India will be sending a strong golf team to the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8, 2023. The team consists of four men and three women, who have been selected based on their rankings and performance in the trials conducted by the Indian Golf Union (IGU).
The men’s team comprises of Anirban Lahiri, Shubhankar Sharma, Khalin Joshi and SSP Chawrasia, while the women’s team has Aditi Ashok, Pranavi Urs and Avani Prashanth. Lahiri, Sharma and Ashok are the only ones who have previous experience of playing in the Olympics, while Joshi, Chawrasia, Urs and Prashanth will be making their debut at the Asian Games.
The Indian golfers will be aiming to win medals in both individual and team events, which will be held at the Zhejiang Greentown Yuhang Golf Club. The golf competition will start on September 28 and end on October 1. The format will be stroke play over four rounds of 18 holes each.
Also Read: Golf Players: Top 10 Best And Famous Indian Female Golfers of All Time
The schedule for the Indian golfers at the Asian Games 2023 is as follows:
| Date | Indian golfer(s) | Event | Time | Phase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September 28, Thursday | Anirban Lahiri, Shubhankar Sharma, SSP Chawrasia, Khalin Joshi | Men’s individual | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 1 |
| September 28, Thursday | Aditi Ashok, Avani Prashanth, Pranavi Urs | Women’s individual | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 1 |
| September 28, Thursday | TBD | Men’s team | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 1 |
| September 28, Thursday | TBD | Women’s team | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 1 |
| September 29, Friday | Anirban Lahiri, Shubhankar Sharma, SSP Chawrasia, Khalin Joshi | Men’s individual | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 2 |
| September 29, Friday | Aditi Ashok, Avani Prashanth, Pranavi Urs | Women’s individual | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 2 |
| September 29, Friday | TBD | Men’s team | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 2 |
| September 29, Friday | TBD | Women’s team | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 2 |
| September 30, Saturday | TBD | Men’s individual | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 3 |
| September 30, Saturday | TBD | Women’s individual | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 3 |
| September 30, Saturday | TBD | Men’s team | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 3 |
| September 30, Saturday | TBD | Women’s team | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 3 |
| October 1, Sunday | TBD | Men’s individual | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 4 |
| October 1, Sunday | TBD | Women’s individual | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 4 |
| October 1, Sunday | TBD | Men’s team | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 4 |
| October 1, Sunday | TBD | Women’s team | 4:00 AM IST onwards | Round 4 |
The team event will be decided by the aggregate scores of the best three players from each country in each round. The medals will be awarded to the top three teams and individuals after the final round.
India has a rich history of golf at the Asian Games, having won six medals (three golds and three silvers) since the sport was introduced in 1982. However, all the medals have been won by men. The women’s team will be hoping to break the drought and create history in Hangzhou.
The Indian golfers will also be looking to boost their chances of qualifying for the Paris Olympics in 2024 by earning valuable ranking points at the Asian Games. The top-15 players in the world rankings as of June 23, 2024 will be eligible for the Olympics, with a maximum of four players per country.
The Indian golf team is confident of putting up a good show at the Asian Games and bringing glory to the country. They have been training hard and playing well in various tournaments around the world. They will be facing tough competition from countries like Japan, South Korea, China and Thailand, who have some of the best golfers in Asia.
The fans can follow the live updates and scores of the Indian golfers at the Asian Games on various platforms such as Olympics.com, Sports NDTV and Sportstar. They can also watch the live telecast of the golf events on SonyLIV.
Also Read: Golf Players: Top 10 Best And Famous Indian Male Golfers of All Time
