Champions look forward to the challenge in the Hero Indian Open golf

Defending champion Nakajima aims to win Hero Indian Open back-to-back, while Siem seeks consistency and Bhullar eyes victory.

Defending champion Keita Nakajima of Japan sounded cautiously confident as he expressed the desire to join a small bunch of champions who have won the Hero Indian Open back-to-back.

The 24-year-old, fresh from finishing second in Singapore last week, said that he was confident of his game, even though he said his first-hand experience of the DLF course was pretty challenging.

“It is a tough course. I don’t know how I won last year. Need to be patient this time,” said Nakajima, as he addressed the media, prior to the $2.25 million event scheduled to start on Thursday.

“I want to win this tournament. I want to get into the PGA Tour. Am playing great, and feeling positive this week,” declared Nakajima.

The champion of the 2023 season, Marcel Siem of Germany said that he was happy to be back at the DLF, as the title had helped him ‘kickstart’ his career again.

Relieved to have recovered from a hip injury, the 44-year-old Siem said that his goal was to be consistent and finish in the top-20 of every tournament, “and that includes winning the event”.

Asserting that he knew the DLF course well, Siem said that he did not play on Tuesday, as he was exhausted, but his caddie had walked the course and studied it well.