Jyoti Randhawa banking on experience

29 Asian Tour winners in the fray at tournament starting at the Delhi Golf Club today

Ace Indian golfer Jyoti Randhawa hopes to make a winning return at the SAIL Open. The tournament starts today at what has been one of Randhawa's favourite hunting grounds over the years, the Delhi Golf Club.

Randhawa, Asia's number one in 2002, has won four Asian Tour titles at the venue and he sounded confident of adding more silverware in the US$ 300,000 full field event.

"I have played at this golf course many times. I know how to play it and that certainly helps. I would say it will give me an advantage over the others," said Randhawa.

The other top players who are tipped to sparkle in the tournament, celebrating its third edition, include defending champion Chapchai Nirat of Thailand, Singapore's Lam Chih Bing, Australian Marcus Both and Indian rising star Gaganjeet Bhullar.

Such is the depth of this week's elite field that Randhawa is just one of the 29 Asian Tour winners featuring at the Delhi Golf Club and he hopes to exploit his knowledge of the golf course to the fullest.

Having successfully defended his Hero Honda Indian Open crown in 2007 on the same course, Randhawa believes that astute course management will be the key to victory this week.

Big-hitting Chapchai, who set a new world 72-hole scoring record of 32-under-par 256 en route to victory last year albeit on a different course, is upbeat of his defence.

"It will be down to irons and three woods this week. It will be very tough for golfers but I'm confident of my chances," said Chapchai, a three-time Asian Tour winner.

Bhullar, 21, got his season off to a flying start when he won the season-opening Asian Tour International in Bangkok and he hopes to follow in the footsteps of Randhawa, whom he rates as one of India's golfing legends.

Since winning the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open last season, Both has endured a slow patch where he has uncharacteristically missed three consecutive cuts. However, the Australian is confident of turning the corner at the SAIL Open.