"I look up to Anirban Lahiri": Veer Ahlawat aims for Indian Open glory

Gurugram (Haryana) [India], March 26 (ANI): Indian professional golfer Veer Ahlawat is all set to tee off at the Indian Open, an event he knows well. The 29-year-old, who secured a DP World Tour card this season by winning the PGTI Order of Merit, will look to improve on his runner-up finish last year when play begins at the DLF Golf and Country Club on Thursday.
Ahlawat will be one of the 30 Indian golfers, including four amateurs, competing in the prestigious tournament, which boasts a prize purse of US$2.25 million. This marks his fifth appearance at the event, and after finishing tied second in 2024, he is determined to take it one step further.
Ahlawat credits some of India's finest golfers for shaping his journey in the sport.
"I try to follow a lot of Indian golfers like Shubhankar Sharma and Jeev Milkha Singh. First of all, I'd like to do as well as they are doing on the European Tour and when it comes to the bigger stage, I look up to Anirban Lahiri," Veer told ANI.
Every professional golfer faces hurdles on their journey, and for Ahlawat, financial constraints were one of the biggest challenges in his early days.
"Funding was an issue in the beginning. As a professional golfer, you have to start travelling abroad, and that costs a lot. Finding sponsors early on is difficult, but I was fortunate enough to get a few, and that helped me," he explained.
As he prepares to compete in one of India's biggest golf tournaments, mental strength is key for Ahlawat. He has developed a simple yet effective routine to stay calm before stepping onto the course.
"I do a little meditation before my round to calm myself. Talking to my parents or my wife also helps me relax before a big tournament," he shared.
With Indian golf steadily growing, Ahlawat believes the sport is on the right track but can still reach greater heights.
"Golf in India is getting way better now. You see a lot of young kids doing really well, and the scores of junior golfers, what kind of rounds they are shooting now. So that's really getting better. The golf courses we have today match international standards, which is helping young golfers develop their game," he said. (ANI)