Gurugram, Feb 22 (IANS) Stephen Gallacher finally gets the opportunity to defend his Indian Open title more than 1400 days after he won it as India’s national open returns to the DP World Tour schedule for the first time in four years.
The field of 120 who will be playing for a record US$ 2 million purse has an exciting mix of proven winners and emerging talents at the stunning DLF Golf and Country Club layout by Gary Player.
Gallacher, who became the first Scot to lift the Hero Indian Open, finished with back-to-back birdies in 2019 to win by one. The 48-year-old’s victory was his first DP World Tour triumph since he won back-to-back titles in Dubai in 2013 and 2014.
Gallacher’s countryman Robert MacIntyre will make his Indian Open debut this week as he looks to earn crucial Ryder Cup Rankings points ahead of this year’s biennial contest at Marco Simone in September, as will fellow Ryder Cup hopefuls Nicolai Hojgaard and Guido Migliozzi, who both represented the triumphant Continental Europe team in last month’s Hero Cup.
Gallacher said, “I feel great. It’s 1,400-odd days since I was last here so there’s been a lot of hardship that’s happened since then but it’s great to be here and get the event played.
“There are plenty of great memories. It’s a course that’s not really changed very much, it’s in amazing condition, same as the last time we were here and I’ve got some great memories coming down the stretch. Hopefully I can replicate them this week.
“It’s just one of those courses you’ve got to be patient at; it’s not one you can force a score on. I had a poor hole on seven and then I think I had five or six birdies from then on in. Anything can happen. You’ve got to play with your head around here. Par is a good score. There’s some tough, tough holes and few you can attack but it’s just a really tough track and one of the best we play all year to be honest.”
He added, “I think the bunkers are brilliant. Aesthetically they look fantastic. They’re just like back home, revettes, but I know how hard they are to maintain a revetted bunker. The elements can wear them away back home and that’s why they’re there, for a purpose, but I think they look great. You’ve got to try and stay out of them, they’re deep, but it is what it is, it’s an unbelievable golf course to play visually. It’s stunning, the bunkers make it look just so good, you’ve got the plants, big swales, it’s just a good track and I think it looks brilliant.”
–IANS
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