DP World India Championship: Irish golf star Rory McIlroy showered praise on young Indian golfer Pranavi Urs for showing "resilience and character" in recovering from a triple bogey to win historic gold at the Asian Games.
Pranavi became the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in golf, holding her nerve after surrendering a three-shot overnight lead to clinch the women’s individual title.
Pranavi Urs met McIlroy ahead of the DP World India Championship in New Delhi.
"It's an amazing achievement winning the Asian Games, showing the resilience and character she showed to go on after having that early triple (bogey). And it was a delight to meet her. She is a wonderful young woman. She said she was nervous, but it didn't seem like she was," the 37-year-old Irish superstar said after meeting the youngster.
Pranavi had walked a few holes with McIlroy before returning to practice for the Women's Indian Open next week at DLF.
"It was great to spend some time with her. Obviously an amazing achievement. She told me she's got the Women's Indian Open next week at DLF, so she walked a few holes and said she needed to go practice and prepare. I think her partner is playing this week as well in this tournament, an amazing accomplishment, and I'm glad I had the chance to meet her," he added.
After her historic gold medal at the Asian Games, Pranavi recalled a triple bogey on the third hole of the final round that saw her overnight advantage disappear, and said she drew inspiration from Rory, who also recovered from an early setback on his way to winning the Masters in 2025.
“I remembered what Rory did the first time he won the Masters. He started with a triple, I think, a double or a triple. And I was like, if he can go and win the Masters, so can you win the Asian Games. So I think that kind of got me back into my lane," she was quoted by Olympics.com.
Pranavi's triumph ended India’s 24-year wait for an Asian Games golf gold, with Shiv Kapur’s men’s individual title at Busan 2002 having been the country’s previous title.
Before this, Aditi Ashok’s Hangzhou 2023 silver was India’s only golf medal in the women’s individual event at the Games. Pranavi finished fourth in Hangzhou.
Pranavi's triumph ended India’s 24-year wait for an Asian Games golf gold, with Shiv Kapur’s men’s individual title at Busan 2002 having been the country’s previous title.
Also Read: Special Cricket Stories
Article Source: IANS