They say you should never meet your heroes, but for golf fan Shreyas Yadav that could not could not be further from the truth as he enjoyed a day both he and Pablo Larrazábal will never forget.
Three years after first getting into contact through social media, the return of the Hero Indian Open following a four-year absence provided the perfect opportunity for the pair to meet in person for the first time.
But the encounter was not without its fair share of effort.
After a 14-hour train journey from the centre of India to get to DLF Golf & Country Club in Gurugram on the outskirts of New Delhi, Shreyas spent Wednesday in the company of seven-time DP World Tour winner Larrazábal.
Even for the Spaniard, who has played over 400 events on Tour since making his first appearance in 2007, the thought of meeting his superfan was daunting.
“Today has been one of the most nervous days I have ever had in 16 years of being a DP World Tour member,” he said.
“It’s been such an amazing journey to this day. I woke up like I was leading the U.S. Open or The Open. I was that nervous. But that makes all these years of work worth it.”
The pair have shared regular exchanges, with Larrazábal offering his expertise on swing thoughts to help Shreyas, who is a six handicapper despite not being a member of a club in his homeland.
Reflecting on meeting one of his sporting heroes, Shreyas said: “It’s a dream come true to meet a top-class DP World Tour player.
“He gave me some lessons about the short game, putting and visualising shots before playing them.”
"I woke up like I was leading the U.S. Open or The Open. I was that nervous." - Pablo Larrazábal
Shreyas has spent much of his time learning the game despite limited facilities and Larrazábal said hearing about his new friend’s dedication to golf was exceptional.
“Just remember, he learned how to play in a field, not a golf course,” he said
“He is struggling with chipping and putting because he can’t do that in a grass field.
“He hits balls in the middle of nowhere, like Seve [Ballesteros] used to do on the beach in Pedreña.”
The meeting has not only helped bond the pair but also shown the power of sport in uniting and inspiring people.
“It’s an experience which can’t be expressed in words,” Shreyas added.
