Lindell’s trusted caddie is stuck in Thailand on the eve of the tournament – facing the toughest and most challenging course on the tour in India
Oliver Lindell’s preparations for this week’s competition in Delhi have been interesting, to say the least. The Porvoo native has been eagerly awaiting what is, with all due respect, the toughest challenge of the year that the tour has to offer in terms of the course. Casting a shadow over his preparations have been visa issues concerning his trusted caddie, who has carried his clubs almost without exception for the past two seasons.
It is highly likely that Lindell will be working with a local caddie he has never met before throughout the coming week.
“The caddie situation is what it is, and there’s nothing we can do about it. We’ll see tomorrow if the new visa application submitted on Monday goes through. There’s no point flying him over here for the weekend. Otherwise, a bloke from the local club will be carrying the clubs; I will rather have someone who keeps quiet and gets on with the job.”
“We were all looking forward to getting out on the course last week. At least I’m glad I will manage to make it to the tee myself. The other players and caddies had problems here too,” said Lindell.
Despite the setbacks, Lindell is eagerly looking forward to what this tournament – which really put the players to the test last year in particular – has in store. A wayward tee shot invariably leads to trouble and often means a long walk. Tight fairways rule out the use of a driver on many holes. The course is also very undulating, with steep changes in elevation.
Last year, only three players managed to finish the four-round tournament under par. The winner’s score was -4, meaning an average of one under par per round was enough to lift the trophy. Avoiding major mistakes like this, rather than going for a flurry of birdies, suits Lindell down to the ground.
“Keeping the ball in play and avoiding trouble will be rewarded at the end of the week. The key is to turn par-5s into birdies, as everyone is bound to make bogeys this week. Whoever makes the fewest of them will be in a strong position.”
At just under 6,800 metres in length, with its short par-5 holes, the course does not pose a challenge to players in terms of sheer distance. However, the significant elevation changes and strategic elements make the course feel considerably longer. Many par-4 holes, where it is not possible to use a driver, leave players with long approach shots to firm greens. In contrast, there are two par-3 holes over 200 metres on the Delhi course.
“All I can say is that it’s a brilliant and honest course. The fairways look narrow from the tee, but often open up a bit in reality. The rough is the same everywhere, and the surfaces are perfectly groomed. The greens were still not that hard on Wednesday, but will certainly firm up over the course of the week. A magnificent course in every respect,” praised Lindell.
Lindell will tee off on his opening round at 9.15 am Finnish time alongside the South African duo MJ Daffue and Dylan Fritelli.