8-year-old golfer Ojaswini brings laurels

Deepankar Sharda

Mohali, February 19

Eight-year-old golfer Ojaswini Saraswat brought laurels by not only qualifying to represent the nation in the US Kids World Championship, but also by firing a seven-under, first in the history of the qualifying round (Indian leg).

Championship to start on August 4

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The US Kids Golf World Championship is slated to be held from August 4 to 6 at Pinehurst. The schedule of this championship consists of a Parade of Nations, Parent-Child Tournament, Trackman Demo Days, three rounds of championship play and the closing ceremony. Following the three-day championship, the Van Horn Cup — a one-day best ball tournament featuring the top 12-year-old boys and girls — is contested.

About the young golfer

Ojaswini started practising golf when she was just one-year-old. At the age of three, she learnt the basic skills. A year later, she won both putting and long drive competitions at the range.

Ojaswini, who won her fifth consecutive title of the US Kids India North series that concluded in Gurgaon, shot under par round (each) in her

five victories. In the seventh leg, she scored 2-under 34 in the nine-hole competition. In the final round, she posted a

round of seven-under to win the championship. Termed as ‘birdie machine’, she shot seven birdies in the qualifying event. She had consistently shot two-under or better and her best was 4-under 32 in the fifth leg, as she defeated her opposition by eight shots.

“I am told that this has been the best score of qualifying events (of this particular tournament), held across the world. No one has scored seven-under in US Kids Golf history since its inception (9 hole),” said Ojaswini, who is also known as Oz. She will now represent the country in the main event — US Kids World Championship — at Pinehurst.

A student of Manav Rachna School, Mohali, Oz has been honing her skills at the Mohali Golf Range under former international and Arjuna Awardee golfer Harmeet Singh Kahlon.

“Even in the main event, no one has ever scored at seven-under,” claimed the budding golfer.

Ojaswini started practising golf when she was just one-year-old. At the age of three, she learnt the basic skills. A year later, she won both putting and long drive competitions at the range.

“She has been performing well and looking good for future tournaments. During the Covid-induced lockdown, we made sure that she practises golf on a regular basis. In the coming months, besides

playing at Pinehurst, she will be playing some domestic events and will also participate in some invitational international tournaments,” said Om, her father.