Asian Games: Pranavi Urs aims for major medals after historic golf gold

Bolstered by her maiden Asian Games gold, India's Pranavi Urs is now targeting an Olympic medal and a Major, saying success in the events leading up to June 2028 will be crucial to make the cut for the Los Angeles Games.

The 23-year-old from Mysuru recently became the first Indian woman golfer to win gold at the Aichi-Nagoya Games in Japan.

"Olympics maybe or a Major," Pranavi said when asked what she is chasing next during an interaction facilitated by SAI Media.

"My preparation is not gonna (going to) change. I am going to play in LET, just keep doing what I am doing, the cut-off date is June 2028, I will be playing as many events as possible till then and may be get a win from there."

The gold has also strengthened her belief that an LET title is within reach after she came close to winning on the European circuit.

"It just shows that my game is there and it's up there and it's just a matter of time," she said. "So I just got to be patient and give it time."

The qualification period for women's golf at the LA28 Olympic Games officially began on June 8 this year and will conclude on June 5, 2028, with the final 60-player field to be determined by the OGR standings at the time of the deadline.

Pranavi achieved the feat after carding a 15-under 265 at the Kasugai Country Club East Course last Saturday. Her fine run also carried the Indian women's team, comprising Aditi Ashok and Diksha Dagar, to the podium as it bagged a silver medal.

"I think it's slowly sinking in. It hasn't sunk in yet fully. Because, I mean, I'm still getting a lot of these messages and calls and a lot of interviews and stuff, which is very unusual for me. It's a little overwhelming, but yeah, it's great to be the first one to do it," she said.

"There are going to be multiple winners after me. But I'm the one who kind of set that record. So I think that, for me, means the world."

Pranavi said her experience of competing at the Hangzhou Asian Games three years ago helped her handle the pressure better in Japan.

"I think I kind of knew what to expect this time and how it really works. And being in a team event as well, I knew what I was stepping into, whereas in China, it was my first time playing and representing the country," she said.

"I was not as experienced as I am now three years ago. And ever since China, I've secured my card on LET, and I've played in a lot of different conditions. So I think that experience kind of helped me calm my nerves a little bit."

The Indian had to recover from a triple bogey early in the final round but stayed composed to clinch the gold.

"I've been working with my psychologist for years now. And I think that's the end of the day. That's the goal, right? To kind of keep calm when you're nervous and, you know, to kind of stick to your game plan," she said.

"Just not think about anything else and just kind of focusing on what you need to do and what's in your control more than the outcome," she added.

One of the most unusual aspects of her triumph was that Pranavi did not even know her final putt had secured the gold. She had been marking Shannon Tan's score and thought she was putting to force a playoff.

"So I thought it was like make par and then get out of the golf course and maybe force a playoff. Little did I know that the last putt that I hit was the putt to win," she said.

"I think I was kind of too zoned in. And I had one of Shannon's scores wrong on my scorecard because I was marking hers. So I thought it was more of like, OK, you need to putt. Maybe there's a playoff, and you still have a chance. And yeah, I didn't know. And that's why I didn't celebrate after I won. I wish I had known."

She also drew inspiration from her idol Rory McIlroy after the triple bogey.

"If he can win the Masters after having a terrible start, so can I. So, yeah, that's one way that got me motivated towards the round as well," she said.

Pranavi will next compete at the Hero Women's Indian Open from October 22 to 25 at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram and has three more LET events lined up this year.

"I'm going to be playing a lot of events. And I'm going to be playing on LET. So, I think just kind of keep doing what I'm doing," she said.

She also wishes to meet her idol McIlroy when the Irishman comes to Delhi for the DP World India Championship.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Bridge Desk. It is published from a syndicated feed.)