Asian Games: Shiv Kapur backs Indian golfers to end 24-year gold drought | Asian Games 2026

Former Asian Games gold medallist Shiv Kapur believes India’s golfers have the talent to end the country’s long wait for another gold at the continental showpiece, saying anything less than the top prize would be a disappointment at the upcoming Aichi-Nagoya Games.

India will be represented by a six-member golf squad at the Asian Games, with Aditi Ashok, Diksha Dagar and Pranavi Urs making up the women’s team and Yuvraj Sandhu, Veer Ahlawat and Saptak Talwar featuring in the men’s competition. The team was selected on the basis of world rankings.

Kapur, who won the individual gold at the 2002 Asian Games, said the achievement remains the biggest of his career and hoped the current generation can break India’s gold-medal drought in golf.

“2002 is still fresh in my mind. It has been almost 25 years, but if anyone asks me what my number one achievement in golf, or the number one achievement in my career, is, it is still winning the gold medal,” Kapur said on the sidelines of the jersey launch of RVR Delhi Blue Bulls.

“So, I will be cheering for them and hoping that the last one took 20-some years, so hopefully they will break the jinx this time and win a gold medal for the country, both as a team and individually. I think they have the ability, there is no doubt.” Kapur said India’s growing pool of talent has raised expectations, and the golfers should be aiming for nothing less than gold.

“There are very high expectations. I think we have a really good pool of talent in India. We are able to perform on the world stage now, and I think anything short of winning would be a disappointment, in my opinion. The talent is there, the ability is there,” he said.

Gaurav Ghei, who is part of the Delhi franchise, also expressed confidence in India’s golfers, particularly highlighting the strength of the women’s game.

“They are all fantastic golfers, not just Aditi. I think Deeksha is doing fantastically well now on the Ladies European Tour, and I really have very high hopes for them,” he said.

Ghei, however, stressed the importance of embracing the occasion rather than becoming overwhelmed by the pressure of winning medals.

“I think the biggest thing for a team is to obviously work hard and be prepared for the tournament, but also to embrace the occasion and enjoy it. Sometimes you get too consumed by thinking, ‘I have to win a medal’, or whatever,” he said.

“These guys are seasoned professionals at a young age and they know how to do it. I’m sure they’ll do really well and make the country proud.” The two former golfers also shared similar views on the growing competition between the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), saying the rivalry could ultimately benefit the sport.

Ghei believes the emergence of the IGPL has pushed the PGTI to raise its standards while also highlighting the growing commercial interest in Indian golf.

“I think one of the reasons PGTI is doing well also is because they are getting a little bit more pushed by IGPL. The way the PGA Tour had to raise the bar when LIV came on, maybe something like that is happening here,” he said.

“But going down the line, who knows? Maybe we all join in and come together for the common good of really growing the game.” Kapur also described the competition as healthy, saying the two tours could eventually work together to create greater opportunities for professional golfers.

The comments came at the launch of the RVR Delhi Blue Bulls jersey for the IGPL. Kapur is serving as the franchise’s captain and mentor alongside Ghei, former Asian Games medallist Chiragh Kumar and emerging young golfer Aryan Roopa Anand.

Kapur said the franchise was focused on building a lasting identity for Delhi golf while helping develop the next generation of players.

“Golf has given me a lot, and Delhi has given me a lot. Delhi Golf Club is where I was born, and now I have a chance to actually use this platform not just to build a franchise that, in the future, people say was ‘the team of Delhi’, but also to build the next generation,” he said.

Chiragh Kumar said the Delhi outfit had developed a strong camaraderie.

“I started playing golf again last year, I want to thank Shiv for having the faith in me to be a part of RVR Delhi. We are the most closely knit team in the tournament. We want to do the best for the team in the last few months that remain, exciting times ahead for sure,” he said.

Kumar also pointed out that from next year, the IGPL winner will earn a spot on the Asian Tour.