of the Asian Games selection trials at RCGC

 

 

Both the golfers will join the Indian pros, Anirban Lahiri and Shubhankar Sharma in the national squad for the Hangzhou Asian Games in China which will take place from 23rd Sept to 8th Oct, 2023. The games got postponed for an year due to the outspread of Covid-19 in China last year. 

 

Anirban Lahiri had won a silver at the Doha Asian Games 2006 as an amateur. Both Anirban and Chawrasia has also represented the nation in the Rio Olympics 2016. This was the time when golf returned to Olympics after more than a century. Lahiri also represented India at the 2020 Tokyo Games, along with Udayan Mane as Olympic golf was opened for professionals, from an amateur competition earlier, to get more eyeballs.

 

 

In the Women;s section, golfers from Bengaluru, Pranavi Urs and Avani Prashanth accounted for the 10-under 206 in the 54 hole tournament to the spot in the Asian Games. This duo will join Indian star golfer Aditi Ashok who is an LPGA regular. Avani Prashanth has recently won the Queen Sirikit Cup individual title and became the first Indian in 43 years to grab this title. The Women's squad will be all Bengaluru girls - Avani, Aditi and Pranavi. 

 

 

Avani Prashanth and Pranavi Urs at the Asian Games selection trials at RCGC

 

 

Avani was one stroke ahead of Pranavi after the second round of the trials at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club before she hit a bogey shot on the 18th and tied along with Pranavi. Pranavi carded 3-under 69 along with a bogey on 17th.

 

Other women golfers Tvesa Malik hit a 68 and got placed at the third position wih 9-under 207 while, Amandeep Drall (71) was fourth at 7-under 209. Diksha Dagar (70) and Vani Kapoor (71) were fifth and sixth. Diksha Dagar was also amoung the India's Tokyo 2020 team but this year she missed out. 

 

Aditi Ashok, who is the winner of four European Tour titles and had finished 4th in the 2020 Tokyo Games after which women's golf got a recognition in the country. 

 

 

From left - Khalin Joshi, SSP Chawrasia and Aman Raj

 

 

 According to media sources, IGU director-general Maj. Gen. (retd.) Bibhuti Bhushan said, “The Kolkata weather was a bit humid but the Royal Calcutta Golf Club was in pristine conditions and both men and women golfers enjoyed playing the historic layout. We have got worthy winners in SSP, Khalin, Pranavi and Avani. The names will be ratified by our selection committee and sent to the Sports Ministry and Indian Olympic Association for their formal inclusion in the team,”

 

 

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