Hong Kong: The swagger is back for Indian golf’s King Khan. In the opening round of the $2 million Link Hong Kong Open, Rashid Khan shot a brilliant six-under-par 64, walking in long putts and attacking even the most tucked-away pins.
One of the most talented stars to emerge from India, Khan had been struggling with his game for the better part of the past year, but there were enough indications that things were turning around. He shot 16-under in PGTI’s Poona Open, followed by a 22-under par effort at the Jaipur Open where he eventually lost in a playoff.
Earlier, in August, Khan told HT about his struggles, especially with his driver, and how it put a lot of pressure on his otherwise fabulous short game.
“I was struggling back then. I was trying to hit it hard, but I was just forcing it. I’ve always been very aggressive off the tee box, and tend to play more safely with my second. Because I was spraying my driver, I couldn’t take advantage of my second shots,” said Khan, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour and a three-time No.1 player on the PGTI.
“A few weeks ago, at the Black Mountain Championship (October 17-20), I could sense it all coming back. When you visualise shots and then you go to the golf course and pull them off, it gives you all the confidence. I made a bogey on the last (at Black Mountain) to miss the cut by one shot, but I made enough birdies on the back nine that day to know my game was back.
“I knew I just needed to play a few more tournaments and I would be all right. I tend to get lazy when I am not playing competitive golf. I played the PGTI event in Pune (third) and shot 22-under in Jaipur and lost in a playoff. Looks like I have brought that form here.”
On Thursday, Khan unleashed his driver on every possible hole on a course that is not conducive to driver play, finding 12 out of 14 fairways and 16 out of 18 greens. His only bogey – on his opening hole – came from a three-putt. He ended tied fifth.
The driver is the favourite club in his bag, but Khan also paid glowing tributes to the man on his bag – Indian domestic tour legend Ashok Kumar.
A six-time Order of Merit champion on the PGTI Tour, Kumar has been Khan’s hero growing up and has also been his mentor and coach for years.
“Ashok bhai has played a lot of golf. His knowledge of the game is immense. I have been following him since my junior days. Back in 2005-06, there were only two players I’d go and watch – Ashok bhai, who was at his peak, and Mukesh Kumar. I used to love how aggressive he used to be off the tees. I guess it has rubbed off on me,” said the 33-year-old Khan.
“I requested him to come with me this week because I wanted to learn a few more things. And he did teach me a lot today.
“He was so crucial to this round. I mean, starting from the first hole, when it was raining and I made the three-putt bogey. And he told me it was OK. It’s not just bad for you, it’s bad for everyone. I made three straight birdies after that.
“On Tuesday, he pointed out that I might be putting more pressure with my right hand on the putter grip which was the reason I was pushing (hitting slightly right) my putts. I tried to change that, and have felt so much more comfortable on the greens.
“And today, on the 18th hole, I had 121 yards to the front from a downhill slope, 134 yards to the pin, and I took out my wedge and he insisted that I hit a 9-iron. He was right again…I hit it to about three feet for a closing birdie.”
Four-time DP World Tour champion Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia got an early glimpse of Khan’s confidence when he played a practice round with him at Hong Kong Golf Club’s Fanling course on Tuesday.
“It was on the 18th hole and Rashid had a 20-footer birdie putt to halve our match. He made the stroke, saw it travel 4-5 feet, and started walking towards the hole to pick up his ball. He just knew that the ball was going nowhere but the centre of the cup. I told him ‘Kya baat hai Rashid! Ghazab ka confidence! (Super Rashid! That’s some confidence)’,” recalled Chawrasia.
The King is back. And it can only bring good times for Indian golf.