Delhi Golf Club ready to tee off with Tiger

Tiger Woods's first visit to India, however, will be out of bounds for both public and media; even the club members will not be allowed to play for about four hours from 8 am.

The Delhi Golf Club is leaving no stone unturned to make golfing legend Tiger Woods’s first visit to India a memorable one.

The club was abuzz with activity on Monday afternoon preparing to receive the game’s best-known face, who will be in the city on Tuesday to compete in an 18-hole corporate tournament.

Invited by Pawan Munjal, CEO and Managing Director of the Hero Motor Group, one of the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturers, he also will open a special 'Tiger Woods' block of luxury apartments after Michael Schumacher and Maria Sharapova each unveiled similar-named buildings.

They may not get to see him play at all, but from kids to amateur golfers, all are hoping to catch a glimpse of the world No.1 while he is in Delhi.

In fact, the excitement is contagious, to say the least.

"Tiger's visit to India is going to make a huge impact and there is a big buzz already, not only in Delhi but the whole country," declared Shiv Kapur, who could be among the lucky few to get a chance to play with Woods.

 “As everyone knows, cricket dominates sport in India; so, for at least one day, the world's top golfer is going to steal all the attention away from the Sachin Tendulkars and Virender Sehwags. It's all going to be about golf and Tiger Woods,” added the 31-year-old Indian golfing ace who, besides winning an individual gold medal at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea, was Asian Tour 'Rookie of the Year' in 2005 after capturing the Volvo Masters of Asia Championship.

Kapur said a lot of youngsters in India have taken up golf mainly because of Woods’s influence on the game.

"Tiger already has such a big impact on golf in India. Seven or eight years ago we never saw young kids in India taking up golf. Now, in India, those playing the game are getting younger and that's predominantly due to Tiger," he said.

Another amateur Delhi Golf club golfer vowed he will do all it will take to meet Woods.

“I guess I will sleep on the greens, just to ensure that I don’t miss out on meeting him,” he said.

The bummer, however, is the fact that the event will be out of bounds for both public and media, and even the club members will not be allowed to play for about four hours from 8 am.

Nevertheless, though Woods will be in the city only for a few hours, the organisers are doing their best to give the few privileged golf fans and players a chance to watch the 14-time Major winner play on the greens.

A grandstand is being erected next to the first tee and 18th green. Besides that, a marquee area is also being constructed on the lawns to welcome the star golfer.

Woods’s lacklustre showing at the Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday extended his troubled start to 2014. He birdied the last three holes for a one-under-par final round of 71 on the Majlis course and finished with an aggregate six-under 282.

Scotland's Stephen Gallacher struck a final round 72 to clinch the $2.5 million tournament.