Five players, who between them have won six times in the last seven years, will once again be in the fray for the half a million dollar Hero Honda Indian Open 2007 due to begin next Thursday at the resplendent Delhi Golf Course.
Led by defending champion Jyoti Randhawa, who also won the Indian Open in 2000, the field includes the last five champions. With Randhawa (2006, 2000), Thaworn Wiratchant (2005), Mardan Mamat (2004), Mike Cunning (2003) and Vijay Kumar (2002) in the fray, it promises to be a star-studded contest.
Throw in the likes of Jeev Milkha Singh, who considers the absence of an Indian Open trophy in his cabinet a big vacuum, and the field becomes even more intense.
Indian players have always been very strong on home turf and the last 10-12 years more than ever have seen Indian golf come of age.
Once Ali Sher started it off with twin wins in 1991 and 1993 Indian Opens, Indian golf has been on the ascendant. Two years later at the 1995 Gadgil Western Masters, the only time it was held, Gaurav Ghei chipped in an eagle from 60 yards on the 72nd hole to win the title.
Thereafter for many years India had two Asian Tour events, the Indian Open and the Hero Honda Masters.
Indians emerged winners in five of the six editions of the Hero Honda Masters between 1997 and 2004. Jyoti Randhawa winning it twice, Arjun Atwal twice and Harmeet Kahlon once.
As for the Indian Open, Firoze Ali won it in 1998 and Atwal followed in 1999. Randhawa made it a hat-trick for Indians in 2000.
The success story for Indians continued in 2002 when Vijay Kumar emerged Indian Open champion at DGC and in 2006 Randhawa won his second Indian Open.
Since 1995, Indians have won nine Asian Tour titles at home, making them the most successful nation on Indian courses.
Indians stars will however have to contend with foreigners, who have slowly but steadily come to grip with Indian conditions. The likes Thaworn Wiractchant, Mike Cunning and Mardan Mamat are all-familiar with DGC and will be looking forward to add to their collections.
With a more challenging DGC waiting for them, the stage is indeed set for an exciting 44th edition of the Hero Honda Indian Open.
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