By IANS
New Delhi : After a surprise win in the Indian Masters fetched him a card for three years to play on the European Tour, the country’s new golfing sensation Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia said Tuesday that he was looking forward to play 20-22 tournaments a year.
Chowrasia, who won the EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters couple of weeks back here, is geared up to give some of the top golfers a run for their money in the $400,000 SAIL Open at the Jaypee Greens in Greater Noida starting Thursday. The SAIL Open is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).
For the 29-year-old golfer from Kolkata, the Indian Masters was the first major tour title as the event was co-sanctioned by both Asian Tour and the European Tour.
He took a week off by skipping the Astro Indonesian Open last week but now is back to hold on to his top position in the Asian Order of Tour Merit.
In the absence of top Indian golfers like Asian No.3 Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun Atwal, Chowrasia and Asian No.2 Jyoti Randhawa will spearhead the Indian challenge at the SAIL Open.
“I had taken a week off and I enjoyed a lot. But now I am concentrating on my game,” said a smiling Chowrasia.
Despite the absence of Jeev and Atwal, Chowrasia maintained that the field is still strong and put his money on Randhawa.
“If you go by records at this course, I will put Jyoti ahead of other golfers. He has powerful swing and that is a big advantage especially on this course, which is very long,” said Chowrasia, who with his Indian Masters win became the third Indian after Jeev and Randhawa to win a European Tour event.
Chowrasia is yet to chalk out his calendar for the gruelling season ahead but said he would play 20-22 tournaments and would concentrate playing in Europe.
“I am yet to decide my calendar but I am targeting to play 20-22 tournaments in a year. Gautam Thapar has said that he would support me and I think it will be an exciting season ahead,” said Chowrasia, who was informed Tuesday that he would also play in the World Golf Championship.
Thapar, who heads Ballarpur Industries, is also the president of the PGTI.
Chowarsia also said he would play both the Volvo China Open and the BMW Asian Open (also in China), which are also co-sanctioned by the European Tour and the Asian Tour.