As the Tokyo Olympics approach, to help whet your appetite, Robin Bose from thegolfinghub.com, in India, spoke to Indian stars Anirban Lahiri and SSP Chawrasia about their memories of Rio in 2016 ‒ when golf returned to the summer Olympics after 112 years.

Golf was making a comeback to the Olympics in 2016 after a long gap, and the enthusiasm had rubbed off on all the stakeholders. But sport can be unpredictable and that finds no better expression than in Anirban Lahiri’s debut at the Rio Games.

Raised in an Army household, Lahiri was excited at the prospect of turning out in Indian colours. An integral part of the PGA Tour by now, helped by a joint fifth finish at the 2015 PGA Championship, the icing for him was partnering SSP Chawrasia. The two have engaged in iconic duels at the Hero Indian Open and spent time on the Asian Tour and European Tour. So, Rio was being looked at as one more contest with “deep and technical discussions on the short game” by the sidelines.

Since Lahiri knew for a while that he would play, the build-up to the Olympics was good. He finished runner-up to Chawrasia at the Indian Open and enjoyed a joint sixth placing on the PGA Tour. Missing the cut at the US Open wasn’t a dampener as Lahiri opened well at The Open Championship. He looked good for a strong finish but a shoulder injury going into Sunday at Royal Troon triggered a phase of “not so good golf”.

Martin Kaymer of Germany and Lahiri walk on the second hole during the first round of men’s golf on Day 6 of the Rio 2016 Olympics at the Olympic Golf Course on August 12, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Lahiri wasn’t ready for competition, and proof was the missed cut at the PGA Championship. The strain of playing across America, Europe and Asia was showing, and led to the tough call of cutting down on tournaments in the coming seasons. Next up were the Olympics but there was no time to name a replacement because of visa restrictions and other paperwork.

Trying to get the best out of a tired body wasn’t the only challenge, wading through official red tape was another mountain to climb. The swing compromised due to the injury and the feel of his driver not right, Chawrasia came to the rescue by offering a spare club. Even then, Lahiri felt the heat and by the second day could not keep pace with the intensity.

As a proud Indian that is a regret and Lahiri is hopeful he gets a chance to complete “unfinished business and set the record straight” in another edition of the Olympics.

The memories outside competition were opposite to what transpired on the golf course. Seated next to Michael Phelps at dinner was memorable but equally inspiring was the story of the Indian judoka and wushu player Lahiri interacted with closely. “It made me realise how tough it is to pursue their love and getting to the Olympics is an achievement in itself. Golf figures way down in the list of disciplines, these guys are even lower down in the order. It was saddening but the struggle is inspiring,” said Lahiri.

Lahiri watches his tee shot on the 16th hole during the second round of the golf on Day 7 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Golf Course on August 12, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Scott Halleran/Getty Images)

Rio, SSP and a new love

Like Lahiri, Chawrasia was fearful of not turning up at Rio in the best shape. It was the week of the Irish Open and discomfort in the C4, C5 and C6 discs prevented him from going through with the full swing. The pain was such that Chawrasia even contemplated pulling out of the following week’s BMW PGA Championship.

Timely advice from the European Tour doctor helped him get in touch with a neurosurgeon and the shot of cortisone worked like magic. Within half an hour, he could go through with the full practice swing. From pulling out to T27 on that Sunday, that was some progress. More than the pay cheque, it was relief. “I had to play the Olympics, else there would have been a lifelong regret,” said Chawrasia.

The fatigue of the long flight from Kolkata to Rio got washed away the moment he entered the Games Village. “There was so much of positive energy; it had to be experienced to be believed.” Chawrasia finished T50, seven rungs ahead of Lahiri, and though the final day 78 rankles, playing alongside Sergio Garcia stands out.

Through the week, friendships were struck that cut across sport and have stood the test of time. Sharing the three-bedroom apartment with Lahiri and a towering 6’3” judoka, the friendly banter in the evening is recounted with fondness.

SSP in action during Round 4 at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at the Olympic Golf Course in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 14 August 2016. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa | usage worldwide (Photo by Soeren Stache/picture alliance via Getty Images)

But the biggest takeaway for Chawrasia from Rio was junking tea and embracing coffee. The unavailability of tea in the 24×7 food tent had Chawrasia reaching out for coffee. Growing up in Kolkata, tea was his staple beverage but in light of its non-availability and the affinity for caffeine had Chawrasia making the switch. He started by adding a dollop of milk but the aroma of the coffee beans grew on him quickly and since then it has been two cups of black coffee a day.

What is missed is the unmistakable taste of Brazilian coffee and Chawrasia is still on the lookout as he traverses through Europe and Asia in search of his next international title.

Rory Hie says he is back to 100% fitness after a series of troublesome injuries played havoc with his game following his historic win in the 2019 Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship, in India ‒ which saw him become the first Indonesian to win on the Asian Tour.

“My game is a lot better, this time off Tour has been very beneficial for me,” said the 32-year-old ‒ who is featured in the latest series of the Asian Tour’s Life on Tour video blogs.

He was nursing a right wrist before and during his win in India ‒ impressively, and despite the ailment, achieved wire to wire ‒ and then shortly after that injury started to clear up, the pain and discomfort bizarrely shifted to his left thumb.

“You can see in the pictures of me winning in India, there is strapping on my right wrist. Not long after that, at the Thailand Open I picked up a problem with my thumb; I thought ‘what the heck is wrong with my thumb?’ It lasted two or three months; it was a real pain to deal with, and I was going to see the physio a lot,” he said.

He thinks the problem with the wrist was the result of over exerting himself in the gym, while the thumb predicament probably came about after hitting too many practise balls off a wet mat in Jakarta.

“In Thailand, I could not really hold the club at the top of the back swing, and after that it got worse and worse, and we tried all sorts of things to fix it, but I really needed a long break,” said the Indonesian.

Hie poses with the trophy after winning the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship at Classic Golf and Country Club on September 15, 2019 in Gurgaon, India. (Photo by Arep Kulal/Asian Tour/Asian Tour via Getty Images)

“We had tried ice, massages, we taped it up so I looked like a mummy because at one point I had tape on my right wrist and left thumb. It was pretty bad, I tried to play with a thumb brace at one point. It wasn’t a good way to try and play tournaments. Also, I could not really practice.”

But he soon got his wish for a break when the coronavirus pandemic hit so abruptly and unexpectedly in 2020.

The ensuing long-layoff and, as he is quick to point out, applying the anti-inflammatory spray Perskindol ‒ which he picked up at the Malaysian Open in March, just before the pandemic stopped play on Tour ‒ saw the injury clear up.

“Now, I am back pretty much back 100%, except for a minor eye infection at the moment,” joked Hie, who now plays and practices at Sentul Highlands Golf Club, just outside Jakarta.

He has only played one event since that Malaysian Open ‒ a two-round local event this year ‒ but as well as healing physically, he feels the time off has helped him get on course mentally.

“This period of time off has given me a better understanding of what I need to do, and how I can improve. I don’t expect much in terms of events whether locally or on the Asian Tour this year. We might not have tournaments until next year, maybe. But at the same time I feel it is a good opportunity to get to the level I want to.

“I have the time now to prepare myself. I feel like my game is already in good shape. If it takes a longer time for tournaments to come back, then that is fine. I feel like I am improving almost every day.

“I have also been studying my game a lot. I was looking at my old swing 10 years ago and I was really different. I have been looking at the bio-mechanics of the golf swing and studying the players I like on Tour, more on the biomechanics side through 3D images, and I figured out a lot of stuff, it made a lot of sense to me.”

Hie celebrates after the final round of the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship at Classic Golf and Country Club on September 15, 2019 in Gurgaon, India. (Photo by Arep Kulal/Asian Tour/Asian Tour via Getty Images)

Hie also got into trading on the Indonesian market during lockdown, he says:  “It was hard at the beginning and I quickly lost a lot of money. I was like ‘what the heck’. But I made it all back by January. It was fun.”

And he also appeared in some television adverts for the first time: for UC 1000 water and also K-Link Products.

He adds” “That is something I would not normally have time to do, so it’s helped me keep things very positive.”

Despite the lack of competitive action, @Roryhie ?? ?️ is finding positives from this pandemic. ⛳ Watch our latest episode of #LifeonTour to find out how life has changed for him ?#LOT pic.twitter.com/5CYYUYGWpX

— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) June 19, 2021

Former Asian Tour number one Juvic Pagunsan says more “focus” and “mental strength” were the factors behind his popular victory last Sunday in the Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open – surprisingly, his maiden win in Japan after a decade of trying, and, perhaps even more notably, his first triumph on one of the region’s main Tours since claiming the Pertamina Indonesia President Invitational on the Asian Tour in 2007.

“I had been practicing very hard and trying to really focus on my game,” said the Filipino, whose victory also earned him a berth in this year’s Open Championship field at Royal St George’s, July 15-18.

“I was a little bit worried that I would never win again, but I kept practicing, playing and working on getting mentally stronger, that is why I was able to win again.”

Juvic celebrates his birdie on the 18th hole during the third and final round of the Barclays Singapore Open at the Sentosa Golf Club on November 13, 2011 in Singapore, Singapore. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Since turning professional 15 years ago the Filipino star has recorded eight runner-up finishes on the Asian Tour and seven on the Japan Golf Tour Organization – an impressive track record, even though it is void of titles.

One of those second placed finishes came in the Barclays Singapore Open in 2011, where he was beaten by Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, aka “Gonzo”, in that famous sudden-death play-off that had to be completed on Monday morning. Although disappointed to lose, Pagunsan was consoled by earning a cheque for US$666,660 – which helped him secure the Asian Tour Order of Merit title.

But at the age of 43 many thought Pagunsan had missed the boat on another victory.

The Filipino – who is also a two-time winner on the Asian Development Tour – is philosophical about it.

“If the tournament is yours, it is yours, but if it is not, it’s not, but if you still keep playing you have a chance to win,” he says.

“It is nearly 11 years in Japan right now and I always came up second but last week I broke that curse and I did it, I finally won.

“Hopefully I can win again, every year, and every tournament I keep positive.”

Juvic poses with the winning trophy at the end of the final round of Pertamina Indonesia President Invitational Golf Tournament at the Damai Indah Golf and Country Club in Tangerang, on the outskirts of Jakarta, 28 October 2007. AFP PHOTO/Bay ISMOYO (Photo credit should read BAY ISMOYO/AFP via Getty Images)

Remarkably, he marched to victory last weekend carrying his own clubs (partly due to COVID-19 restrictions) as: “I didn’t have a private caddie and I didn’t want to use the push carts.”

It was the third time this year he had carried his bag in Japan, but whereas on the two previous occasions he lugged a full set, this time he felt it best to make his bag lighter and carry 11 clubs (legally you are allowed to carry 14).

He added: “I am getting older and the last two times with 14 clubs were really heavy. I don’t like to use the electric carts, since you have to go all the way around the greens.”

Out went his three, four, six, and eight irons and in came a 19-degree utility club, four wedges and a winners’ cheque for  ¥12,000,000 (US$109,304) – elevating his career earnings in Japan to ¥237,625,768 (US$2,163,489).

As for his trip to the Open he says:

“I have had a lot of experience playing links golf. I actually made the cut the first time I played the Open (he finished tied 72nd in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St Annes). But missed the cut in 2014 (at Royal Liverpool). I will try and draw on those experiences when I play this year.”

ENDS

When Thongchai Jaidee turned professional in 1999 – to much fanfare following an all-conquering amateur career – the last thing on his mind would have been the distant and ancient land of Wales.

But 13 years after joining the ranks of play-for-pay – and indeed on this day in 2012 – it was there, at the ISPS Handa Wales Open, that he recorded what is considered to be one of the greatest victories by an Asian golfer.

Thongchai had already claimed four European Tour events up until that point, but they were all joint-sanctioned events in Asia.

Whether he was able to transfer that kind of form onto European soil, where conditions were vastly different, was an unknown variable.

Thongchai poses with the trophy after winning in Wales (Photo by Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images)

However, in the summer of 2012, Thongchai – who was 42 years old at the time – silenced any doubters when he overcame a star-studded field at a wet and windy Celtic Manor Resort – the venue for another closely fought European win at the Ryder Cup just two years earlier.

The Thai golfer closed with a one-over-par 72 for a six under total and a one-stroke victory over Dane Thomas Björn, Spain’s Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño, Dutchman Joost Luiten and South African Richard Sterne.

“I want to say thank you to all my family, all the supporters and the sponsors here,” he said.

“Conditions were quite tough for me.

“I tried to hit everything on the fairway – that’s the main thing – then hit the ball on the green. It was very, very tough for me, not like Thailand!”

The victory also meant he became the first player from Thailand to win in Europe.

Thongchai celebrates with his caddie (Photo by AMA/Corbis via Getty Images)

The former paratrooper, world ranked 199, led by one overnight, but fell one behind after running up a double-bogey seven at the ninth.

But with typical Thongchai bravado he made three birdies in rapid-fire succession from the 10^th and another on the 15^th to seize control.

That gave him the luxury of being able to bogey the 16th and 18th and still take the £300,000 first prize.

At the time it was his 16^th win as a professional and he could have been forgiven for sitting back and resting on his laurels but the win in Wales proved to be the first of many European conquests.

He went on to win four more titles in Europe to help cement his position as one of the greatest golfers produced by the Asian Tour.

Thongchai tees off on the 18th hole during the final round. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)

Asian Tour members produced a hat-trick of victories last week with Juvic Pagunsan from the Philippines – the 2011 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion – claiming his maiden title in Japan, while Korean Kyongjun Moon and China’s Yanwei Liu won on their respective domestic circuits.

Pagunsan triumphed in the Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open, and, as the event name suggests, secured his ticket to this summer’s Open Championship – to be played at Royal St George’s Golf Club from July 15-18.

Helped by birdies on 15 and 16, he closed with a four-under-par 68 at the Setonaikai Golf Club in Okayama to end on 17-under-par 199, and finish three ahead of Ryutaro Nagano from Japan.

KASAOKA, JAPAN – MAY 30: Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines celebrates winning the The Mizuno Open. (Photo by Toru Hanai/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Pagunsan, who finished second in the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup earlier in the month, has been playing on the Japan Golf Tour Organization for the past decade and was thrilled to finally win there.

“It has been 10 years, 10 years! It took me 10 years to win! Now I am relieved,” he said, after his round. “I get to go to UK. I can go again. Could I get my visa? How is the quarantine measures?”

Remarkably, the 43-year-old won with only 11 clubs in his bag, because due to COVID-19 precautions caddies are only allowed to follow their golfers in carts – so Pagunsan chose to lighten his bag by removing his 3, 4, 6, and 8 irons.

Credit: KPGA Korean Tour

Moon moved to the top of the Money List on the Korean PGA Tour when he claimed the KB Financial Live Championship at Black Stone Icheon Golf Club.

He closed with a three-under-par 69 to finish on eight-under-par 208 – three ahead of compatriot Jeongwoo Ham, in what was the fourth event of the season in Korea.

Over on the China Tour, Liu won the Zhengzhou Classic at St Andrews (Zhengzhou) Golf Club. He shot a one-under-par 71 on the last day for a tournament total of eight under – one better than former teenage-star Jason Hak from Hong Kong.

It was also their fourth event of 2021.

Thai veteran star Thongchai Jaidee will see his illustrious golf career take a full cycle when he tees up in the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma starting on Thursday.

And at age 51, he is by no means finished just yet of his pursuit for more silverware on PGA TOUR Champions.

His appearance at Southern Hills this week for his senior major debut brings back fond memories of his first major appearance at the U.S. Open in 2001, which was also played at the Tulsa venue. Then, he became the first Thai to qualify and play in all four rounds at the U.S. Open, finishing T74 which coincided with the start of a great career that would see him earn three Asian Tour Order of Merit crowns and eight European Tour titles.

“I was here 20 years ago and I recall enjoying myself and being excited being the first Thai to qualify for the U.S. Open. Looking back now, making the cut was one of my career highlights,” said Thongchai.

“It’s a bit different with this week being a senior major but it is still my dream to win a major championship, even if it is a senior major. My game feels okay and I know I have to do everything well on what is a good and difficult golf course.”

The Asian legend made his first start of 2021 on PGA TOUR Champions two weeks ago where he finished tied 26th in the Mitsubishi Electric Classic. He is trying to make up for lost time after being grounded in Thailand for most of 2020 due to COVID-19 and missed 16 Champions tournaments after finishing second in Qualifying School.

Thongchai knows he can no longer spend countless of hours at the range or gym to hone his skills and physical fitness but thanks to modern technology, he reckons he can enjoy a fruitful career in the over-50 circuit.

“I think I have a good chance to win a major in my senior career. That’s my key goal. Of course I will need to play well and there are so many good players. I used to practice for like 10, 11 hours a day but I don’t do this now. I’m keeping my body healthy, putting in six to seven hours now and focusing on the short game and learning to keep my energy.”

One of his career regrets was not contending more often in the majors during his heyday, with a tie for 13th place at the 2009 Open Championship being his best finish in 32 major appearances.

“I tried hard to win a major but it wasn’t possible. I had a chance at the British Open in the year when Stewart Cink won (he finished four shots back). I remember the week being a poor putting performance by me as I had like five or six three putts then,” he said.

“I still enjoy competing, I enjoying playing golf and playing in tournaments. As we saw last week with Phil (Mickelson) winning the PGA, anything can happen in golf. These days, we have good equipment compared to 20 years ago and you can maintain your distances which gives me confidence to know that I can still compete.”

When Thongchai made his first appearance at Southern Hills all those years ago, he made global headlines by telling the assembled media that he had opted to sleep on the floor of his US$200-a-night hotel room as the bed was “too soft” to preserve his gingerly back. He is staying with his close friend this week.

“I’m getting older, so I’m sleeping on the bed now. Mike (his host) has made sure I’ve got a good and firm mattress and my back is much better these days.”

Ends

Shaun Norris from South Africa claimed his fifth title in Japan on Sunday – and first since 2019 – when he won the inaugural Golf Partner Pro-Am Tournament after a thrilling sudden-death play-off at Toride Kokusai Golf Club.

Norris, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour, beat fellow Asian Tour member Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe and Japan’s Tomoharu Ostuki after two extra holes.

Ostuki, the leader after each of the first three rounds, made bogey on the 72^nd to send the tournament into overtime but dropped out after making a double on the first play-off hole. On the following hole Vincent failed to save par to hand victory to Norris.

“I wasn’t able to come to Japan Tour last year so I am way down on the Money race, but I will fight hard to catch up. I want to win at least two more this season,” said Norris, who earned a cheque for just over US$122,000.

Scott Vincent of Zimbabwe (Photo by Graham Denholm/Getty Images)

The South African had closed with a seven-under-par 63 for a four-round total of 21 under.

He said: “I felt I had an advantage against the other two”, as he explained his last win in 2019 at the ANA Open came after a five-way playoff.

His victory was made more impressive by the fact that he pushed his cart all week, as his brother and regular caddie was ill.

“I wish my brother was here with me to celebrate,” added Norris, who turned 39 earlier this month.

Filipino Angelo Que, a three-time winner on the Asian Tour, finished in a tie for fourth – three shots short of the play-off.

KIAWAH ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA – MAY 23: Phil Mickelson of the United States celebrates with brother and caddie Tim Mickelson after winning on the 18th green during the final round of the 2021 PGA Championship held at the Ocean Course of Kiawah Island Golf Resort on May 23, 2021 in Kiawah Island, South Carolina. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

At the PGA Championship, where American Phil Mickelson made his history by becoming the oldest winner of a Major at the age of 50, four Asian Tour members competed but failed to make it through to the weekend.

Americans John Catlin and Kurt Kitayama missed the cut by five with Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Rikuya Hoshino from Japan further down the leaderboard.