Home favourite Veer Ahlawat reflected with pride on his best performance on the DP World Tour at the Hero Indian Open.
In his fourth appearance at his country’s national open since its inclusion on the DP World Tour schedule, the 28-year-old carded a closing 71 at DLF G&CC – his home course – to finish in a tie for second alongside Johannes Veerman and Sebastian Söderberg, four shots adrift of winner Keita Nakajima.
In doing so, Ahlawat picked up the silverware for the leading Indian golfer in the field, finishing four shots better off than compatriot Manu Gandas.
“I’m really happy to have played so well in front of my home crowd, my family and my newly-wedded wife,” he told the DP World Tour.
“There was some pressure on me this week as there were high expectations from me playing at my home course with my coach also being present here.
"But I managed to put together a good week thanks to some brilliant driving and iron-play.”
Ahlawat, a winner in his homeland on the Professional Golf Tour of India, arrived in New Delhi in form after finishing in a tie for fifth at the Kolkata Challenge on the European Challenge Tour.
He thrived in the familiarity of playing at his home course, where he finished in a tie for 13th at last year’s Hero Indian Open, and he capped his week with an eagle at the par-five 18th.
“Finishing with an eagle was the icing on the cake,” he said.
“There was just one bad drive by me on the eighth today, other than that I didn’t hit bad shots. I just didn’t make good pars on a few holes I would say.
“Playing well in such a strong field and negotiating the tough windy conditions on the final day really boosts my morale.”
