Gaurav Ghei, the first Indian to qualify for a major championship, made his first visit to Augusta National Golf Club this year and immediately discovered a regret in what has been an outstanding career – that he never played the Masters.
The Delhi Golf Club legend featured in the 1997 Open Championship at Royal Troon, becoming the torchbearer for the seven Indian golfers after him who made 54 major appearances. Only four Indian players – Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal, Anirban Lahiri and Shubhankar Sharma – have been invited for the Masters.
The 56-year-old Ghei, who made the front pages in India in 1995 when he won the Gadgil Western Masters in dramatic fashion with a chip-in eagle, was asked by a friend if he wanted to come to Augusta and watch the action in Thursday’s first round.
“It took me all of five seconds to say yes. And five seconds because I was just too shocked to respond at first,” said Ghei.
“I never made it as a player, and that is my one regrets as a professional golfer. You always try to get to a level where you get to play against the best in the world, and the Masters is probably the biggest validation of your career.”
Augusta National Golf Club is one of the most beautiful sporting arenas in the world and Ghei was taken aback by the sheer scale of the place, its efficiency, and the challenge it poses to the golfers.
“Honestly, I could hear angels singing when I came through the gates. We have always known it to be heaven on Earth. We have held it on a high pedestal, having seen the telecast all these years, but once you see it with your own eyes, you are unable to describe just how grander it is for the fans and how demanding it is for the players.
“From a golfer’s perspective, there were so many things to appreciate. You cannot visualise the slopes and the terrain. I walked 24,000 steps on Thursday, and it felt like 35,000.
“I could see the fairways were firm, and yet the balls would not run as much. We sat in the stands overlooking the par-3 12th, and such was the wind, most predictions of mine as to where the ball would land were incorrect. Those little 70-80 yard third shots on the par-5 13th and 15th, from downhill lies, requires precision of the highest degree.”
Ghei also appreciated how well Augusta National took care of the fans.
“It may not be the best example to give, but let me start with the restrooms on the course with so many people. The lines look like it would take 20 minutes just to get in…and you are done in 5 minutes. Same thing at the concessions. You get your food fast and it is extremely affordable,” said Ghei.
“You are not allowed your mobiles inside, but you can call up any part of the world for free from the phones provided in designated areas. I placed a call to Miti (his wife) because hers was the only number that’s in my memory. I also thought I noticed and remembered a lot more of that day because I was not busy taking photos and videos.”
As for the Masters Sunday, as leader Rory McIlroy (-12) and Bryson DeChambeau (-10) squared up on top of the leaderboard, Ghei had only one wish.
“It will be like two Gladiators getting into the Coliseum. Apart from Scottie (world No.1 Scheffler who was 5-under after 3 rounds), they are the two best players in the world and probably the most popular among fans,” Ghei said.
“Any of them winning would be great. I just hope they play like they did in the third round. Whoever plays best would be an amazing champion. They really move the needle in world golf, and this could be an unforgettable Sunday for the fans.”
