Many a mile between the fan and the CGR

The sponsors, ITC and Wills, are part owners of the CGR. So, in principle they ought to be happy to showcase the course alongside this premier National Open. Yet, in the absence of the crowd the very purpose of the event will be defeated. If the crowds do amble along and walk the course with their favourite players, that probably would constitute as the biggest success for the sponsors and the organisers.

For years, the event alternated happily between the Delhi Golf Club and the Royal Calcutta Golf Club, before Delhi government’s rules over tobacco advertising acted as the spoilsport. It would be politically incorrect to advocate the case of such advertising, but the reality is that golf lost out in this case, though no one can ever prove that the sponsors suffered or the sales dipped.

Now the tournament returns in the neighbouring Gurgaon, but crowds will have to be motivated to travel 50 km to the course and savour the event.

The 7,114-yard, par-72 course is looking great. A few pointed out uneven patches on the greens. But that, others aver, is only to be expected on a new course, where the trees along the fairway are still rather young. The rough is neither cruel nor deep. But nothing can be said about the wind, which can play havoc with the scores.

As Thai star Prayad Marksaeng, who loves Nicklaus layouts — he has won on two such courses — observed, the winning score on Sunday could be as low as 16 to 18 under. But others who know about the wind here, say if it makes an appearance, the scores could be as high as just two or three under. The latter `guesstimate’ may be stretching things a bit, considering the quality of the field.

Those expecting a low score are naturally the contenders for the crown. Taiwan’s Yeh Wei-tze, the Benson & Hedges Malaysian Open winner, likes the fairways as does another long-hitter Arjun Atwal, the defending champion.

But one man, who will not be teeing off tommorrow, Jeev Milkha Singh, was also around at the course. He gave a thumbs-up for the long hitters, but at the same cautioned: "If the wind picks up, then the CGR becomes a devil of a course. Then it will favour those who hit low."

A word about the greens. They are uneven and the shapes too, are difficult to negotiate. They call for accurate approach shots.

The foreign challenge is rather impressive with Yeh, Marksaeng, James Kingston, winner of the London Myanmar, Sammy Daniels, runner-up to Jyoti Randhawa at Hero Honda last year, among others.

But it will be the Indian contingent that will hold the spotlight. For each one of the Indian Open winners — Ali Sher (1991 and 1993), Firoze Ali (1998) and Atwal (1999) — and two-times Hero Honda winner, Jyoti Randhawa (1998 and 1999) and that old favourite Gaurav Ghei, winner of the 1995 Gadgil Masters, is capable of taming the course and making Sunday a special one.

Randhawa has a bone to pick with the course, for this is where he missed the cut in 1998 while defending his Wills Masters title.

Vijay Kumar, the leading player on the domestic circuit for more than two years now, cannot ever be left out of any calculations and he would love to rectify things at the Indian Open. In 1998, he reported himself on a wrong card and was disqualified and last year he pulled out due to an injury. Now, in a year he has earned his APGA Card, it is time to put the record straight. Knowing Vijay, he could well be the man. But 155 others are not going to be battling it out in the sun for nothing.