I hope to better my home record at Hero Women’s Indian Open: Tanya Wadhwa

New Delhi, 6th Sep.: Indian golfers have made a lot of headlines, worldwide, in the past few months. Last week in Mexico, 22 year old Tanya Wadhwa produced another noteworthy performance by an Indian golfer on an international platform.

Playing at the IPGM Classic, which is purely an invite based tournament and includes players from Ladies professional Golf Association (LPGA) and Symetra Tour, Tanya finished tied 9th with a three day total of three-over 219 (70,74,79). The field included former world no 1 Lorena Ochoa and the top two leaders of Symetra Tour money list – Lee Lopez and Alejandra Llaneza among others.

“This finish helps my confidence to come back home to India and try to do well,” said Tanya after her Top 10 finish in Mexico. Post this performance, the Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI) had an exclusive conversation with Tanya and elicited her views on the performance in Mexico, her career at Symetra Tour and the upcoming Hero Women’s Indian Open in Oct.

WGAI - What was your first reaction after the Top 10 finish?

Tanya Wadhwa (TW) - I felt good after this Top 10 finish. Due to my weak performances over the past few years, I had lost a lot of confidence in my game. This finish is definitely a confidence booster.

WGAI - What is the significance of this performance in the current season at Symetra Tour?

TW - The season is almost over here, so all I have to do is look forward to next year. Obviously, this finish helps my confidence to come back home to India and try to do well.

WGAI - How was your overall experience at The IPGM Classic in Mexico?

TW - I had a great time playing in Mexico. The tournament was very well organized and I got a chance to brush up on my Spanish since my caddy didn't speak a word of English.

WGAI - How does playing in the US help in improving you as a golfer?

TW - I believe playing in the US, where it's highly competitive helps when you are doing well. You feel you can compete at a higher level. On the flip side, it hurts your confidence when you do not do well. Playing in the US has its advantages. Many more golf courses and practice facilities etc. Also coaches with a variety of golf swings ready to teach you. However in my case, this reason affected me adversely. I played well as a junior and wanted to keep getting better so I went to all the best instructors like David Ledbetter, Hank Haney and Chris O’ Connell. If anything didn’t work, I would try another swing. At the end, I felt it was more ‘paralysis because of over analysis’. I was so confused and my game just kept getting worse. Finally, my dad encouraged me to try and find it on my own and I stopped seeing anyone. I became familiar with my swing and started realizing that I could fix my swing at a tournament when I was not hitting it good. Now I am far less technical and all I get is an occasional tip from a member at my course. In America, there is a saying ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’.

WGAI - You met up with former World no 1 Lorena Ochoa - Did you pick up any tip(s) or learning(s)?

TW - Yes, it was a pleasure meeting Lorena. It's amazing to see a person who had so much success but yet so modest. (She has) no arrogance or attitude at all.

WGAI - With Hero Women's Indian Open 2015 so close, how excited are you to play with Vaishavi Sinha and other compatriots back in homeland, India?

TW - Yes! I'm very excited to see Vaishavi (I call her Kishi). She's one of my best friends, and last year we traveled together on the Symetra tour. It's always exciting coming back to see Neha, Saaniya, and of course Simi di who I recently played and practiced with here in the States. There is so much I learn from her every time I see her. Obviously, no one else has the experience playing on the big stage that she has. On the other hand, with coming home to play, comes a lot of pressure for me to perform well. I do not have a good record at home and I hope to be able to change that this year.

WGAI - Hero Women's Indian Open 2015 will be the first professional tournament to be played on newly constructed Gary Player Design 18 hole Championship course at DLF Golf & CC in Gurgaon. Are you planning to do any special preparations to tackle the new course?

TW - I have been told this new course is very tricky and the greens are especially fast. I'm also told that you have to know where miss it on the greens; otherwise a 4 putt is not unusual. I am trying to persuade my brother Varun, to take leave from his job for 2 weeks and come to caddy for me in India. There is nobody I feel more comfortable with on my bag. (We won the Texas Women's Open together). Our close family friend Karan Bindra has offered to show me the ropes on the new course and hopefully I'll be able to negotiate those undulating fast greens with a few pointers from him. I am hopeful my brother and I will be able to figure out the greens so I won't need the help of a local caddy. I know how valuable ‘local knowledge’ can be.

Know Tanya Wadhwa –

• When she isn't on the course you can find her working out, playing tennis, ping pong, swimming or watching Indian movies.
• Something you may not know about her is that she has her black belt in Tae Kwon Do.
• In her quest to play on the world’s most lucrative professional golf tour, the LPGA Tour, she joined Symetra Tour in 2013. Symetra Tour is known as “the Road to the LPGA” and since 1999, it has been designated as the LPGA’s official qualifying tour.
• Tanya first came into global limelight when she won the Texas Women's Open 2008, an event on the Northern Texas PGA, a section of the PGA of America. She was 15 year old then, making her the youngest winner in the history of the tournament.
• She also won the World Junior Championship 2002.
• Tanya Wadhwa started playing golf at the age of seven.

By Saurabh Singh, WGAI
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