Undeterred by strong winds and intermittent rains on December 1 last year, Bangalore-based Anmol Arora (15) used a powerful swing to notch up an impressive score of 74 (2 over) to be crowned overall champion of the 5th Inter-School Golf Tournament organised by the city’s Top 10 ranked Canadian International School, at the Prestige Golfshire 18-hole course sited in the salubrious Nandi Hills. Eleven days later, this talented teen also bagged the Nick Faldo Golf series Bangalore event in the net category with his best ever score of 64 (3 under par). Thus far in the seven years since he swung his first club, this budding golfer has won over 60 trophies and medals. The only child of Kavish, a banker, and Mukta Arora, a pharmaceutical executive, this class X student of Frank Anthony Public School, Bangalore, attributes his recent success to home and school support. “Without the encouragement and unconditional support of my school and parents, my coach Bamby Randhawa and the Indian Golf Union, I would never have got this far,” he acknowledges. Anmol’s interest in this gentleman’s game was kindled at age eight when he watched his grandfather Maj. Gen (Retd.) Surinder Nath — an outstanding Army golfer — in action during a family holiday in Mysore, and won his maiden title — the Ultimate Junior Golf Tour — in 2011 at the Golden Greens Golf Club, Gurgaon. At age ten, Anmol represented India in the US Kids World championship at US Pinehurst, North Carolina, where he received excellent notices. More recently in the European Championship staged in Scotland last May, he represented India in the Under-15 category and was ranked an impressive #8. For the 2017-18 season Anmol was ranked among the Top 5 in the under-15 category by the Indian Golf Union (IGU). Currently in the middle of his class X board exams, Anmol is looking forward to competing and winning the IGU National circuit starting in April 2018 and this year’s Malaysian Championships. “Although I am passionate about golf, I firmly believe in a sound education. I will look for a higher education institution in Bangalore which can support my dream,” says this high-potential golfing champ. Way to go, bro! Paromita Sengupta (Bangalore)
