Golfer Siddikur hopes to fire at Indian Open

Bangladeshi golfer Siddikur Rahman hopes to enjoy better days ahead when he competes in the prestigious Hero Indian Open on his favourite hunting ground at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC) from March 17 to 20 here.

The Bangladeshi trailblazer has an impeccable track record at the venerable Delhi course where he won the 2013 Hero Indian Open, finished second on four occasions and secured eight top-10s in other Asian Tour events.

His impressive record will be put to the test when he faces an elite field which includes title holder and reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Anirban Lahiri and three-time Major champion Padraig Harrington at the $1.66 million tournament sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour.

Local favourites Arjun Atwal, the first Indian to win on the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Tour, Rashid Khan, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Chiragh Kumar and S.S.P. Chawrasia, who lost in a play-off to Lahiri last year, will also feature in the Hero Indian Open.

Siddikur enjoyed his best seasons in 2009, 2010 and 2013 when he finished inside the top-10 on the Order of Merit but has not produced his best form following a back injury over the last two seasons.

"My injury didn't allow me to focus on my physical strength and I lost a lot of my stamina and power. That's obviously lacking in my game right now," Siddkur said in an Asian Tour release on Saturday.

"It's normal to get frustrated I guess. I used to play really good golf. But this is part of life. Every sportsman have these bad times and we go up and down. It makes me appreciate what I have but I believe I will get back to my best form soon. I'll continue to work hard at my game to achieve this."

Regarded as one of the straightest shooters of the golf ball on the Asian Tour, Siddikur is determined to bounce back to top form and rediscover some of his best golf which he has displayed in recent years at the tree-lined Delhi course.

"Physically I'm okay but I need to work harder to get back on track. I'm struggling a bit with my game right now. I am having good practice sessions but when I'm on the golf course during a tournament round, I get a bit tired, have doubts in my mind.

"I've discussed this with my coach and we've decided that we need to get physically stronger. I'm probably lacking a bit of physical conditioning now," said Siddikur, a two-time winner on the Asian Tour.