New Delhi, June 7 (H.S.): The Indian Golf Union (IGU) will send a six-member Indian golf team to participate in the 20th Asian Games, scheduled to be held in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The men’s and women’s golf competitions will take place from September 30 to October 3 at the Kasugai Country Club East Course.

Yuvraj Sandhu, currently ranked 451st in the world, will lead the Indian men’s team, which also includes Veer Ahlawat (World No. 558) and Saptak Talwar (World No. 576).

The Indian women’s team will be captained by World No. 135 Aditi Ashok. The squad also features Diksha Dagar (World No. 221) and Pranavi Urs (World No. 270). Aditi Ashok won the silver medal in the individual event at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. The players have been selected in accordance with the IGU’s selection policy for the Asian Games.

Indian Golf Union President Brijinder Singh expressed confidence in the team’s prospects in Japan. In a statement, he said that India possesses an exceptionally talented and capable group of golfers, including Yuvraj Sandhu, who won seven titles on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) circuit last year. He also highlighted the achievements of Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, both of whom have secured multiple titles on the Ladies European Tour (LET).

Singh emphasized that the team was selected entirely on the basis of world rankings and said he was confident that the Indian contingent would succeed in securing a place in the medal standings at the Games.

India has a distinguished history in golf at the Asian Games, having won three gold medals and three silver medals to date. At the 1982 Asian Games, the Indian quartet of Lakshman Singh, Rishi Narain, Amit Luthra and Rajiv Mohta captured the team gold medal. Lakshman Singh also claimed the gold medal in the individual competition.

At the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, Shiv Kapur won the individual gold medal. During the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, the Indian team comprising Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Joseph Chakola secured a silver medal.

At the 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou, the Indian team of Rashid Khan, Rahul Bajaj, Abhinav Lohan and Abhijit Singh Chadha won another silver medal, further strengthening India’s impressive legacy in Asian Games golf.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar