Defending champion Keita Nakajima talks to the media at the DLF Golf and Country Club prior to the Hero Indian Open, on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: Kamesh Srinivasan
Defending champion Keita Nakajima of Japan sounded cautiously confident as he expressed the desire to join a small bunch of champions who have won the Hero Indian Open back-to-back.
The 24-year-old, fresh from finishing second in Singapore last week, said that he was confident of his game, even though he said his first-hand experience of the DLF course was pretty challenging.
“It is a tough course. I don’t know how I won last year. Need to be patient this time,” said Nakajima, as he addressed the media, prior to the $2.25 million event scheduled to start on Thursday.
“I want to win this tournament. I want to get into the PGA Tour. Am playing great, and feeling positive this week,” declared Nakajima.
The champion of the 2023 season, Marcel Siem of Germany said that he was happy to be back at the DLF, as the title had helped him ‘kickstart’ his career again.
Relieved to have recovered from a hip injury, the 44-year-old Siem said that his goal was to be consistent and finish in the top-20 of every tournament, “and that includes winning the event”.
Asserting that he knew the DLF course well, Siem said that he did not play on Tuesday, as he was exhausted, but his caddie had walked the course and studied it well.
“Tomorrow I play the pro-am and will look around,” said Siem, adding, “I really look forward to playing on this course. It is fantastic”.
One of the best golfers from the country and a 11-time champion on the international circuit, Gaganjeet Bhullar said that he was “super excited” to be back for the event.
The fact that no Indian has won since SSP Chawrasia did in 2017 is a motivation for Gaganjeet to do well and try to put his name on the trophy.
“I am hitting the ball well, but am struggling with scoring,” he said.
Having done well at the DLF in the past, the 37-year-old Gaganjeet said that the trick was to hit it close to the pin, “because the greens are so undulating and treacherous that one needs to avoid three putts this week”.
Published – March 25, 2025 07:26 pm IST
