Exclusive - Vani Kapoor Sets Sights On LA 2028 Olympics After Career-Best Indian Open Finish

Vani Kapoor had put herself in pole position to end India's decade-long wait for a home winner at the Hero Women's Indian Open on Saturday. It was not to be at the USD 500,000 Ladies European Tour event. On Sunday, the 32-year-old finished second (73-69-69-70) to Thailand's Pornanong Phatlum (72-71-69-65) at the DLF Golf and Country Club. It's her best-ever finish at the event. Aditi Ashok was the last Indian to win the title in 2016. After the event, Vani spoke to NDTV about her campaign.

Vani registered her best result on the Ladies European Tour (LET) with her sole second finish. Going into the final day with a slender one-shot lead, it could well have been a breakthrough win on the LET for Vani. She got off to a whirlwind start with four birdies in five holes, but missing the short birdie putt on the 9th appeared to upset her rhythm. Vani's moment will surely come, and while the disappointment of not completing the task will linger, the solid result puts her in line for a full card on the LET for the upcoming season.

Q: Vani, a splendid achievement. You finished second at this week's Indian Open after a remarkable final round. This is a tournament you've been playing for almost 10 years. Tell us about this achievement.

Vani: Yes, I loved it out there. I went aggressive from the start and gave it all I had. I don't think I could have done anything better. I'm excited to come back next year, and this is my best finish on the Ladies European Tour, so it's time to celebrate that.

Q: You were leading on the front nine. Was the back nine tricky?

Vani: Yes. I feel I just missed my shots in a few bad places. There were some tricky shots where I couldn't get up and down. There were probably a few nerves as well. But that's golf.

Q: Both your result and Pranavi's result have been phenomenal. Indian women's golf has made tremendous progress recently. Your thoughts?

Vani: It's great for Indian women's golf. It's getting more eyeballs, more sponsors will come in, and the sport is going to grow. So many more girls are picking up the sport. It's also wonderful to see so many young kids volunteering and following us. I hope we set the right example so they can take the game forward.

Q: What has Indian women's golf done right that has helped it progress so much?

Vani: I'll take the liberty of saying this, but I feel the women have had more top-10 finishes on the Ladies European Tour and have been doing better. That's about it. But the men are also playing some great golf. Golf in India, in general, is doing really well. It's booming, and I'm very eager to see where the sport goes over the next 10 years.

Q: What are your personal ambitions going forward?

Vani: Right now, it's just the next Ladies European Tour event. That's all that's on my mind. We'll take it as it comes.

Q: This has been a great year for you, and you almost ended it with a win. Where does this achievement rank in your career?

Vani: This is my biggest achievement, career-wise. It's definitely right at the top for this year. I'm in a great space mentally. I've never been so calm, composed, and anchored. I'm just waiting to see what golf and life hold for me.

Q: Does this result mean you'll earn a card to play on the tour for the next two years?

Vani: It hasn't been confirmed yet, but I hope so.

Q: Golf has also delivered strong performances for India at the Asian Games and Olympics. Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028, what do you need to do to qualify?

Vani: I think if I can keep repeating performances like this again and again, it will definitely put me in contention. I'm just going to put my head down and keep working hard. If it's meant to be, it will be.

Q: The Thai winner has now won this tournament for the fourth time. What makes her so successful in India?

Vani: I think she loves India, and that's one of the reasons she keeps coming back. She has an amazing game. She kept pushing me throughout the round, and both of us pushed each other. We were accelerating through the front nine, and at one point I was thinking, "Okay, just calm down and give me some time to breathe." It was great competition. I think we brought out the best in each other. Ultimately, she had the better day and deserves congratulations.

Q: What's the one moment from this week that you'll remember forever?

Vani: Walking down the stretch after I finished and seeing my mom, dad, friends, and family. So many of them came out in large numbers. There were also many of my corporate supporters, people I play with, and my team members. It was so touching. I feel a lot of gratitude seeing that kind of support. Sometimes you don't just win trophies, you also earn that kind of respect and love, and I'm very grateful for that.

Q: You've won a lot of hearts this week. Thank you and keep shining.

Vani: Thank you.

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