“First will always be the first”: Pranavi Urs wins historic Asian Games gold
Pranavi Urs becomes the first Indian woman to win individual gold in golf at the Asian Games with a dramatic victory in Japan.
Pranavi Urs has always seemed to enjoy breaking barriers. A year ago, she made history in the Indian Golf Premier League by becoming the first woman to win an IGPL title in a mixed professional field. On Saturday, the 23-year-old from Mysuru broke another, far bigger barrier, becoming the first Indian woman to win an individual golf gold medal at the Asian Games.
A dramatic finish at Kasugai Country Club East
Supported by Hero, Urs survived a dramatic final-round scare at the Kasugai Country Club East. She converted a three-shot overnight advantage into a one-shot victory after a roller-coaster finish. Her even-par 70 saw her finish at 15-under 265, one stroke ahead of China’s Yin Ruoning and Singapore’s Shannon Tan, who both finished at 14-under.
The victory was not without tension. Yin Ruoning, a six-time LPGA winner and world No. 6, had started the final round four shots behind but suddenly found herself in front after Urs suffered a triple bogey on the third. Despite the setback, Urs remembered the comebacks of her two favourite golfers, Rory McIlroy and Nelly Korda, to steady herself.
The defining moment
The turning point came on the 13th hole, when Urs produced a defining birdie putt that appeared to circle the rim before dropping in. That birdie put her back in front at 15-under. After five closing pars, she had secured history. The enormity of the moment was so great that Urs admitted she did not even realize she had won until Shannon Tan congratulated her.
Ending a 24-year wait for gold
This victory marks a significant milestone for Indian golf. Pranavi’s gold ended a 24-year wait for India’s next individual golf gold at the Games, a drought dating back to Shiv Kapur’s triumph in 2002. While Aditi Ashok won India’s first women’s individual golf medal at the previous Asian Games, it was Urs who became the first Indian woman to stand on top of the podium.
Reflecting on her achievement and her drive to reach the top, Urs said: “That’s always the goal - to always be the first one to do anything. The first will always be the first, and I’ve always had that motto growing up and I’m just glad I could do it. So yeah, like I said, IGPL was good, but this gold beats it.”
With this win, Urs turns her attention to the Ladies European Tour, where she is currently chasing her maiden title, and the upcoming Hero Women’s Indian Open later this month.