Get Instant News Updates
Enable
x
Notification Settings X
Time Settings
Done
Clear Notification X
Do you want to clear all the notifications from your inbox?
Settings X
For Quick Alerts
ALLOW NOTIFICATIONS  
For Daily Alerts

Golf: Arjun Atwal will play for Dad and Tiger Woods as he joins Anirban Lahiri at Puerto Rico Open

India's veteran star Arjun Atwal, who has been preoccupied with his father's health issues, will see action for the first time in nearly four months when he tees up at the Puerto Rico Open starting on Thursday.

Golf: Arjun Atwal will play for Dad and Tiger Woods as he joins Anirban Lahiri at Puerto Rico Open

Puerto Rico, Feb 24: India's veteran star Arjun Atwal, who has been preoccupied with his father's health issues, will see action for the first time in nearly four months when he tees up at the Puerto Rico Open starting on Thursday (February 25).

He will be joined by Anirban Lahiri, who last featured on the PGA TOUR three weeks ago at the Farmers Insurance Open. The two last played at the same event in Bermuda, a holiday isle like Puerto Rico.

Tiger Woods in hospital: The 2019 Masters comeback win that underlined his brillianceTiger Woods in hospital: The 2019 Masters comeback win that underlined his brilliance

Atwal's father, popularly called 'Bindi', has been a major influence in his golf career. The senior Atwal has rarely missed a big appearance by his son, including at the majors. Now Atwal will be playing for him, as also his friend, Tiger Woods, who suffered a serious car crash on Tuesday and underwent surgery after suffering comminuted open fractures to the upper and lower sections of his right leg, along with significant trauma to his ankle.

Tiger Woods car crash: Indian golfers Jeev Milkha Singh, Anirban Lahiri pray for golf legendTiger Woods car crash: Indian golfers Jeev Milkha Singh, Anirban Lahiri pray for golf legend

Ahead of his first tournament of 2021, Atwal, who is India's lone winner on the PGA TOUR, said, "It's obviously a lot of rest, but personally we're going through some (difficult) stuff with my family. My dad's been fighting two types of cancer. He's getting his treatment back in India now. He was with us for the last five months in Orlando. He's doing better. So I didn't really touch my clubs for a couple of months, maybe three months after Bermuda, and just started practising."

Tiger Woods in hospital: Golf great 'awake, responsive and recovering' after long surgical procedureTiger Woods in hospital: Golf great 'awake, responsive and recovering' after long surgical procedure

He is looking physically fit after changing his lifestyle and undertaking a new fitness regime last year. "I quit alcohol completely. It's so good. I realized I'm going to be 48 next month and I was getting to the point where my nerves weren't quite as good around the greens. And I had seen some of my friends may be my age or slightly older struggle with the same thing, so I figured I would just try it. As a result, I lost weight and I started working out and just started to feel better.

"I've got this trainer, he's like a physical therapist and a trainer. With all my aches and pains he gets me sorted, gets me going for the day. It's not a lot of lifts, a lot of weight training, it's a lot more with flexibility and strength with bands," added Atwal, whose career has been blighted by back injuries.

Tiger Woods in hospital: Hopefully he can still play with his kids and have a normal life – RahmTiger Woods in hospital: Hopefully he can still play with his kids and have a normal life – Rahm

Lahiri, who like Atwal is a former Asian No. 1, was unable to get a start in the Waste Management Phoenix Open after losing in a play-off in the Monday qualifiers and did not gain entry into last week's The Genesis Invitational.

Soon after his last appearance at Torrey Pines, he said, "My game seems to be fine; I just need to get four good rounds and not drop those bogeys and doubles. Hopefully, it is ironed out."

Golf: Anirban Lahiri looks to minimise errors ahead of Farmers Insurance OpenGolf: Anirban Lahiri looks to minimise errors ahead of Farmers Insurance Open

While Atwal last saw PGA TOUR action in October, Indo-Swede Daniel Chopra, a two-time winner on the TOUR and a popular figure in Indian golf, last teed up at the Corales Puntacana Championship in September 2020.

Lahiri is paired with Chopra and Branden Grace of South Africa in the morning, while Atwal plays with Scott Brown and Shawn Stefani in the afternoon wave.

This week's Puerto Rico field includes a few established golfers including Englishmen Matt Wallace and Ian Poulter, who are ranked No. 55 and 59 respectively on the Official World Golf Ranking. There are other young players on the rise including Will Gordon, Joohyung Kim, Davis Riley, Justin Suh, Kristoffer Ventura and Brandon Wu who join experienced stars including major champions Padraig Harrington and Lucas Glover.

Tiger Woods in hospital: Golf superstar 'very fortunate' to survive car crashTiger Woods in hospital: Golf superstar 'very fortunate' to survive car crash

Viktor Hovland won the tournament a year ago and broke the "curse" of Puerto Rico by winning a second TOUR tournament outside of Puerto Rico. This week, Hovland is playing the World Golf Championships-Workday Champions at The Concession.

Atwal, who won the 2010 Wyndham Championship, is treating the Puerto Rico Open with his full attention despite being the opposite of a World Golf Championships this week. "I look at it as just as important as any other tournament on the PGA TOUR. The prize money might not be the same, but you still get a two-year exemption and I believe now you get in the Masters as well. So all the perks are the same. Even when I was playing in World Golf Championships back in the day, I considered all these tournaments the same, and I still do. I don't think you could ask anybody here or anybody at the World Golf Championships, they all consider every tournament they play in just as important," he said.

Tiger Woods in surgery after suffering leg injuries in car crashTiger Woods in surgery after suffering leg injuries in car crash

As he prepares to turn 48 next month, he is encouraged to see fellow veterans Stewart Cink and Brian Gay winning on TOUR this season. "B.G. (Gay) is a member at my course, at Isleworth in Orlando, and I see him practically every day, and he's older and he's my inspiration right now because just for him to win Bermuda was so cool to watch. He's such a good guy. And same for Stewart, he's such a nice guy. And they're all my age so it gives me kind of some encouragement. Hopefully, I can get my butt in gear and get going."

All action from PGA Tour - Puerto Rico Open - Day 1 will be LIVE on EUROSPORT and EUROSPORT HD from 20:30 Hrs (08:30 pm IST) onwards on Thursday, 25th February 2021.

Source: Media Release

Story first published: Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 18:00 [IST]
Other articles published on Feb 24, 2021