Lahiri aiming for Olympic gold
Having survived a bad bout of COVID, Anirban Lahiri is back on track and has a lot on his plate – the Olympics, his PGA Tour card and charity work. V. Krishnaswamy reports.
Anirban Lahiri once told me something, which seems to be the secret of his mental strength. He said there will always be something to chase – a world ranking, a title, a personal goal and so on. So, he said: “If I do right what is in front of me, the rest will follow.”
Nothing could be truer than that right now. Except that the list is longer now, but Lahiri is not shying away; neither from his challenges or his responsibilities – as an idol for young golfers, as a professional golfer trying to reach his goals and above all as a sympathetic human being for all around him.
Lahiri feels he has multiple things on his mind these days and it shall stay so for the next few weeks. Till a couple of weeks back, it was not just his form or the way his game was coming and going in patches, but also his recovery from COVID ‒ which at one point reached a scary stage ‒ and, of course, the need to secure his PGA Tour card for 2022.
Now he has additional things, which have also been his goals – the Tokyo Olympics, for which he got into the field almost at the eleventh hour. And, he is also involved in his personal charity work with Akshaya Patra, an organization which is doing some fine work, according to Lahiri.
On his charity work, Lahiri said: “Akshaya Patra is an organization that is doing great on-the-groundwork. One of the reasons I like it is because they’re doing a lot of work specifically for the migrant laborers, for kids whose parents are not around.”
Lahiri lines up a putt on the fourth green during the third round of Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio Oaks Course on April 03, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
And, of course, at the back of his mind is that gnawing thought that he is yet to notch his maiden win on the PGA Tour, where he has played since 2016 The former Asian Tour number one last won in 2015, when he took the Malaysian Open and Hero Indian Open in quick succession and rose to Top-50 in the world.
This week he played in the John Deere Classic [unfortunately, he missed the cut on Friday], and he will also play the Barbasol next week, because, as he said: “I will miss the 3M Open because of Olympics, so I added Barbasol to my schedule.” Then he will have Barracuda, which he may or may not play, and Wyndham to secure his 2022 playing rights.
Talking of the Olympics, which he also played in 2016, he said: “I think the biggest difference, about the Olympic is you don’t get anything for coming fourth. Anything other than a podium finish is not significant at the Olympics, though a T-4 at a PGA Tour event goes a long way in ensuring a lot of things on the PGA Tour.”
He added: “It’s more of all or nothing because that’s really what you are there for. Unlike in many other sports (outside of Olympics), in golf you can have a top 10, which is considered a good result, or you can have a top 25, which is called a decent result, but at the Olympics a top 25 means nothing and a top 10 could be equally insignificant.”
Though his PGA Tour card is not locked yet, Lahiri said that he could not even think of bypassing a chance to play for India at the Olympics. He said: “I know what an Olympic medal can do for Indian golf. I would not be able to forgive myself if I passed up a chance to try and get one [medal].”
Lahiri’s own struggles with COVID over the last two months were “scary”. On how his game has been on return from COVID, Lahiri, said: “My game is feeling quite good. This is probably the best I’ve felt since my bout with COVID. I think I had a lot of positives in the one week, and then last week also I played some good golf.”
Lahiri at the Olympic Golf course during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro on August 11, 2016. / AFP / Emmanuel DUNAND (Photo credit should read EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)
Sharing his COVID story and how he got it, Lahiri said: “It just so happened when my coach [Vijay Divecha] came in from India he tried to avoid exposing himself at the airport and he went to a friend’s house in Delhi when he was transiting (in early April). When he landed here and started work, the day after he landed, the friend he stayed with called us and said that he was not feeling well.
“Vijay unfortunately contracted the virus even though he was fully vaccinated; I kind of got it from him and so did my family, my wife. I think my daughter had it, too, though we didn’t test her because she’s only two.”
“I had a pretty serious bout with it. I had prolonged fever,” he added. He was even suspected of having COVID pneumonia. The chest X-rays were not very positive, and he was put on stronger and slightly different medication. When he had to go back to the hospital for a checkup, the fever was up to 104 on the ninth day and oxygenation had come down.
However, subsequent tests and chest Xrays ruled out COVID pneumonia, which was a relief for Lahiri as it could have impacted him seriously.
It took him two months to get to back on his feet and he lost all his muscle and almost 15 pounds. His wife, Ipsa, despite having Covid, drove him to hospital and took care of the family.
On his game as such, he added: “This week I’ve tried to work on some of those areas that needed a little bit of polishing, and I’m excited. I like the golf course. Weather is going to be nice and warm, which is something that I usually like.”
As for his tight schedule, Lahiri said: “After John Deere and then Barbasol next week, it will be Olympics. He added: “I will be in Japan for around seven and a half days – and back to the US.
He may play the Barracuda Championships and then the final event of the regular season at Wyndham.
“By then I hope I have done enough to get the card,” Lahiri added with a laugh. He is 119th and needs to stay inside Top-125 to keep his full status.
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond grew up with dreams of putting on his goggles and competing for an Olympic medal in a swimming pool. A twist of fate will see him shoot for gold in the men’s golf competition instead later this month.
Jazz, the Asian Tour’s No. 1 in 2019, will line up alongside the world’s elite at Kasumagaseki Country Club on the outskirts of Tokyo from July 29 to August 1 where he and compatriot Gunn Charoenkul will make their Olympic debuts.
THOMASTOWN, IRELAND – JULY 01: Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand plays his second shot on the second hole during Day One of The Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Mount Juliet Golf Club on July 01, 2021 in Thomastown, Ireland. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
“Growing up, not many people knew I swam a lot,” said Jazz. “My dad wanted me to become a swimmer. When I was between four to eight years old, I used to swim a few kilometres every day. It was crazy. Now I won’t even go into the water,” he added with a laugh.
The 25-year-old recalls how he and his father would watch the Olympics on TV, in particular the track and field events and swimming competition. American swimming legend Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with a total of 28 medals, was amongst the stars who caught his young eye back in the day.
“I would follow athletics and swimming and there was no golf back then,” said Jazz, who is now a six-time winner on the Asian Tour. “I used to watch Phelps dominate the pool, so it was a thing. The Olympics is the biggest stage for sports and it’s a huge priority for me.
“I don’t like to day-dream and I don’t say things like I want to win the Masters one day or The Open. I won’t day-dream except for the Olympics. The Olympics is different and I would often think what if I can win an Olympic medal. It’s so weird. I think it is the ultimate for sports.”
After others his age outgrew and outpaced him in the pool, Jazz tried football (soccer) but gave that up too after getting kicked and outmuscled. Golf came next when his father, a Thai judge, encouraged him to hit balls when he was eight. Bitten by the bug, Jazz became a golf prodigy and emerged as the youngest player at age 14 to make the halfway cut at an Asian Tour event in 2010. A day before he turned 15, he joined the professional ranks.
It was not a quick ascent though, as Jazz took a few years to adjust to life in the professional ranks. In 2016, he decided to spend a few months in a Buddhist monastery where he learned to become a monk – a ritual common amongst young Thais as a mark of respect to their parents. In February of 2017, he won the Bangladesh Open, crediting his first Asian Tour victory to his time in the monastery for the success.
Jazz entered monkhood in Chiang Rai for two weeks at the end of the 2016 season, becoming a disciple of Phra Maha Vudhijaya Vajiramedhi. Weeks later, he claimed his first Asian Tour title in Bangladesh.
“I prayed and chanted every day in the temple. I felt really peaceful. Golf used to be everything but now, I’m just happy I get to play in tournaments,” said Jazz, whose Sunday trademark is to wear an orange shirt which is the colour of a monk’s saffron.
By the end of 2019, he joined an illustrious list of famous Thai golfers including Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit following four wins before his momentum was halted by COVID-19.
Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand with his Asian Tour trophies at the 2020 Hong Kong Open. Picture by Paul Lakatos / Asian Tour.
After showing glimpses of his best form with a second-place finish in Kenya and tied 11th in the British Masters earlier this year, Jazz knows there is so much to play for in the Tokyo Olympics. “I’m really happy to qualify. It’s been a long journey. We were aiming to play last year but we couldn’t. I’m just glad I finally made it,” he said.
“I’m excited to represent my country, and it’s an honour. I remember Thongchai and Kiradech sharing their experience after they came back from Rio de Janeiro and Kiradech played well that week (to finish fifth).
“We’ve got two from the men’s and women’s (Ariya Jutanugarn and Patty Tavatanakit), so four chances there to win a medal for Thailand. One of us need to have a good week to win a medal for our country. Golf is not like any other sport and you don’t need to be the best. You just need to have the right week. It would be mad to get a medal, it’ll be crazy if I do.”
Ends.
Udayan Mane has become the eighth player of the Asian Tour to earn a coveted place in the elite 60-man field for the upcoming summer Olympics ‒ which was announced yesterday by the International Golf Federation.
The Indian star had been on the reserve list but moved into the top-60 on the Olympic Ranking following the withdrawal of Argentine Emiliano Grillo.
“After being a certainty at one point last year, the rankings have been coming down and I couldn’t do much because I had no events to play. It was almost depressing, but I stuck to practice and workouts,” said the 30-year-old Bengalurean.
“I cannot help thinking about that last hole in the Delhi-NCR Open in March. I birdied the 72nd hole and managed a win and those points helped me make this team,” added Mane. “Even a second place would not have been enough.”
He was the leading Indian qualifier last year and seemed set to clinch a trip to Tokyo alongside countryman Rashid Khan, but then came the pandemic, the Olympic Games were postponed and their playing opportunities became fewer by the week.
“I had done what I could and it included a win in my last start which was in March this year after which I did not get a chance to play. Anirban is someone I have looked up to and to be with him in the team is indeed an honour,” Mane said.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS – APRIL 04: Anirban Lahiri of India plays his shot from the second tee during the final round of Valero Texas Open at TPC San Antonio Oaks Course on April 04, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images)
India’s Anirban Lahiri, the Asian Tour’s 2015 Order of Merit winner, secured his spot in the Olympics a few weeks ago, also thanks to player withdrawals. Lahiri competed in Rio in 2016 and finished in 57th place.
The other Asian Tour players set to compete are: Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Gunn Charoenkul, Juvic Pagunsan from the Philippines, Zimbabwean Scott Vincent and Gavin Green from Malaysia ‒ who also played in Rio.
The Olympics start on July 23 with the golf tournament being played from July 29 to August 1, at Kasumigaseki Country Club, Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture.
Spaniard Jon Rahm topped the Olympic Ranking thanks to his sensational victory in the US Open at Torrey Pines last month.
Ends.
Of Thongchai Jaidee’s 20 victories worldwide perhaps the greatest was achieved on this day just five years ago at the Open de France ‒ which to add further weight to the week was celebrating its 100th anniversary.
The Thai star claimed his eighth title on the European Tour in a comfortable fashion that belied the quality of the field and overall enormity of what is one of Europe’s stellar events.
He was a picture of consistency over the weekend at Le Golf National (venue for the 2018 Ryder Cup), carding consecutive rounds of 68 to reach 11 under ‒ thanks to a run of 39 bogey-free holes ‒ and claiming a four-shot triumph over Italy’s Francesco Molinari, who carded the low round of the day with a 66.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy was two shots further back in third place after a closing 71.
Thongchai came into the final day with a two-shot lead and extended that to five on three occasions as the chasing pack failed to put him under any great pressure and a closing bogey on the toughest hole on Tour in 2015 failed to take the gloss off a fine victory.
Thongchai celebrates his win during day four of the 100th Open de France at Le Golf National on July 3, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
“I think this is the biggest tournament in my life. This golf course is fantastic for me, I’m really happy with that. Absolutely perfect,” said Thongchai, a three-time winner of the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
He went about his business with the minimum of fuss and he rolled his third shot from the fringe to within tap-in range on the par five third and then birdied the sixth for the fourth time during the week as he put his approach to four feet before going on to birdie the 11th and 15th.
The cheque he received for €583,330 (US$690,814) was the most lucrative of his career and at the age of 46 years old he became the oldest winner in Open de France history, beating 2010 champion Miguel Angel Jiménez from Spain by 58 days.
“I’m very happy to have my family here this week together and also really happy to win the tournament here. I know the golf course is fantastic,” he added.
“I’ve been here many, many years and I think especially this week, it’s a special week for me to win the tournament out here. Sometimes you need one perfect week. You can’t do well every week. This week is my perfect week because I didn’t miss much. Anything I missed, I found I could lay up and make a good shot and make par and that’s it.”
The win was also his fourth European Tour victory in Europe, with his first four coming in Asia.
Thongchai completes his win at the 100th Open de France at Le Golf National on July 3, 2016 in Paris, France. (Photo by Matthew Lewis/Getty Images)
Singapore’s Mitchell Slorach fired two birdies in his closing three holes to cap an impressive four-shot victory in what is the third leg of the Singapore Pro Series Invitational presented by FTAG held at the highly acclaimed Sentosa Golf Club on Wednesday.
The 33-year-old Slorach, who held an overnight two-shot lead after opening with an even-par 71, rode on his fine form and took advantage of his home course knowledge to sign for a final round 70 and a winning total of one-under-par 141 in the two-day event.
(From left) Jerome Ng, General Manager of the Singapore Golf Association (SGA) and Mitchell Slorach, winner of the third leg of the Singapore Pro Series Invitational presented by FTAG (Photo courtesy of Sportfive)
Slorach took home a winner’s prize purse of S$3,000 after emerging top of the field that consisted of 18 professionals and six amateurs. Fellow countryman Jesse Yap battled to a 72 to take second place while local veteran Mardan Mamat settled a further shot back in third after carding a second consecutive 73.
“I came in with no expectations. I played really consistent these two days and I am very happy to win on my home course,” said Slorach, who moved to second place on the money list with total earnings of S$4,500 following his victory.
Mitchell Slorach of Singapore (Photo courtesy of Sportfive)
Yap leads the merit rankings by a mere S$100 over Slorach while Gregory Foo, winner of the second leg of the Series, sits in third with S$4,200.
The fourth leg of the Series will be a four-day tournament held at Tanah Merah Country Club from July 13 to 16 and in conjunction with the Singapore Open Amateur Championship.
Amanda Tan, the first woman professional to play the in final flight with the frontrunners in this Series, registered a 76 to take a share of seventh place on 149.
“It was amazing playing in the last flight with the lads,” said Tan. “They came wearing their game faces and I had to strive to keep pace with their powerful drives and accurate placement. I had a good chance today but came up a bit short. Looking forward to doing better in the next one!”
Daryl Low posted a second straight 75 to emerge as the top amateur in tied-ninth place on 150.
Ends.
Sentosa Golf Club (SGC), home to the Asian Tour and a member of Asian Tour Destinations, recently announced its commitment to become the world’s first ever carbon neutral golf club by 2022. We spoke to Andy Johnston, the Club’s General Manager and Director of Agronomy, about this high-profile commitment.
Andy, what made the Club want to take on this carbon neutral project?
We recognize how important it is to address the issues of global warming including the more critical element of climate change. We can see the changing landscape in the planet’s ecosystems and feel climate change should be on the top of everyone’s annual master planning efforts for long- and short-term agenda.
We recognize we often lead the conversions in golf in South East Asia and perhaps on a larger worldwide platform with the attention we seem to attract with our work. We notice that we are making a difference after nearly a decade of responsible business practices which are adding up to an intelligent global sustainability programme. There is no playbook for addressing climate change, but there is one thing we can clearly see that needs to be addressed, and that is a more aggressive wider participation in the reduction of carbon.
Many of us have been talking about climate change and carbon elevation, giving the conversation attention, however we now feel it is time to do something about it. The community of golf has many great leaders, role models, heroes in sport and business and we believe it is time for us as leaders to create a healthy community for our planet.
How does the Club plan to reach its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2022?
We have developed an in-depth carbon footprint audit. The carbon footprint identifies how we are contributing to carbon release in the atmosphere, and we intend to use the study and the audit to define stronger control in the reduction of our outputs.
The Club has recently purchased two bio-digesters that will remove problematic methane inputs from food and horticultural waste in the landfill by breaking down the products onsite into a compost fertilizer that will be re-used on our two championship golf courses.
Currently any carbon that we do not reduce, we have made a commitment to purchase certified carbon offsets through regional Forestry or Blue Carbon projects to balance our outputs while we work to naturally become carbon neutral or better.
How is the Club able to work out how much more CO2 is needed to be saved to achieve its target?
As mentioned earlier, the Club has recently undertaken its first CO2 audit that has revealed where we currently sit in terms of our carbon footprint. These carbon footprint analytics mathematically allow us to review our operations and the overall impact they are causing to the environment. This study delivers the evidence in three stages.
The Club has implemented several sustainable initiatives on-site since 2018 through its two campaigns, #KeepitGreen and GAME ON. Are there any further initiatives that are planned soon to help lower the Club’s carbon footprint?
Our new Bio digesters will come online later this year. They are estimated to help reduce our food and horticultural waste considerably with up to 40kg of food waste generated each day and one tonne of horticultural waste produced each month to be ground down into fertilizer. This will help to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills; one of the world’s biggest causes for methane leakage.
We are also currently making a study into a floating solar farm, as well as changing our brown energy to green energy. The Club has also recently developed a partnership with adidas Golf for our new staff uniforms. Our golfing and F&B teams will be supplied with the new adidas Golf PRIMEGREEN polos that are made with yarn developed out of 100% recycled ocean plastics. We are hoping in the next few months to expand our partnership with adidas Golf to bring about greater awareness for their campaign to end ocean plastic waste once and for all.
In August 2020, SGC became the first golf club in the world to join the UN Sports for Climate Action initiative. Is the Club’s commitment aligned with the initiative in any way?
The UN is the world leader in this area. We are still learning from the UN and the delegates involved and will continue to review the information and the resources provided to help improve our overall position. They have a high-profile team who expect signatories of the UN Sports for Climate Action initiative to deliver on proposed goals and show ways in which they are constantly looking to reduce their carbon footprint. We are currently working to participate with them on many levels and will share these in due course once it is possible to do so.
Are there any specific companies that the Club is working with to help achieve its carbon neutral target?
Since forming a partnership last year with international sustainable golf non-profit, GEO Foundation, we have been working closely alongside them to help monitor our carbon output and discover new ways to gather and report our results.
It is our intention to become a GEO Certified® venue and be able to use our partnership to help pioneer new innovative practices that can be shared with other golf clubs around the world to help influence them to begin their own journey to becoming carbon neutral.
What advice would you give to other golf clubs around the world that are thinking of becoming carbon neutral?
All I would say is start by building a detailed plan that recognises your different carbon outputs, as it is important to understand what levels you are working at before you begin. Once you have reached this point, it is crucial that everyone within the business is committed to working the plan and making sure no stone is left unturned in the club’s pursuit to reduce its overall carbon footprint and move forward in its journey to becoming carbon neutral.
The time to act is now, we can no longer wait for tomorrow, or let others step up to the plate first. Without considerable action, the world, and its ecosystems that we rely on to live will reach the point of no return. However, if we act fast and unite as an industry, golf can play a considerable role in helping to turn the tide on climate change. It is not game over, It’s GAME ON.
How does the Club plan on helping Sentosa Island achieve its goal of becoming a carbon-neutral destination by 2030?
Sentosa Island has recently this year taken on the commitment to become a carbon neutral destination by 2030. They have employed a new Director of Sustainability and developed a sustainability division that are looking into how the entire precinct can work towards becoming carbon neutral.
They are working extremely hard to develop a robust all-encompassing island wide programme. It is a massive undertaking, and we are really honored to be a part of it. We will continue to play our part and hopefully be able to showcase to other businesses on the island the ways in which they can begin to lower their carbon footprint and contribute towards the island achieving its overall goal of carbon neutrality.
By Robin Bose from thegolfinghub.com, in India.
Had the pandemic not struck last year and the Tokyo Games gone ahead as per schedule, Rashid Khan would have made his Olympic debut as India’s number one golfer. With a career-best world ranking of 176 at the start of 2020, the experience of turning out in Tokyo under the Indian tricolour would have been precious and the takeaway memories from Kasumigaseki Country Club priceless.
Khan’s build-up to the Games was the result of some solid golf and sound strategy. Making the most of the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and solid results in Asian Tour events at home in 2019, Khan was India number one when the pandemic stalled events on the Asian Tour and PGTI in March last.
Given the enormity of the crisis, the Olympics got postponed. “I was in and ahead when the pandemic started, and they froze the OWGR points.”
The double whammy was the rustiness after the PGTI restarted in November last. Out of touch and trying to play catch up with fewer OWGR points on the PGTI took a toll on the world ranking of Khan and Udayan Mane, who were in a neck-and-neck race to seal Olympic berths when the virus struck. Both slipped out of the top-60 in the race to Tokyo, and that rankles for Khan.
Khan pictured during round three of the Classic Golf and Country Club International Championship at Classic Golf and Country Club on September 14, 2019 in Gurgaon, India. (Photo by Arep Kulal/Asian Tour/Asian Tour via Getty Images)
And when the Final Olympic Ranking was confirmed this week, Anirban Lahiri was the only Indian to make it through after securing 60th place in the 60-man field at the eleventh hour following several player withdrawals. Mane is in the que as one of the replacements.
“Why me, the person with the best feel should have made the Olympics,” said Khan.
Two wins on the Asian Tour and 10 on the PGTI, for someone as prolific as Khan picking up his first OWGR points after more than a year this February is a shocker and attributed to lack of touch. “When the feel goes, it is tough. With no tournaments, the circumstances have been disappointing,” he said.
Reliving childhood days
Not one to brood over a situation none had anticipated, Khan visited his village in India’s most populous state of Uttar Pradesh in May. When he arrived in Jagdishpur near Lucknow, the state capital, Lockdown 2 was in force, but Khan still carried his golf set. Earlier, trips to the ancestral home built by his grandfather were whirlwind visits; for the first time in 19 years he stayed more than a week, in fact two weeks.
Khan pictured with the winner’s trophy at the Chiangmai Golf Classic at Alpine Golf Resort-Chiangmai on November 16, 2014 in Chiang Mai, Thailand. (Photo by Paul Lakatos/Asian Tour/Asian Tour via Getty Images)
It was a throwback, meeting friends and family and spending quality time over sessions of sequence (a card game). What stands out is visiting the small river that flows near the house every day and sitting on the bank for hours fishing. The icing to the cool experience was plucking mangoes from the family orchard and sharing them as the friends sat with their feet dipped in the river.
Despite the clubs travelling with him, golf was incidental, or “for fun” as Khan terms it. An empty rice field became a makeshift driving range. The weather pleasant, retrieving the balls was no problem as a bunch of wide-eyed children were always willing for the job. All clubs were tried out except the putter. For a man struggling to regain touch, putting on an uneven surface would have been detrimental.
What did work for Khan during the trip is his sleep pattern got regulated. “In the village everyone has dinner by 7.30pm and sleeps by 9 since there is nothing to do.” It contrasted with his hours in Delhi ‒ staying up till 1am and waking up around noon.
It’s been a month since Khan got back from holiday, but the pattern has held, and that’s a positive as the city unlocks and Khan gets back to full-fledged practice.
Thailand’s emerging golf star Gunn Charoenkul says his appearance in this summer’s Olympics will, surprisingly, mark the first time he has represented his country and that he plans to “aim high” and finish on the podium with a medal.
“During the early part of my career, when I was 16 or 17 years old, I never got a chance to get into the national team. So, this is the first time,” he said this week, after finishing in 52nd place on the Final Olympic Ranking ‒ which see the top 60 qualify for Tokyo 2020.
The 29 year old, who plays on both the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organization, admitted that he could barely look at the Ranking at tournaments each week as he tried to maintain his focus and keep his position in the top 60.
“I felt the pressure, and I think that’s partly why I did not perform well in the past eight events. I tried not to think about it too much, tried not to think about my World Golf Ranking which determines your Olympic position,” he added.
“My goal is one of the medals, they are the only prize. You have to aim high, even though the top players are going to be there.”
Gunn will be joined at the XXXII Olympiad by compatriot Jazz Janewattananond and he will be one of seven Asian Tour players competing. At the Rio Olympics in 2016 ‒ when golf returned to the quadrennial event after an absence of 112 years ‒ Thongchai Jaidee and Kiradech Aphibarnrat represented Thailand, with the latter impressively finishing joint fifth.
KASAOKA, JAPAN – MAY 30: Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand hits his tee shot on the 1st hole during The Mizuno Open at JFE Setonaikai Golf Club on May 30, 2021 in Kasaoka, Okayama, Japan. (Photo by Toru Hanai/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Appropriately, Gunn has been in Japan since March competing on the JGTO: he is currently 37th on Money List, and has only missed one cut in 11 starts in the 2020/2021 season, with a best finish equal eighth in the Dunlop Phoenix. He lines up in this week’s Dunlop SRIXON Fukushima Open.
“I never thought I would be home sick, but I am,” said Gunn, who plans to play the second half of the year on the JGTO after the Olympics ‒ which means he faces the prospect of not getting back to Thailand until December.
“I haven’t seen my family for four months. I could understand why Prom [Meesawat] did not come. He said he did not want to be away from his family that long. But these are exceptional times and the opportunity to play in the Olympics and more events in Japan helps outweigh the negatives.”
Despite what appear to be good performances this season, Gunn ‒ whose textbook golf swing is perfectly complemented by a calm demeanour ‒ has been disappointed with his form, which he says is partly because he is carrying an injury to his left thumb ‒ the unfortunate consequence of trying to hit the ball like American Bryson DeChambeau.
“I was trying to do some Bryson stuff last October. I was just trying to swing harder but the problem is my swing is really steep and the harder I swing the more I pull the head of the club, so it gets even steeper and puts a lot of strain on my thumb. I even had a shot of cortisone before my flight here in March,” he said.
“I am just going at things 70% right now. Anything longer than a six iron I cannot swing that hard. I don’t really know any therapist here. I know one but he is more like an acupuncture doctor. I went to see him over the last two weeks, and I did a couple of treatments but basically he said the best thing to do is rest.”
He has two more JGTO events before he can prepare for Tokyo 2020. A golf club have offered him their facilities to practice and play for a few weeks, after which he heads into the Olympic bubble.
HONG KONG, CHINA – JANUARY 12: Gunn Charoenkul of Thailand reacts during the final round of the Hong Kong Open at the Hong Kong Golf Club on January 12, 2020 in Hong Kong. (Photo by Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Said Gunn: “I am really looking forward to being part of the Olympic village, soaking up the atmosphere and seeing other athletes, although it may be difficult with the restrictions ‒ I just heard the news that you cannot go and watch other sports. And I want to see the work ethic and routines of other athletes.”
He says he has not played Kasumigaseki Country Club, host venue for the Olympic golf event, before as they have not held events, but he has been doing some homework about the course by reading their website.
Added Gunn: “I feel ok now about things, but I think when I get to the village it will hit me. It will be amazing.”
An impressive total of seven players from the Asian Tour have finished in the top-60 on the Final Olympic Golf Ranking for Tokyo 2020, which starts on July 23.
Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino, Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Gunn Charoenkul, Juvic Pagunsan from the Philippines, and Zimbabwean Scott Vincent have all qualified for the first time while Gavin Green from Malaysia and India’s Anirban Lahiri have the distinction of making it through to their second Olympics.
ORLANDO, FLORIDA – MARCH 06: Jazz Janewattananond of Thailand watches his shot from the third tee during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge on March 06, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Sam Greenwood/Getty Images)
The men’s golf tournament will be played from July 29 to August 1, at Kasumigaseki Country Club, Kawagoe, Saitama Prefecture, as will the women’s event, the following week – from August 4 to 7.
Last week’s US Open was the last qualifying event (qualification was tied to the Official World Golf Ranking) and while the final list of qualifiers is due to be ratified by the players’ respective National Olympic Committees and published by July 6 this is expected to be a mere formality.
Spaniard Jon Rahm topped the Ranking thanks to his sensational victory in the US Open at Torrey Pines. Rahm became world number one and moved above Justin Thomas of the United States into the top position on the Olympic Rankings.
Americans finished second to fifth with Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau, respectively. The United States is the only country with more than two qualifiers for the 60-player field.
In-form Hoshino placed 27th on the Ranking thanks to an inspired period of form that has seen him win three times during the Japan Golf Tour Organization’s 2020/21 season. He currently leads the Money List there, while he also finished in a tie for 26th at the US Open ‒ which was his best finish in a Major.
The 25 year old has the honour of lining up alongside compatriot Hideki Matsuyama ‒ this year’s Masters champion, who is one of the favourites to light the Olympic Cauldron at the opening ceremony ‒ who was ninth on the Rankings.
He is the defending champion at this week’s Dunlop SRIXON Fukushima Open.
Jazz finished in 36th place helped by a breakthrough 2019 season when he claimed four titles on the Asian Tour and won the Order of Merit title for the first time. He also showed flashes of brilliance this year, most notably when he narrowly missed winning his first European Tour event after losing the Kenya Savannah Classic in sudden-death.
Pagunsan was one of the players to leave it late to qualify. In May he triumphed in the Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open ‒ which was his first victory in Japan after a decade playing there ‒ a few weeks after a runner-up finish in the Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup. He eventually finished in 50th position on the Ranking.
KASAOKA, JAPAN – MAY 30: Juvic Pagunsan of the Philippines poses with the trophy after the award ceremony after earning an exemption into The 149th Open via the Mizuno Open at JFE Setonaikai Golf Club on May 30, 2021 in Kasaoka, Okayama, Japan. (Photo by Toru Hanai/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)
Vincent and Gunn finished 53rd and 54th on the Ranking respectively, thanks to consistent performances in Japan and on the Asian Tour; while Green, the 2017 Asian Tour Order of Merit champion who tied for 47th in Rio, ended in 58th place.
Lahiri, a seven-time Asian Tour champion and the Order of Merit winner in 2015, sensationally secured the very last 60th placed spot on the final day this week when the Ranking was being finalised by removing player withdrawals. The Indian finished 57th in the Olympics in 2016.
The men’s qualification system for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games commenced on July 1, 2018.
Several Asian Tour members ‒ Korean Joohyung Kim and Indians Udayan Mane and Gaganjeet Bhullar ‒ are on the reserve list and are dependant on further player withdrawals.
This year’ marks the XXXII Olympiad, and after its successful re-introduction to the roster in RIO in 2016, golf returns as one of the most eagerly-anticipated sports.
A total of 14 Asian Tour members competed in Rio, with several players excelling: in particular, Australian Marcus Fraser and Kiradech Aphibarnrat from Thailand tied for fifth, just eight shots behind gold medallist Justin Rose from England. Fraser, in fact, led after day one and two.
But more than the performances it was the Olympic experience that was remembered the most by the Asian Tour players who competed.
Bangladesh star Siddikur Rahman was the flag bearer for his country, Brazil’s Adilson da Silva was the first player to tee off in the first round, and Green, inspired by the occasion, promptly got an Olympic tattoo on his arm when he returned home.
It was a memorable return to the Olympics for golf after 112 years that, all being well, will be suitably matched, despite COVID-19 protocols, in the Tokyo 2020.
Ends.
Recent Comments