Kapil Dev launched the President Cup, targeting 200 golfers at Jaypee Greens. The former Test captain told reporters he wanted to give Indian golf a shot in the sun.
But the real thrill came when Dev sat on the clubhouse green, watching the last group tee off under the fading July sun. He said, “I feel very happy. If we can do something for golf.” The tone was candid, almost confessional.
And it’s not just a trophy; it’s a statement. Dev, who once joked that a 10‑day stint couldn’t make him a coach, now sees his role as a “worker” building infrastructure: “If they don’t invite me, I have to do something.” He added that golf’s precision could sharpen a cricketer’s focus.
The stakes are high. With cricket’s calendar crammed to 250 days a year, Dev sees golf as a way to give young talent a break and a platform. “We need to give golfers better courses to practice,” he said, noting that top 40 pros still have to pay to play.
Next up, the 2027 Indian Open will test whether the President Cup’s influx of players will translate into world‑class talent. Dev hopes the tournament will spark a new generation of Indian golfers, just as cricket’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar did after an IPL stint.