If one were to glance at Amardeep Malik’s recent run on the Professional Golf Tour of India, the pandemic-hit 2020-21 and current season, the standout feature is managing himself with adeptness.
Given the stop-start phases last year, it was easy to let go and wait for normalcy to return, but Amardeep kept working on the core areas — body, mind and his craft.
Related: Amardeep Malik maintains control in Delhi-NCR Open
The effort reflected in the couple of top-10s, which saw Amardeep work his way up on the order of merit. Despite the slowdown towards the end of last year, it is with some pride that Amardeep gives himself a 7/10 for the season gone by.
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The going in 2022 has been even better, with Amardeep getting off to solid starts. The problem has been with carrying the momentum to the business end. This could change with Amardeep sitting atop the heap in the Delhi-NCR Open after two rounds.
That the Noida Golf Course (NGC) happens to be home strengthens his chances of ending the title drought since October 2017. With both his wins on Tour coming here, familiarity is Amardeep’s trump card given that practice is divided between NGC and Jaypee Greens. “Judgement of situations and shots” gives the pro an advantage as he is armed with the knowledge “how the ball will react in the wind or on the green”.
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The urge to get ahead of himself on a turf that’s as familiar as the back of his hand is strong, but he has reined in expectations. But there is also a part of him that’s eager to celebrate the goings-on. “At 36, it is important to hold on to every positive,” he says, and the hope is that Friday will unfold in a way that he can let his hair down.
Photo Credit: PGTI
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