It’s going to be a hoot. I’ll be the first to admit there’s some perverse pleasure to be derived from watching Bryson DeChambeau pulverise a sadistic golf course that has been the scene of the unravelling of the game (and composure) of many a professional golfer. Of course, there’s a great deal of speculation in this hypothetical situation: rumours have abounded for a while now about a LIV golf event being brought to India by the country’s golf patron in chief, Pawan Munjal of Hero Motors. Now those have been more or less confirmed after a news report in which DeChambeau has been quoted as being excited to tee it up at his best buddy Anirban Lahiri’s turf. Or more specifically, the DLF Golf & Country Club in the National Capital Region. 

If DeChambeau has a reputation, then the club will be keen to preserve its own. Don’t expect DLF Golf & Country Club to roll over; as you read, the course superintendent and greenskeepers are probably busy devising all sorts of nefarious traps to keep the US Open winner in check when he drops by in February 2025. It’s too close a contest to call, if you ask me. DeChambeau isn’t infallible, but neither is the course. Some people seem to get the measure of the layout rather quickly, while others can spend all of the tournament week, assuming they make it to the weekend, fumbling around, trying to find a way to score. 

Equally challenging, especially to overseas players visiting the Capital are the deadly noxious fumes of Delhi’s winter. This year, courtesy of a freak weather phenomenon (and certainly not the prudence of its residents) the air after Diwali has been surprisingly good. By Delhi standards that means an AQI at a reasonable 300 which in itself is an egregious example of how we normalise the unacceptable. Assuming things continue in the same vein, DeChambeau and his cohorts in the LIV Golf league can expect half-decent visibility, and somewhat breathable air when they drop by in three months time. 

Last month, the weather turned at just the right time. And this time, it worked for the Ladies European Tour players who’re used to playing in much cooler climes across Europe. The Hero Women’s Indian Open was quite the event and the heat of the competition did not include, thankfully, the heat. Relief was writ large on the faces of players like Sara Kjellker and Madelene Stavnar who have to be applauded for coming back to Delhi after struggling here in the past. In 2023, galleries saw Stavnar using powder to keep her hands dry and the club from slipping through her fingers, especially during a final round 79 that dropped her to 11th place. That year Kejellker managed to surmount the conditions and finished second to Aline Krauter who won by a whopping five shots.

Even though the German player did not return to defend her title, the 2024 Hero Women’s Indian Open had a packed field. Past winners of the event – Christine Wolf, 2019; Becky Morgan, 2018; Camille Chevalier 2017; and Caroline Hedwall, 2011 – were all in the fray. But the focus was on Order of Merit leader, Chiara Tamburlini, who, in what’s been an astonishing season for a rookie, has won thrice during the season. Diksha Dagar, Gaurika Bishnoi, and professional debutant Avani Prashanth, were joined by Vani Kapoor, Amandeep Drall, Hitashee Bakshi, Ridhima Dilawari, Pranavi Urs and Tvesa Malik to round up the local challenge for the USD $400,000 event. 

As is usually wont to be the case at the DLF G&CC, scoring across the field was way higher than it is at a typical LET event. The cut was applied at an unheard of score of 10-over par, and Urs with a cumulative one-over-par led the Indian challenge heading into the weekend. On moving day, Emma Spitz of Austria and Manon Del Roey came out of nowhere to shoot a pair of scintillating 7-under 65s. Roey led by a stroke going into the final day but was surpassed by Liz Young who shot an even par 72 totalled a modest two-under winning total to clinch the title for her second LET win. Amateur Mannat Brar was the best finisher from the Indian squad at tied 11th place. Urs and Bakshi in tied 15th spot wrapped it up for the Indians in the Top 20. 

With just eight players finishing at par or better, the DLF G&CC clearly got the better of the field on this occasion. For reference, at the Hero Indian Open in March 2024, that was played at this venue, the cut line stood at one-under par and 50 of the 90 players that made the cut finished under par. Keita Nakajima won the event with a fantastic score of 17-under-par. Even more memorable was the second round 62 shot by Espen Kofstad that shattered the previous course record of 64 (held by Shiv Kapur) by two strokes. It is possible to go really low at the DLF G&CC; DeChambeau who regularly tests himself with near-impossible tasks (‘Break 50’) for his YouTube channel loves a good challenge. Whether he wins or loses, it’ll certainly make for a riveting watch. 

The author is a golfer and also writes about the game

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