Aditi Ashok-led India face star-studded field as Asian Games golf campaign begins

Aditi Ashok will lead India's six-member golf contingent into the Asian Games here on Wednesday, but the 2023 silver medallist and her teammates face a star-studded field that includes PGA Tour winner Tom Kim and some of Asia's leading professionals.

With 66 men and 45 women in the field, there will be no cuts to negotiate, allowing players to focus entirely on their four-round campaigns. The team events will add another dimension, with the best two scores from each three-player team counting towards the medals.

India will field Yuvraj Sandhu, Veer Ahlawat and Saptak Talwar in the men's competition, while Aditi will be joined by Diksha Dagar and Pranavi Urs in the women's event.

Aditi is making her third Asian Games appearance after competing in 2014 and 2023. Diksha was part of India's 2018 team, while Pranavi featured at the 2023 Games.

India has won seven Asian Games golf medals, including three golds.

Golf made its Asian Games debut in New Delhi in 1982, when India swept the men's individual gold and silver through Lakshman Singh and Rajiv Mohta and also won the team gold. Amit Luthra and Rishi Narain were the other members of the gold-winning team.

India's men later won team silver in 2006 and 2010, while Shiv Kapur claimed individual gold in Busan in 2002. The men's team has not won a medal since.

The current men's trio, though, arrives with a mix of experience and form.

Sandhu, a former PGTI No. 1, has been among India's consistent performers, while Talwar leads the current PGTI Order of Merit after a breakthrough season. Ahlawat, another former PGTI No. 1, brings further professional experience.

The women's team has considerable international pedigree.

Aditi finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics and won individual silver at the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou. She had been in contention for gold before a final-round 77 left her second.

Diksha is a two-time Ladies European Tour winner and has enjoyed a strong 2026 season, while Pranavi is an established LET campaigner.

The Indian women finished fourth in the team event at Hangzhou, narrowly missing a medal. Pranavi and Avani Prashanth were Aditi's teammates on that occasion.

The format has also changed since the previous Games. Until Hangzhou, countries could field four-player men's teams; both the men's and women's teams now consist of three players.

Among India's leading challengers will be South Korea's Tom Kim, one of the most recognisable young players in world golf.

Kim, a PGA Tour winner who recently represented the International Team at the Presidents Cup, has an additional incentive for competing in the Asian Games. A gold medal would make him eligible for an exemption from South Korea's mandatory military service.

Kim won an Asian Tour event in India in 2019 and will be joined by fellow PGA Tour player Kim Seong-hyeon and KPGA campaigner Doyeob Mun.

Hosts Japan have also strengthened their men's team by selecting professional players for the first time in Asian Games golf.

Keita Nakajima, a former Japan Golf Tour money-list winner and 2024 Hero Indian Open champion, is now a regular on the DP World Tour and could soon move to the PGA Tour.

Nakajima is seeking another Asian Games double. He won individual and team gold in 2018 as an amateur and now has an opportunity to repeat that success as a professional.

His teammates are Kazuki Higa, a seasoned professional who has played at the Masters, and leading amateur Taishi Moto, who plays college golf in the United States.

The Kasugai Country Club's East Course could further test the field. Renovated in 2024, the course features tree-lined fairways, strategic hazards and demanding greens. Its narrow fairways and small putting surfaces are expected to reward accuracy and positioning.

The golf competition will be played from September 30 to October 3 over 72 holes, with four gold medals on offer across the men's and women's individual and team events.