Nagoya: The spirit of Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy and USA’s Nelly Korda accompanied Pranavi Urs on a day when she scripted history for Indian golf, particularly for the country’s women golfers.
The Mysurean carded rounds of 66-63-66-70 for a four-day total of 15-under 265, edging China’s Ruoning Yin by one shot to win gold. Yin finished on 14-under and took silver after prevailing in a playoff against Singapore’s Shannon Xuan Yin Tan, who also finished on 14-under and settled for bronze.
Pranavi’s fearless yet casual attitude was on full display at the Kasugai Country Club here on Saturday. But even for someone who exudes confidence effortlessly, she needed to draw inspiration from some of the biggest names in the game – McIlroy and Korda, multiple Major winners, former world No. 1s and two of the defining golfers of the current generation.
Pranavi needed those reminders after getting into trouble on the third hole, where she made a triple bogey, and again on the 13th, when her birdie putt circled the cup before dropping in.
“I always remember Rory,” she smirked. “I mean, if he could win his first Masters after a bad start to the fourth round, I told myself, so can I after the triple. And didn’t Nelly win the US Open (in 2026) in a similar fashion when the putt went around the hole on the 18th? Haha, yeah, I said I can do it and carried on.”
Another golfer Pranavi said she had always looked up to was someone she would eventually stand alongside on the podium. She was referring to Aditi Ashok, who had won an individual silver at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games. Aditi’s final two-day scores had also proved crucial for India winning silver in the women’s team event, finishing on 14-under behind champions China, who totalled 22-under.
“I’m glad I could help India win another medal. I’m just really honoured and grateful to be part of the team with the girls. One I looked up to (Aditi) and one I played with (Diksha). Overall, it’s a very special moment for me,” said Pranavi, who, along with Diksha, competes on the Ladies European Tour (LET) and the Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI) Tour.
Aditi finished with a four-day total of two-over 282 (71-74-70-67) in tied-14th, while Diksha carded 12-over 292 (71-73-71-77) to finish tied-23rd.
For Aditi, who has represented India at three Olympics and three Asian Games while carrying the country’s flag single-handedly across several LPGA and LET events, watching Pranavi close in on, and eventually close out, the gold medal provided plenty of anxious moments.
“I was inside watching and I would say playing golf is way easier, especially because I wanted her to win that gold so much,” said the 28-year-old five-time LET winner.
“I was going crazy. I was looking at the television and then I was not looking at the television. I was hiding my face, asking my dad to tell me what’s happening. I’m so, so happy for her.
“Especially because a lot of people said Pranavi is the third-best among us three. But I will tell you, she was the best golfer among us out there all through this week. It was 90 per cent Pranavi’s effort and probably 5% of ours (herself and Diksha) for us to win team silver,” said Bengaluru’s Aditi.
Among the several firsts in her career, Pranavi became the first woman to win a mixed-gender IGPL event with top Indian male golfers last season. So where does she rank her path-breaking Japan sojourn?
“I always want to be the first to do anything. There can be several winners, but there will only ever be one first winner. Right? The gold here definitely tops the IGPL event I won by beating the boys,” she signed off.