Two years ago, a win at the Hero Indian Open kickstarted his career, and though he is happy with his fitness and form, Germany’s Marcel Siem doesn’t want to get greedy.
He is keeping a reasonable target of a top-20 finish. The 44-year-old had ended an eight-year wait when he clinched the crown in 2023. However, he couldn’t compete to defend his title last year due to an injury and is now on the comeback trail after recovering from a hip injury. “For me, I have to be careful that I don’t get greedy with my expectations,” Marcel, who has six victories on the European Tour, said.
“If I put my expectations too high, it never works with me. That’s why I’m saying top 20 and inside the top 20 is the will included, it’s a soft will to win the golf tournament.”
Marcel had endured a winless phase since winning the BMW Masters in 2014, but the Hero Indian Open title brought him back into the winner’s circle as he went on to claim the Italian Open in June last year.
“I need to stay like this. I started with this in 2020 when I lost my card, just doing baby steps. It’s not easy, even though I finished 14th and 9th in the last two weeks, I didn’t move in the world rankings. So consistency is the key for me now,” he continued.
“I need to play well in the bigger tournaments. These are things I put my focus on now.” Marcel said he remembers each shot from his win two years ago and is relishing the prospect of taming the challenging conditions at the DLF Golf Course here. “When I just arrived here, all the memories came back. I had a long stretch where I didn’t win a tournament, and it meant a lot to me. And yeah, kickstarted my career again in a way. So I’m very happy to be back,” he said.
“The last two weeks, I started to play better again. That hip injury took me a long time. I think since two months, my hip is not hurting at all anymore. I can do normal stuff in the gym. I don’t have to worry about it anymore. So now the focus is back on having consistent top 20s every week.”
Reflecting on the tournament, Marcel said: “For me, it feels like a title defense, to be honest. I was crying in Mauritius last year, not being able to defend my title. So I’m fitter than ever. I’m trying to live healthier. The lifestyle in Mauritius helps me a lot to work hard on my game, on my fitness, mental strength as well. So I’m happy where I am right now. My form curve is good to come into this week. That was my main goal.”
Talking about the golf course and strategy, the German said: “I know the golf course. I have my strategy already. I can remember literally every shot from two years ago.
“My caddy walked the course today, checked out the grain on the greens. The greens look very firm and the grain change on the plateaus is very important when you hit irons into it. So he did his homework. He thinks it’s a bit more difficult than 2023.
“Last year, the winning score was a bit better. My goal is two-under every nine holes, so I think if I shoot four times four-under par, I have a good chance to win again. So this is my game plan for this week.”
With DP World Tour serving as a pathway for PGA Tour membership, Marcel said playing in the PGA Tour and qualifying for the Masters remains a goal.
Asked if the Ryder Cup and Augusta Masters are on the cards, Marcel said: “Yeah, Ryder Cup is still a chance for this year to qualify. Masters, there’s no chance this year. So I will definitely give it a go. I have to tick this box.
“I won’t go on a senior’s tour before playing a Masters, I promise.”
