India’s star golfer Jyoti Randhawa will try his luck to grab the US$2.5 million Johnnie Walker Classic golf cup and be the first Asian winner of the tournament that will begin Thursday.

Counting on home court advantage, Randhawa, the former Asian Tour number one, has plenty of reasons to shoot for glory at the DLF Golf and Country Club. Firstly, the prestigious tournament, being played in India for the first time, has never produced an Asian winner since its inauguration in 1990 but Randhawa believes this week offers a great chance for Asia’s best.
 
A strong title run on what is his home course could well push Randhawa into the world’s top-50 and earn him a dream start at the US Masters in April, the year’s first Major.    
 
Currently ranked 77th, Randhawa is in sparkling form following three top-10s which include a runner-up finish last weekend. As he knows every twist and turn at the par-72 Arnold Palmer-designed DLF course, the Indian reckons he could have a crack at the title.
 
“I’m looking forward to playing here, I have the local knowledge for sure,” said Randhawa.
 
“The form is getting better and the swing is getting better. I’m trying to keep the swing a bit more compact but as long as you’re finishing in the top-10, you don’t ask for anything more. If it (winning) has to happen, it’ll fall into place. I’m just waiting for that one week to happen.”
 
Randhawa, who lives five minutes from the course, is eager to join compatriot Jeev Milkha Singh at the Masters and knows that the Johnnie Walker Classic and next week’s Maybank Malaysian Open, which will be played at a venue he’s won at previously, give him the best opportunities to earn valuable ranking points.
 
“I do think about it. But I have to do my job and play golf to my best ability and let that happen. If I can get into the Majors, it’ll be great,” said Randhawa, whose seven wins on the Asian Tour include five home victories.
 
The Indian ace will be amongst the Asian Tour’s top talents who will take on a stellar line-up which includes world number five Adam Scott of Australia and three-time Major winner Vijay Singh of Fiji. Other big names include flamboyant Englishman Ian Poulter, eight-time European number one Colin Montgomerie of Scotland, last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Liang Wen-chong of China, Thailand’s Chapchai Nirat and India’s Arjun Atwal.
 
While this week will be his seventh straight event, Randhawa, whose best showing in the Johnnie Walker Classic was a runner-up finish in 2004, is surprisingly feeling good. 
 
“I’ve actually got two more events to go after this. It’s the first time in my life that I’ve done it but you know what, I’m actually feeling quite alright. I’ve had some little lapses in concentration during the day but I’m learning to deal with that. It’s been a good learning experience for me.
 
“The body is getting pushed to the limit and I want to see how it reacts. I’ve had some top-10s, and a second … maybe it’s better for me! If I can keep up this form, maybe I’ll do it every year. Maybe that’s the reason why Jeev plays all the time and I think I now know why he does it,” said Randhawa.
 
The Johnnie Walker Classic, sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour, PGA Tour of Australasia and Professional Golf Tour of India, is the third major event to be played in India this month and Randhawa believes that another local winner would be a huge boost for the game’s development.
 
Earlier this month, S.S.P. Chowrasia claimed a memorable triumph at the Emaar-MGF Indian Masters to shoot to the top of the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit.
 
“It would be like the icing on the cake. We’ve had one winner and if we have another one here, it will show that Indian golf has come of age. We’re not a golfing country but in the last 10, 15 years, we’re on the world map and Indians have started to win,” he said.