After playing all over Asia, it feels great to play in India. Last year, I came within a shot of a top-10 at the Hero Honda Indian Open and I’m sure want to do better than that. Also there are happy memories of the top-10 finish at the Amby Valley Asian Masters.

So, I as get ready for the 2007 edition, I want to focus on the positives and take it from there. It was around this time last year that I had begun doing well on the Asian Tour and after last week’s result in Korea where I finished 30 in tough conditions, I am feeling very confident.

I arrived in from Korea on Monday and had a taste of the Delhi Golf Club yesterday and today. It is in the best shape I have ever seen. It will be a pleasure and a challenge to tackle it.

Coming to the event itself, it is a half-a-million-dollar meet. In the days when I was growing up in Kolkata, the Indian Open used to come to Kolkata in alternate years. But now it is usually in Delhi, not that I mind playing in Delhi or at DGC, which is a great venue.

The course has been set up in a manner, which will reward straight play and penalise any errors, when you miss the fairway. The rough is punishing and at times the bushes are almost right next to the narrow fairway leaving no margin for error. So getting your tee shots will be the key.

... contd.