SSP - Truly Made in India

S.S.P Chawrasia successfully defended his Hero Indian Open title in early March by seven-shot. As Chuah Choo Chiang writes, the slightly built Chawrasia proves that the old cliché ‘drive for show, putt for dough’ is always right 

Chawrasia’s name has often been left out of discussions amongst pundits and golf fans whenever it touched on Indian golf

Indeed, Chawrasia showed all his traits to earn a sixth Asian Tour win and fourth European Tour title, which he emulated the total European wins held by Singh. He also became the first Indian to successfully defend a title on the European Tour and only the third to do so in the tournament’s rich history.

With only seven golfers breaking par throughout four days of brutal golf, which saw scores soaring into the 80s, Chawrasia stood tallest amongst the men, and despite the disadvantage of being a short hitter, he won by using his guile, touch and patience to prevail in such convincing manner that his peers took to twitter to pay tribute.

Belgian Nicolas Coelsarts tweeted his admiration. “I don’t think people understand how good S.S.P. Chawrasia's performance was last week, was demanding of everyone’s game and even more for him.”

Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello, the highest ranked in the field that week, wrote: “Congrats to SSP for a superb performance in a very challenging track and winning again on home soil!” while the legendary Player also extended a congratulatory tweet by saying: “Wonderful, hard fought win at DLF G&CC to go back-to-back #hio2017. Title defense is the best defense! Congratulations. GP”

Pages

Written by Chuah Choo Chiang

Photography by AFP

Click here to see the published article.

Understanding Comebacks
Rahil Gangjee is a name that may not resonate beyond the golfing fraternity but after his win at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship in Japan, he will be someone to remember for every occasion...
The Golf Scene in St Andrews
Golf in St Andrews is rather a minefield for the uninitiated and particularly concerning playing on the Old Course. I am just about to pay £220 to the Links Trust for my local residents ticket,...
As Real as It Gets
Sports offers the purest of all human emotions, and it’s real as it gets. It’s not fake and does not set out to deceive. I had the privilege of getting up close and personal with many...
Banished to the Castle
Ok I’ll admit it. I have two massive and rather lofty golfing ambitions. One is to become a member of The Royal and Ancient in St Andrews and the other to be sent as a journalist to Augusta to...
Final Shot with Brigadier Christopher Hammerbeck
When did you start playing golf? I started to play golf with a very old set of wooden shafted clubs inherited from my father’s cousin on the Tidworth Golf Course when I was serving with...
Kim's No Kid: Si Woo Kim Continues to Grow
Nostalgia litters the champions’ dining room at TPC Sawgrass, where framed portraits of Si Woo Kim adorn dark wood walls and mementoes of his highest achievement sit proudly atop mantelpieces...
Banking on the Rankings
Over the years golfers come and go, some even come back again for a second shot at stardom, whilst other disappear almost as mysteriously as they originally appeared, which is why greatness in...
The Longest Hole - The Finale
"I suffered for a couple of weeks with pretty bad back spasms and probably the stiffest neck I have ever had… But, there was never one second, we thought we wouldn't make it. Ron was a hero. He...
Joe Public Will Have No Say
With regards to the latter there will, as from 2020, be a single world handicap system based on the US model which averages all the rounds that you play including social ones. I think this is...
Pro Can't Have Their Cake and Eat It
Imagine an English Premier League match between Liverpool and Manchester United, the Old Trafford outfit winning a last-minute penalty in front of an outraged and uproarious Kop. Spot-kick-taker...

Pages