Rory McIlroy Praises Pranavi Urs for Historic Asian Games Golf Victory
NEW DELHI — Irish golf star Rory McIlroy praised Indian golfer Pranavi Urs for her resilience and determination after she overcame a difficult start to the final round to capture a historic gold medal at the Asian Games.
Pranavi became the first Indian woman to win an individual golf gold medal at the Asian Games, recovering from an early triple bogey that erased her three-shot overnight lead.
McIlroy met the young golfer ahead of the DP World India Championship in New Delhi and congratulated her on the achievement.
“It’s an amazing achievement winning the Asian Games, showing the resilience and character she showed to go on after having that early triple (bogey). And it was a delight to meet her. She is a wonderful young woman. She said she was nervous, but it didn’t seem like she was,” the 37-year-old golfer said.
Pranavi accompanied McIlroy for a few holes before returning to preparations for the Women’s Indian Open, scheduled for next week at DLF Golf and Country Club.
“It was great to spend some time with her. Obviously an amazing achievement. She told me she’s got the Women’s Indian Open next week at DLF, so she walked a few holes and said she needed to go practice and prepare. I think her partner is playing this week as well in this tournament, an amazing accomplishment, and I’m glad I had the chance to meet her,” McIlroy added.
Following her victory, Pranavi revealed that McIlroy’s comeback at the 2025 Masters inspired her to regain her composure after a triple bogey on the third hole of the final round cost her the lead.
“I remembered what Rory did the first time he won the Masters. He started with a triple, I think, a double or a triple. And I was like, if he can go and win the Masters, so can you win the Asian Games. So I think that kind of got me back into my lane,” she told Olympics.com.
Her victory ended India’s 24-year wait for an Asian Games golf gold medal. Shiv Kapur had previously won the men’s individual title at the 2002 Games in Busan.
Before Pranavi’s triumph, Aditi Ashok’s silver medal at the 2023 Hangzhou Games was India’s only medal in the women’s individual golf competition. Pranavi herself finished fourth in Hangzhou.
The latest victory also marked India’s fourth gold medal in Asian Games golf history. The country’s first two gold medals came at the 1982 New Delhi Games, where Lakshman Singh won the men’s individual title and joined Rishi Narain, Amit Luthra and Rajeev Mohta to secure the men’s team championship.
Pranavi’s landmark performance adds another milestone to Indian women’s golf as she prepares to compete on home soil at the upcoming Women’s Indian Open. (Source: IANS)
