Champika Sayal
Nov 3, 2016: Champika Sayal has been a catalyst of growth for women’s golf in India for several years now. Into her twelfth year as the Secretary General of the Women’s Golf Association of India, Champika is leading the Hero Women’s Professional Golf Tour into an era of progress. The recent successes of players such as Aditi Ashok, Vani Kapoor and Amandeep Drall have helped turn the focus on the women golfers in India.
Ahead of the Hero Women’s Indian Open, a Ladies European Tour event, scheduled next week, Golfing Indian caught up with Champika for her thoughts.
Golfing Indian – The Olympics seem to have ignited a new wave of success for Indian golf. We have seen some spectacular golf from both our men and women in recent weeks. How do you assess these results and their impact on the game in India?
Champika Sayal – Golf at the 2016 Olympics has given a huge impetus to the game in India and a changed mind set for our players. It is noted that players are playing fearlessly, giving themselves the best chance at various tournaments. The recent results are showing that most of them have a long term plan in mind which is to give themselves a chance to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics which is less than four years away. There is definitely a bigger awareness amongst children from schools and small towns. This is the tip of the iceberg. Simultaneously there are some very fine golf Driving ranges and nine hole courses being developed in different cities around the country. All this new infrastructure will certainly help to popularize the sport further with easier access to learn the game.
GI – Aditi Ashok is clearly showing maturity beyond her tender age. Her run of four straight top ten finishes on the Ladies European Tour must raise hopes for a great new chapter in Indian golf. How do you see her career take shape in the next few years?
CS – Aditi Ashok is a player who is doing remarkably well for her age. Aditi’s 2016 performance on the Ladies European Tour has proven that she has all the talent and her hard work is keeping her in top shape. I believe that Aditi has a great career ahead on which ever tour she plays. Having experienced the 2016 Olympics, Aditi is certainly going to be a strong contender for the 2020 Olympics she will be 22 years old with mighty experience by then.
GI – Vani Kapoor and Amandeep Drall are locked in an engaging contest for the Hero Order of Merit. What are your thoughts on this current season on the HWPGT?
CS – The current season has been most competitive, Amandeep Drall has been very consistent and played well on the tournament course recently. Vani has been travelling to deliver some sponsors commitments but gained a big lead in the earlier part of the year from her fellow competitors. A swing change has helped Vani now that she is settling with it. Both players are looking to be at LET’s 2016 Q school in December.
GI – You have a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the game in India. Has your keen eye spotted any emerging talent among young girls either on the IGU circuit or elsewhere for India?
CS – There is some good talent in A& B category players in the Amateur Tours. Some of the good players in A Category have left for USA further training to , it is a matter of time when they come back and play. We need to see B Category players play against better players. Currently a B category player has to only play in her age group. This is not progressive, so I would advise those in governance of Amateur tours to allow players in B category age group to compete in A category against older player. To prepare players for 2020 Olympics we need to get these young juniors to compete against the pro players. After all Aditi Ashok beat all the WGAI pros in a tournament at Clover greens when she was hardly 13 plus, so B category players must be allowed to compete with older and better players.
GI – Despite having a committed 18 event tour dedicated to women’s golf and strong sponsors in Hero and Yes Bank, there is a glaring lack of depth in the field. What do you think needs to be done to strengthen women’s golf in India?
CS – The attrition rate has been high in the past couple of year. We have lost good players like Nalini Singh Siwach and Gauri Monga to matrimony. Vaishavi Sinha our Symetra Tour player has been on a sabbatical in 2016. Vaishavi is all set to make a big comeback in early 2017. Unfortunately Sharmila Nicollet‘s injuries have been of great concern. It seems that Sharmila’s comeback will happen post Hero Women’s Indian Open.
GI – Can you tell us of a few things that the WGAI is presently doing to address this gap?
CS – WGAI has players coming from the Amateur stream. I believe that many players will be back from collegiate golf in USA in the next 2 years. It is a pity that some of the players are not being given time off from their colleges to come back for this edition of Hero Women’s Indian Open. WGAI will review Rules Regulations in the coming season. I would expect that four of our players will be back on the tour in early 2017. Some good plans in the pipeline which I am unable to disclose currently for betterment of the players growth.
GI – If I had to request you to pick a favourite to win the HWIO next week, who would you think has a great chance?
CS – Gary Player course at DLF Golf & Country Club is very challenging. Definitely players with excellent short games will be the ones to watch. Aditi Ashok has played the course in 2015 and finish tied 15th as an Amateur player. I would expect a top finish from her with home crowd support and her experience and maturity.
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