Edoardo Molinari confirms participation for Indian Open

Edoardo Molinari will be a star attraction when the $1.25 million Hero Indian Open, the richest full-field event on the Asian Tour, gets underway at the Delhi Golf Club from October 13.

Edoardo Molinari will be a star attraction when the $1.25 million Hero Indian Open, the richest full-field event on the Asian Tour, gets underway at the Delhi Golf Club from October 13.

The Italian, 53rd in the Official World Golf Rankings and 41st in the Race to Dubai (formerly known as the European Tour Order of Merit), had a phenomenal 2010 season with two title wins on the European Tour — the Barclays Scottish Open and Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

Ranked 11th on the Race to Dubai at the end of last season, Edoardo, 30, also played a part in taking Europe to victory in the Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort last year.

Sweden’s Rikard Karlberg will also be on view as he attempts to defend his title.

On the home front, Jeev Milkha Singh’s likely absence is a dampener, but the presence of SSP Chowrasia, the current leader on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, and Jyoti Randhawa, a three-time winner of the national Open, will lift spirits. Adding to the hosts’ challenge in the 48th edition will be Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Himmat Rai, all winners on the Asian Tour.

Lahiri in the hunt

Shiga (Japan): Anirban Lahiri will be looking for an unprecedented double when he tees off at the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open here Thursday. His berth into this week’s $ 1.7 million event, was sealed with a win at the Panasonic Open in India.