Rory McIlroy Hails Pranavi Urs' Resilience As He Returns To India For DP World Championship

Rory McIlroy is impressed with Pranavi Urs's show at Asian Games.© NDTV/AFP

Rory McIlroy was struck by the resilience Pranavi Urs showed on her way to winning gold at the Asian Games, praising the Indian golfer when the two met at the DP World India Championship on Wednesday. The meeting came as the four-time major champion returned to India for the second time. The Northern Irishman also spoke warmly about the welcome he has received and the challenge posed by the golf course. "Yeah, look, I think an amazing achievement winning the Asian Games. I think showing the resilience and character she showed to go on after having that early triple like you said," McIlroy said.

The reference was to Pranavi's recovery from an early triple bogey en route to her Asian Games triumph. McIlroy said he enjoyed meeting her and was impressed by the young golfer, who is preparing for the Women's Indian Open next week at DLF.

"And it was a delight to meet her. She is a wonderful young woman. She said she was nervous, but didn't seem like she was."

Pranavi had walked a few holes with McIlroy before telling him she needed to return to practice ahead of the next tournament on her schedule.

"She told me she's got the Women's Indian Open next week at DLF, so she walked a few holes and said she needed to go practice and prepare," he said.

"I think her partner is playing this week as well in this tournament, so, yeah, amazing accomplishment, and I'm glad I had the chance to meet her."

For Pranavi, the meeting brought her face to face with one of the biggest names in world golf after her Asian Games success. For McIlroy, it was an opportunity to acknowledge an achievement built on the ability to recover from a difficult start.

The golfer's second visit to India has also reinforced his appreciation for the country beyond the golf course. Asked about his impressions, McIlroy identified the warmth of the people as the first thing that stood out.

"Yeah, so I would say the one thing that hits you when you come here is the warmth of the people. That's a wonderful -- we travel to a lot of countries in the world and sometimes the locals don't make you feel as welcome."

"So it's been very, very nice. I love the food. I don't like it when it's too spicy, but I do like it. I keep it very benign. I love Indian flavors and spices as long as it's not too hot, which is nice."

On the course, however, McIlroy expects a test that will require discipline rather than an unrestrained display of power. He described the layout as a throwback to the courses on which he grew up playing, where narrow fairways and trees make accuracy essential.

"And then, yeah, I think, again, going even just to the golf tournament, this golf course is like a throwback. It really reminds me of the courses I grew up playing: Tight, tree-lined; hit a ball offline and it's lost."

"So I love these golf courses like here. They're probably not the best for my style of game, but I still enjoy playing them because I feel like they're a challenge for me."

Justin Rose had described the championship as something of a second-shot golf course. McIlroy agreed in part, but stressed that approach play could only create scoring opportunities if the tee shot had first found the fairway.

"Your scoring opportunities are from your second shots and your approach play, but you have to be playing those second shots from the fairway," he said.

That may also determine how often he uses his driver this week. Last year, some spectators were disappointed by his reluctance to bring the club into play. Shane Lowry had joked that McIlroy's partnership with DP World should include a clause requiring him to hit his driver in India at least four times a day.

McIlroy, though, is not here to meet expectations about how he should play.

"Yeah, to me it just didn't make sense. I'm here to win the tournament. I'm not here to hit drivers. I think the best chance will be by keeping the driver in the bag or in the bag or in the hotel room so I'm not even attempting to hit it."

His return to India brings together an appreciation of the country's hospitality, a meeting with an Asian Games champion and a clear-eyed assessment of the task ahead. The spectacle may be in the power of McIlroy's game, but his own emphasis is on finding the fairway - and giving himself the best chance to win.

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