Feb 4, 2014. This is one match Pawan Munjal certainly wants to win, especially because he has Tiger Woods on his side. As you read this newspaper, a skins game is underway between two teams on the 16, 17th and 18th holes of the Delhi Golf Course. Pawan Munjal-Tiger Woods vs Shiv Kapur and Anirban Lahiri. But his competition is tough and Munjal himself has played a role in making Kapur and Lahiri star golfers by getting his firm Hero Moto Corp to support the players and grow their game and aspirations. Tiger will play about 14-15 holes and do a little practice at the historic Delhi Golf Course. Over 4000 people will make for the galleries to watch Tiger nearly covering half the fairway of the narrow course.
Giving Munjal company will be a select group of media honchos like Prannoy Roy and Aveek Sarkar while Rajiv Singh of DLF, who is really close to Munjal will also be playing this special event. Munjal’s been a big evangelist for the game and bringing Tiger Woods on Indian soil is no less a feat even if it’s strictly a private event. He has reportedly paid over 2.5 million dollars to get a round of golf with him. Woods otherwise is known to charge anywhere upwards of 10 million to show face and play a full tournament. Given that Indian tournaments, including those sanctioned by the European Tour hardly can hardly offer over 3 million euros, Tiger’s visit here has remained long delayed.
Kapur who is an integral part of Tiger’s India schedule admits we needed someone like him to take the attention off this cricket crazy nation and media. In an interview with the website golfingindian.com he said, “Cricket has always dominated sports in India, so for at least one day the world’s top golfer is going to steal all the attention away from the cricketers. It will just be about golf and Tiger Woods.” Lahiri who has played in the field with Woods admits this opportunity to play with him makes him feel like a ‘kid in a candy store.’
