GolfPlus Nov18 Digital Edition (Nov18) | Page 39

Ladies on the Link HERO WOMENS INDIAN OPEN 2018 Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hero MotoCorp giving the Hero Women’s trophy to Becky Morgan he Hero Women’s Indian Open (HWIO) prize money touched a record half a million dollars (US $500,000) for the ¿ rst time, making HWIO the second richest golf tournament in the country after the men’s Hero Indian Open. For the ¿ rst time, the tournament was contested over 72 holes and telecast live over all four days, a signi¿ cant landmark for Indian Women’s Golf. Wales’ Becky Morgan secured her ¿ rst professional title with a two-shot victory. In her 18th year on tour, and after rounds of 72, 72, 68 and 69, for a total of 281, seven-under-par, she could ¿ nally enjoy her moment in the sun. GP: How do you feel now after winning the 2018 Hero Women’s Indian Open title? It’s actually really amazing. It’s slowly sinking in. When you are on the golf course it’s quite a stressful situation. So I am just focused and not worrying about what anyone else is doing. So when I ¿ nally sank my last putt, it hit me and here I am now. I have always loved everything about India. That’s the reason I keep coming back here. I did come close to winning a couple of times in the past but ¿ nally I got the job done this time. GP: Which hole do you think is the most challenging at the DLF golf course? Most of the golfers feel it’s the 17th hole but for me it’s the 11th - it’s a shore hole, you have to get it in play off the tee. That’s where I made my only bogey today actually; I think I double bogeyed it the ¿ rst day. It is such an intimidating hole. This is a kind of great power-force. So the time I get on that tee every year, I’m like, hey you got this. So it was nice to hit the fairway. Getting close Pawan Munjal, Chairman, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Hero MotoCorp with Becky Morgan to the green is the crucial thing on that hole. DLF is a golf course where I always felt I could win. I had a chance four years ago when Emily Pederson won but I love coming back here even though I know it’s a challenging golf course. I had a really good practice round and the pro-am though. GP: Any plans for the coming year? I can retire now. No, I’ll pretty much be playing full-time in Europe now because I didn’t do too well in the States and I’m looking forward to a better schedule coming up next year. I’ll be enjoying myself more now! Whats in your Bag? Lucky charm: Golf Tee of the Oregon State University Wedges: Callaway 52, 58 degree Putter: TaylorMade spider Driver: Callaway Irons: Callaway Epic Balls: Titleist Pro V1 GolfPlus NOVEMBER 2018 51