Chawrasia aims to start new season with a flourish in Qatar
Doha (Qatar): Four-time European Tour winner India’s SSP Chawrasia having missed the start of the season on account of Covid19 is focused on making a strong start at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters which tees off on Thursday at the Education City Golf course.
The Kolkota-born, who will kick of his season in Doha, had a mixed season last year, making the cut in two events and missing out in three tournaments, a season which was curtailed on account of the coronavirus pandemic.
The caddie-turned-pro golfer started off his 2020 European Tour campaign by notching his best finish at the Qatar Masters, finishing a joint 28th, the best performance by an Indian golfer in the 24-year-old history of the tournament.
Chawrasia is optimistic that the good form and the familiarity of the Education City course will work to his advantage.
“I had a good tournament last year, I liked the course where much and it suited my game,” said the 42-year-old, who inspired by his father’s role as a greenkeeper at Calcutta Golf Club, while talking to www.Khelupdates.com.
SSP said he could not work hard on his game on account of the neck sprain but he is hopeful that he will get into the groove come Thursday.
“I took part in the Gujarat Open xxx weeks back and thereafter could not practice for the last few days before coming to Qatar. I waiting to be on the course and have a feel of the greens,” he added.
In 2008, Chawrasia made European Tour history by becoming the first player to win on his maiden appearance as an Affiliate Member when he triumphed on home soil at the inaugural EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters at Delhi Golf Club.
“I did not get a chance to practice on Tuesday as I was waiting for my PCR test to come and it has come negative, Hopefully, I will get a chance to test the greens on Thursday during the Proam tournament,” said the golfer, who used to divide his time between Europe and Asia, before the corona virus pandemic hit the sporting world.
The self-taught golfer inicknamed “Chip-putt-sia” because of his short game, who missed a couple of events in Dubai this year as he got infected by the Covid19 bug is hopeful that the sporting world will be normal this year.
“The vaccine is the hope for everybody and I am hopefully that the situation will return to normal in 2021 and I am optimistic that all of us will be able to take part in the events all over the world,” said Chawrasia, who won all his European Tour titles on home soil.
Last year, Chawrasia made the cut at the Scottish championship held in October but then failed to make the cut at the two back-to-back events in Cyprus in November, the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown and at the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Open.
In October he also missed the cut at the Italian Open.
Besides, Chawrasia, two Indian golfers will be in action in the four-day event.
Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar will try to make the cut and if luck and form is with them will aim to finish on the podium.
Last year, Shubhankar, the highest ranked Indian among the three, failed to make it to the next stage and is heading to Qatar after having taken part in three events this year.
The 24-year-old made the cut at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in January but a week earlier he failed to make it to the next stage of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
Last month the two-time European Tour winner also missed the cut at the Saudi International.
The third Indian Bhullar also had a feel of the international competition this year. The 32-year-old missed cuts in both the European Tour events in Dubai the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship held in January.
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