Golfer Chawrasia aims to make experience count for Asia

Indias golfer S.S.P. Chawrasia believes his experience will help the young Asian team when they face Team Europe at the EurAsia Cup, to be held here from January 12 to 14, 2018.

Making his second appearance at the EurAsia Cup, Chawrasia counts himself as a veteran, who is ready to step up and guide his younger teammates as they go up against some of the best players from Europe at the Glenmarie Golf and Country Club.

"This is my second appearance. I'm really looking forward to the event. I believe it is a good thing that we have a young team. The team this year is stronger than last year because players like Anirban (Lahiri) are playing well and I'm also playing okay," he said in an Asian Tour release on Friday.

"Anirban and I have played many years on the Asian Tour so we have the experience as compared to the younger players. I think we will sit down together with the captain (Arjun Atwal) and the new guys and keep the mood very positive among the team. It is very important to be positive in a team event. You have to keep motivating each other," said the 39-year-old.

Chawrasia, a six-time Asian Tour winner, has also placed his trust in compatriot Atwal, who will captain Team Asia for the first time at the EurAsia Cup.

"Arjun is a great captain. We know each other very well. I think he will be a great captain for us. We were chatting in Mauritius and everything is very positive. He told me that we can choose a few players who we feel comfortable to play with and he will decide how to do the pairings.

"I like his style and he is respected by the players because he came from the Asian Tour and played on the European Tour and PGA Tour. I'm sure his experience will be very useful to the team," said Chawrasia.

The Indian also believes he has matured and developed significantly as a player since his EurAsia Cup debut and is confident of a better showing this time around.

Malaysia's Gavin Green, Chawrasia along with Thai teenager Phachara Khongwatmai, Poom Saksansin make up the leading four Asian players on the Order of Merit.

Japan's Yuta Ikeda of Japan, China's Li Haotong, India's Lahiri and Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat also earned their spot in Team Asia as the leading available Asians on the world ranking.

Korea's Byeonghun An, who represented Team Asia in the second edition in 2016, will make his return to the team after being selected as a captain's pick.

Joining him as Atwal's wildcards are Hideto Tanihara of Japan and Nicholas Fung of Malaysia who will make their third appearance in the EurAsia Cup.

Sunghoon Kang of South Korea, a winner on the Asian Tour, will make his debut after being selected as the final captain's pick.

The EurAsia Cup will feature 24 matches, with day one showcasing six Fourball matches, followed by six Foursomes matches and 12 Singles matches on the third day.

--IANS

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