Abhinav Lohan is hoping that home advantage will give him the edge when he tees it up in the Delhi Challenge at Classic Golf & Country Club this week.
Lohan arrives in Delhi in fine form having secured a second career victory in his last outing on the Tata Steel Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).
The 34-year-old will tee off on Thursday in the first of back-to-back Challenge Tour and PGTI co-sanctioned events, knowing that a second win of the year could transform his schedule for 2024.
“Always when you win, it means a lot,” he said. “This one came four years after my last win. To make it even more special, I won after making a hole-in-one. Very rarely that happens so I guess luck was on my side and I obviously played well, so I was really pleased.
“This week is just a great opportunity for us, not just for me, but for all of the Indian guys. To have a good week would definitely bring more chances to play on the Challenge Tour this season.
“A lot of the guys we are playing against this week are seasoned pros on the Challenge Tour and DP World Tour so it’s always great to watch them, play alongside them, and test yourself against them. It’s a big tournament for us and it could be a brilliant stepping stone.”
Lohan currently sits third in the PGTI Order of Merit after his win and one other top ten in three starts, and admits that his familiarity with the set up in Haryana should be a benefit heading into a new week.
“This is a great golf course,” he added. “A lot of us Indian boys have a tournament here each year so we’re familiar with the conditions.
“On this golf course, because the rough isn’t up too much this week, the main challenge is the wind. I think if you can tackle that, you should be okay.
“I’m pretty comfortable playing in the wind, so I’m looking forward to it. It’s a good field this week with the PGTI and Challenge Tour players, so it’s a great opportunity for all of us.”
Lohan joins a strong field in Delhi which includes current PGTI Order of Merit leader and 2022 champion Manu Gandas, current Road to Mallorca Number One Mikael Lindberg and four-time DP World Tour winner David Horsey.
Play gets under way on Thursday at 6:50am local time, with Lohan teeing off alongside Spaniard Quim Vidal and German Jannik de Bruyn at 7:30am.
