Bangkok: Veer Ahlawat, son of a retired colonel from the Indian Army, is waging a relentless battle of his own on two fronts. If successful, it will open a world of opportunities for the 28-year-old Gurugram-based golfer.
Ahlawat currently leads the domestic Professional Golf Tour of India’s Order of Merit by a healthy margin of over ₹35 lakh. If the crown becomes his at the end of the TATA Steel Tour Championship in the third week of December, he will earn a card for the 2025 season on the DP World Tour.
The world No. 513, who finished tied second in the Hero Indian Open earlier in the year, is ranked 82nd in the Asian Tour Order of Merit. Given the complexities of packed schedules on both Asian and Indian Tours towards the end of the season, Ahlawat is struggling with logistics. He must finish inside the top 65 to keep his card on the Asian Tour next season.
He has already played three of the last four weeks, and he plans to play seven of the next eight weeks. It’s a punishing schedule, and Ahlawat hopes a pot of gold is waiting for him at the end of it.
Playing this week on the Asian Tour’s International Series Bangkok, the 6 feet 3 inch-tall Ahlawat said: “It’s an incredible opportunity, and that’s what we players always want. It’s now up to me as to how I react to the situation.
“The good thing right now is that I am feeling good about my game and I am feeling good about my body. I am just 28, so I can push myself through this.
“There was a time in the middle of the year when I faced a few issues with my swing, but I have worked hard on it with my coach (Anitya Chand) and I feel like I am ready for the next few weeks.
“I think I am ready to win on the Asian Tour. The confidence and the game are all there. And if I can win one more on the PGTI, that would give me a lot of breathing space.”
It’s been a physical and mental challenge for Ahlawat.
“I’ve been playing non-stop and the biggest thing for me is not to get injured and lose my focus. All this traveling takes a heavy toll on the body. I am a tall person, so I need to take extra precautions so that I do not hurt my back. That’s the biggest challenge for me right now,” said Ahlawat, who has had five top-six finishes in nine starts on the PGTI this season.
Also worth mentioning is that Ahlawat got married earlier this year.
“It’s been really tough on my wife (Tanya). But then I started playing well after the marriage! So, she must have got something to do with this,” said Ahlawat.
“Last week, I was playing an event in Panchkula and it finished on a Sunday. It was Karwa Chauth that day, our first one after marriage. I managed to return to Delhi that evening and she was very happy about it. And I flew into Bangkok the next morning.
“But I must admit she has been a massive support. She does not know much about golf, which has been a blessing. It has helped me completely switch off golf when I go back from the course. We never talk about golf. It’s all about what we are eating and what we are watching. That has helped me a lot.”
The two PGTI players who secured their DP World Tour cards in the past two years are Manu Gandas and Om Prakash Chouhan (this season). Both struggled on the new tour, trying to adjust to alien conditions. But the long-hitting Ahlawat feels he has a slight edge over them.
“I was planning to go to the DP World Tour Q-School last year, but could not. I was intent on going this year again, but the Hero Indian Open finish changed my whole plan. So, yes…it’s my big goal to get a card there and test myself against some of the star players,” explained Ahlawat.
“I feel I have more of a complete game to play on whichever Tour I plan to play on. I have played a lot on European courses, and I have played in South Africa. I feel I’m pretty much ready to play in different parts of the world.
“I am much more exposed to international golf. For the players before me, it was a massive change. They had hardly stepped out of India. They were overawed by the power of the players and how far they hit, which is not an issue with me. So, I know it will be a tough transition if I do get the card, but I know if I play well and to my potential, I can have very good weeks on any Tour.”
Ahlawat plays his first round in International Series Bangkok on Thursday at 11am IST.
