Thailand, August 12: Gaurav Ghei, who made a welcome return to form last week, will spearhead the Indian challenge at the Queen’s Cup starting Thursday.
Even as Gagangjeet Bhullar, the new star of Indian golf, decided to return home to play a week on the domestic Indian Tour, Ghei will be one of the six Indians teeing up at the $300,000 event with the others being Anirban Lahiri, a former amateur teammate of Bhullar, Rahil Gangjee, C. Muniyappa, Amandeep Johl and Himmat Rai.
Last week Ghei showed glimpses of his vintage form with two rounds of 67 and 68 on second and last days to finish tied fifth. “My golf is looking fine again and I hope to carry this momentum forward,” said Ghei, the three-time winner on Asian Tour.
Meanwhile, Thai veteran Boonchu Ruangkit is hoping his legs will muster enough energy to put a challenge for the Queen’s Cup. The 53-year-old already has two King’s Trophy stored in his cabinet back home following his Thailand Open triumphs in 1992 and 2004.
Australians Rick Kulacz and Darren Beck, winner of the last two stops in Malaysia and Brunei respectively, Singapore’s Mardan Mamat, in-form Malaysian Shaaban Hussain and Korea’s Lee Sung, who has triumphed at Santiburi Samui, will also challenge for the title.
While age may have slowed him down, Boonchu still possesses one of the most classic golf swings in the game and it nearly earned him victory at the Brunei Open two weeks ago when he lost in a play-off.
“I’ve got two King’s Trophy, so I want at least one Queen’s Cup,” said Boonchu, a five-time Asian Tour winner.
While Boonchu is still going strong, India’s Amandeep Johl is scaling down his playing days, saying his desire to compete has waned in recent months. “Over the past few months, I’ve not woken up in the morning with the urge to head to the golf course. I never thought that such a stage would come in my life,” said Johl, whose career includes 17 top-10s and two second place finishes.
“It’s probably due to not playing well for some time. It’s not given me what I wanted from it and I’m going to cut back,” said Johl, who is drawing up plans to start up a sports academy in Noida, on the outskirts of Delhi.
“The love of the game is still there and I want to do something around it now. Even if I win this week, it wouldn’t change that much. I’m already 40 and I haven’t really done what I thought I could do.”
–IANS