Simi heads Indian search for DLF Women's Indian Open champion..........
Tuesday, March 25, 2008

An interesting blend of youth and experience is all set to take stage
at the $ 120,000 DLF Women's Indian Open on Wednesday. Spearheading
the field will be India's best known women's professional Simi Mehra,
an LPGA player, besides the leading lights of Asia and the teen
brigade from the host country, India.

The venue is the lush DLF Golf and Country Club, which recently hosted
the world's best at the Johnnie Walker Classic.

Though India's own Simi Mehra, a long-time LPGA regular is hogging the
pre-tournament headlines, the likes of Phatlum Pornanong, one of the
rising stars of Thai and Asian women's golf and winner of this
season's first event, the Thailand Ladies Open, and Sunny Park, an
Australian of Korean origin, will be the others to watch out for.

Simi, once the longest hitter on the LPGA Tour, is slowly hitting her
form once again. She was tenth at the Thailand Ladies Open and after
the DLF Women's Indian Open, she plans to play on the LPGA where she
has a special exemption.

Simi said: "My confidence this time will definitely be on a high."

On her preparation Simi said: "I treat every event the same, so the
preparation I put for the Women's Indian Open will be the same as the
LPGA event. I am sure Indian players will make a big impact during
this event. I know I am capable of winning the event. I also feel the
chances of an Indian winning are very high. Even last year we had a
couple Indians in the top five, of which one being an amateur. This
year we have a stronger field from the quality of players
participating, so the results will be very interesting."

Thailand's prodigious talent Phatlum Pornanong, who won this year's
first event on the LAGT, The Thailand Open 2008, has also confirmed
for the field. Phatlum had announced her arrival with a win while
still being an amateur at the 2006 LAGT Hong Kong Open and has now
begun fulfill her promise.

Sunny Park, who turned professional, won Australian Women's Amateur
Open last year. Park started 2008 with a big bang as she captured the
Australian Ladies Professional Golf-sanctioned Kangaroo Valley Peugeot
Classic to register her first win as a professional.

Other leading internationals include the Japan-based Brazilian Iida
Maria Priscila, who played the World Cup in 2007, China's Wang Chun
represented her country in 2008, and the Japanese duo Shiraki Rie, a
champion at the 2007 Guam Governer's Cup in USA Guam, and Sakurai
Yuki, a rookie who was in 5th of 2008 MFS Womens Australian Open held
in January.

Apart from Simi, India's other big challenger will be the talented
Irina Brar, who was fourth last year. Irina, who has been straddling
academics and golf at the same time, is capable of upsetting the best
of players on her day. Other prominent Indian pros include Shalini
Malik. Parneeta Grewal and Vandana Aggarwal.

India's teen brigade includes Tanya Wadhwa, who trains in the United
States, Sharmila Nicollet, the All India amateur champion, and Meher
Atwal, is capable of bringing in some stunning results.

Interestingly Simi hinted that if there were any player other than her
who could surprise the field, it would be teenager Tanya Wadhwa. "I
feel that she has the game and maturity to win the Women's Indian
Open," she said.

The DLF Women's Indian Open, carrying a purse of US $ 120,000, has
grown in stature as one of the premier events on the Ladies Asian Golf
Tour (LAGT).

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