Pranavi Urs: Asiad glory and McIlroy lesson on fortitude

Winning the Asian Games golf gold medal reinforced the value of patience for Pranavi Urs, who was also glad to get a lesson on fortitude from idol Rory McIlroy during this week’s DP World India Championship.

Soon after becoming the first Indian woman to win the Asian Games title, the 23-year-old from Mysore vowed to quickly refocus on her steadily improving game. A fortnight after that high on the Kasugai Country Club course in Aichi-Nagoya, that resolve has been tested as Pranavi has attended a stream of public events.

However, she is enjoying the attention before plunging into action on the course at next week’s Hero Women’s Indian Open, at the DLF Golf and Country Club course.

“It has been hectic for sure, I haven’t really had the time for myself. Every day it has been a new event, but I get to meet a lot of different people,” Pranavi told HT on Friday, ahead of a felicitation at the Delhi Golf Club by the Indian Golf Premier League, where she is being awarded Rs.1 crore for her Asiad triumph.

“More than for myself, I love the fact that golf is getting more attention,” she said. “That is what we all play for, give back to the sport. I’m glad I could do that one way or the other.

“The media for golf has been a game changer, a lot more people read about golf and see about golf, and on Instagram everywhere it has been golf. So, has been great.

“I met the prime minister yesterday, and I met my idol Rory McIlroy the day before,” Pranavi said. The six-time Major winner heads the field at this week’s DP World Tour event here. Soon after her win in Japan, Pranavi had spoken about how she recalled McIlroy’s recovery during his successful Masters title defence early this year after her triple bogey on the third hole of the final round.

“The interaction with Rory was fantastic, it was everything I dreamt about. It was nice to spend time with him. We just spoke, he was teaching me a thing or two on the putting green and what he does working on the range. And how he kind of gets back after a bad round or a bad hole. I told him I did think about him mid round in Japan and it was a great interaction.

So, what did the winning itself teach her?

“It taught me to be patient. When it’s your time, it’s your time. I have been playing well for the last few months. I just wasn’t able to finish it off. To actually do it, it feels surreal. To do it at that stage, I could not have asked for a better win.” Pranavi is 45th on the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit and is assured of retaining her card.

“I am just going to leave that (Asiad) aside and focus on what needs to be done next.”

Timely tips on iron play

Pranavi’s precise iron play stood out at the Asian Games, and she said an interaction with her Malaysia-based coach Steven Guiliani two days before heading to Japan made a huge difference.

“That is something I worked with my coach… We did an online session and he changed a thing or two. I told him to take a video of my swing, so if something goes wrong, he will know. That was also a game changer, my irons were (good).

The Indian Open gives her a chance to build on the gold medal.

“I’ve got the Indian Open next week. It’s also my goal to win on home turf. No one has done that since Aditi Ashok (in 2016). Hopefully, I can do it.

“My intentions aren’t going to change. It is still to go out there and win. Maybe I am going to have a few more eyeballs on me. It is good, but it is not in my control what they think and say. So, I am going to focus on what is in my control.