Sharmila Nicollet wants to be the face of Indian women’s golf
She is the new poster girl of women’s golf in India. Cool and restrained, this 19-year-old could easily pass for a model. But instead of walking the ramp, the tall girl from Bangalore wants to tread the tricky greens.
Sharmila Nicollet, who finished as the top Indian, tied 23rd, at the recently concluded Indian Open, has dominated the national circuit this season, and her hunger for wins grows with each passing day.
Ask her about her ambition and she says she wants to emulate in golf the feats of the two most famous ‘S’s of Indian women’s sport, Saina Nehwal and Sania Mirza. Her ultimate desire is to become the face of women’s golf in India, and through her efforts and achievements the youngster wants to take the game to a different level altogether.
In an interview with Rakesh Jha of Indian Sports News, Sharmila talks about her game, her aims and her ambitions. Excerpts:
Ultimate desire
I want to be the face of women’s golf in India. I want to do what Saina Nehwal has done for badminton and Sania Mirza has done for tennis in India. See what they have done for their games. It is because of them that girls are queuing up for those sports. They have made them so popular. They have changed the face of their games, and I want to do the same for women’s golf in my country.
Experience of playing in the Indian Open
It was not what I had expected it to be. The result could have been better, but I am quite happy with my performance in the Indian Open. I shot six over on the first day and that proved to be my undoing. I recovered well on the last day, when I shot 69, which was the best score of the day. I faltered on day one but tried to recover lost ground on the last day and made up a few places. I think the pressure of performing in front of the home crowd took its toll. There was a lot of expectation from me and I could not handle the attention. But then I am young and I am learning something, somewhere, every day.
Lessons learnt from Laura Davies
Playing in the Indian Open was quite an experience. I was fortunate to play alongside Laura Davies and learnt so many things from the veteran. I was amazed to see that she hardly used her driver all day. She got her distance with her irons. That is experience. She is a strategist, and that was a lesson I learnt from her. I also learnt the art of course management from Laura.
Positives from the tournament
The tournament made me feel that yes, I can do it. I might not have finished in the top bracket, but my last-day score showed that I can match the best golfers stroke for stroke. I matched everyone for distance with my shots. I just need to work on the strategy of my game. I am young, and with more exposure I am sure to learn the art of playing under pressure. This tournament has given me the confidence that I can do it. Now I know there is no difference between me and the best players on the foreign circuit. I just need to be patient and calm and wait for my chances. The tournament was an eye-opener.
Schedule and plans ahead
For now I will be playing in India. My aim is to play more abroad, including on the Asian Tour, the Japan Tour and the European Tour. Everyone dreams of playing on the LPGA Tour and so do I, but I am in no hurry. I want to go step by step. At the moment I am waiting for confirmation of my place in the Dubai Masters. My case is under consideration, and if I get a call it will be the biggest moment of my playing career so far. I am also planning to go to David Leadbetter for a few tips. I have been training under him and Gaurav Dhiman.
Life besides golf
My hectic schedule keeps me away from many things I love doing. Apart from golf, I love meeting my friends and watching films. I try to catch up with them at least once a week. I love going to Goa, and I do that once a year for a week with my friends. My game keeps me away from my home, friends and family, and I miss them all. I am making a lot of sacrifices and hope they pay off.
On the Indian women’s circuit
We know the field on the women’s circuit is not that strong at the moment. We need more players. But youngsters will take up the game professionally only if the prize money increases substantially. We hope more sponsors support women’s golf in the coming years.
