It was a muggy afternoon, and the golf club just did not seem like the most inviting place. But there was no way we were going to miss our young guns slug it out under the bare sky for the spots on offer for the Indian team. The top eight amateurs and the two best juniors were completing the final rites of a eight-round trial to determine three of the four names for the Indian team for the Nomura Cup later this year.
The boys had played two rounds each at Golden Greens, Classic Golf Resort, DLF and one round at DGC before the final run on Saturday. Abhishek Jha and Rashid Khan had virtually sealed their spots. The latter completing the DLF leg with a two-day total of eight-under par. Pawan Kumar looked set to bag the third spot on offer with the IGU selection committee empowering itself to make one pick, to complete the four-man team.
We were a little late to get to the club, but it wasn't difficult to hunt down the five two-balls as we simply followed the beads of sweat that had lined the route to the 14th fairway. The rustling leaves and the 'swishes of disgruntlement' meant that we had reached the right place. It was Chikka's ball that had been lured by the thick bushes that line the fairways at the Delhi Golf Club.
And after that, the rest followed in a steady line, bathed in salted water, trying hard to hasten their return to the clubhouse. Pawan's five-shot cushion had melted away and a double bogey on the 14th put him four behind Karan Vasudeva.
The 24-year-old late bloomer had told us earlier this year that his one dream was to play for India and he was just one of two players in the ten-man field yet to represent the country in an international tournament. The other being Arshdeep Tiwana. But a 12-over final round, and a 17-over sojourn through his home course was something that Pawan didn't expect but that's exactly what happened. It had left the young man disheartened.
Pawan finishing his final-round ordeal on Saturday
As luck would have it, the IGU, rather wisely, chose to pick the top four, which means Pawan's passport, right about now, is walking towards the Korean embassy for a little tete-a-tete. One thing is for sure, it won't be the much-in-fad big white belts easily available in Korea, but a chance to represent India that will have him counting down the days to the big meet in September.
And what is it about these belts? That, unfortunately, is one department where we will have to plead ignorance.
The Indian team for the Asia Pacific Amateur Team Championship-:
Abhishek Jha
Rashid Khan
Karan Vasudeva
Pawan Kumar
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