New Delhi: At 5 feet 5 inches and tipping the scales at 55 kilos, it’s easy for Subhash Tamang to get lost among the giant billboards and the presence of some of the biggest stars in world golf as the DP World India Championship gets underway this week.
But don’t dismiss him as a bantamweight trying to punch above his weight.
The 24-year-old from the heritage town of Lalitpur in Nepal may lack the build, but he has the heart of a lion, having completed an arduous, almost unthinkable journey in the sport.
This Thursday at Delhi Golf Club, he will become the first Nepali player to compete in a DP World Tour event. For someone who was busy helping his parents earn an extra buck by laying mud bricks at age 11 and had no idea a sport called golf existed, this is a remarkable achievement.
Tamang’s mother sent him to the capital, Kathmandu, to babysit her sister’s newborn. One day, he was sent to deliver lunch for his cousin, a ballboy at Royal Nepal Golf Club (RNGC). One look at the expansive fairways, and he fell head over heels in love with the game.
The progress, thanks to the patronage of a few RNGC members and the last couple of years spent in Bengaluru with the Tarun Sardesai Golf Academy, has turned him into a formidable competitor.
This year, Tamang has played 17 events on the domestic DP World-PGTI Tour, and by finishing 23rd in the Order of Merit, he secured a place in this week’s championship.
“I am so happy to be here. I did not know I was the first player from Nepal to play in a DP World Tour event. I just tried to play as well as I could, and this is a great reward for me,” said Tamang, who also became the first Nepali amateur to break into the top-100 of the World Amateur Golf Rankings before turning professional.
“Now that I am here, I think I had a great week if I can do a few things.
“There are so many big players here. I want to watch Rory McIlroy and others and see how they prepare for events. I also want to have four consistent rounds, even if they are 2-under every day. This year, I’ve had so many tournaments where I have shot a 66 and then followed it up with a 73.
“And finally, I want to do well so that people back home can take pride in my performance at such a big stage and find some happiness. We have had a few tragedies, like the flash floods, and I feel bad that I haven’t been able to help them much.”
Tamang thanked Sardesai and the DP World-PGTI Tour for their support in his journey.
“To be honest, I don’t think I would have been here without Tarun sir’s help. He has looked after every aspect of my game and my health in the last few years,” said the die-hard Tiger Woods fan.
“The DP World-PGTI Tour has been so good for players like me from neighbouring countries. It has given us a platform to perform, and the higher level of competition has made us all better players. We have dreamed of playing in tournaments like this, and they have made it possible.”
Tamang tees off at 7:55 on Thursday alongside the talented Manoj S and Mohammed Azhar.