Avani's year of learning amidst wins

A year-end win at the All India Ladies Amateur Championship that has a history of over 100 years, is a hallowed ground for budding golfers in the country. And to claim both the strokeplay and matchplay crowns at the event is considered a rare feat that has eluded even the best.

But Bengaluru’s Avani Prashanth not only managed to achieve twin wins last year but she comfortably defended both the titles at this years edition of the tournament that concluded at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in Kolkata on Sunday.

Ask her about the number of trophies she added to her collection in yet another season of stomping her dominance on the Indian golfing circuit. ”I haven’t really counted,” she smiles.

If 2021 served as the launch pad for the 16-year-old to surge ahead of most of her contemporaries, 2022 was all about learning for Avani.

“In terms of performance, I would rate 2021 a better year. However, this year was all about learning from playing in the best amateur events in the world on courses with varied conditions that had the top-100 amateur golfers competing. The experiences have prepared me to become a better player overall,” she says.

Besides becoming the first Indian to receive an invite to play in the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) in March, Avani considers conquering the Carnoustie golf links in Scotland during the R&A girls' amateur, where she finished ninth, as one of the top moments of her young career so far.

For someone who is tailed by attention and the ‘favourite to win’ expectation before every tournament, pressure serves as an extra source of motivation. “I tend to play a lot better when there are people watching me on the course,” explains Avani who is among the longest hitters on the Indian women’s tour.

With a few days off now after grueling months on tour, she wants to fine tune her game before getting back on the road in January. “If I have to win tournaments internationally, playing low scores consistently is a must. For that, I need to work on my putting and chipping a lot more. My focus will be on sharpening these two areas of my game in the coming weeks.”

Speaking about working with her coach, Laurence Brotheridge from 4.5 years that helped her climb the ladder, “The best thing about him is that he keeps things simple. He doesn’t follow a textbook method of coaching that has worked for me really well. I have got a very unique swing. I kind of jump when I hit the ball and he hasn’t changed that ever. He considers it my power move.”

As for the big question lingering on many golf enthusiasts mind about Avani turning professional, that switch will happen post the Asian Games at the end of next year she confirms.