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Gurugram, October 11: Golf is a great leveller they say. But the sport is also one of the biggest teachers of character; tough lessons are learnt during tough times on the course. Interestingly, Bengaluru-based professional Durga Nittur realised this for the first time caddying for top international golfers. This analogy only got cemented in her head when she began imparting golf lessons back home to talented kids.
The 23-year-old applied all those learnings during the ongoing Hero Women's Indian Open, a Ladies European Tour (LET) and Women's Golf Association of India (WGAI) co-sanctioned event. And that fetched her some good dividends.
Durga carded two-under 70 in the opening round to stay at tied sixth spot, one of the four Indians to be inside
the top-10 apart from the then leader Vani Kapoor, amateur Zara Anand and Hitaashee Bakshi. She was placed tied 18th after the second round, courtesy a three-over 75, to successfully make it to the weekend rounds along with 69 others out of 111 golfers. In the third round, she didn't have a desired result, ending the day at tied 47th place, with 6-over 72. But she has created enough good memories to take back home.
Durga picked up golf at the age of 10 years, playing at the iconic Karnataka Golf Association (KGA) course, with a small nudge from her father Vishnu. She completed her Class X from National Public School and her Class XII from the National Institute of Open Schooling.
She has been training under Andre Bell from the United Kingdom since the last eight years and there has been some fantastic performances for her in the last three years. She ended the 2022 Hero Women's Professional Golf Tour (HWPGT) Order of Merit in 18th position after playing 9 tournaments.
In 2023, she was placed 17th on the Order of Merit with a runner-up finish in the Bengaluru leg that July. Last year she took a break and channelled her energy towards improving her consistency and also completed the 'C' certification for instructors.
"I was not a very good junior. I was just practising but I loved it. I loved the game and I kept pushing and kept practising. It's been a bit slow for sure but it's been a good journey till here. My dad used to play so I picked it up from him. He's my biggest inspiration for everything - the reason I work hard and all of it," Durga told myKhel.
On her performance, Durga said: "I just kept my head steady and didn't get too complacent I didn't let go of anything and when I made some mistakes I took the punishments. We played a tournament (on HWPGT) here two weeks ago and that was good practise. I didn't treat it as any other tournament. I didn't try to win that event I was just trying to practise for this event because this is our National Open. "
"I'm actually teaching golf as well on part-time basis at different places in Bengaluru but yeah I've done my certifications and I'm teaching. I'm doing a bunch of other things. I was caddying last year on the LET for a couple of players but it was fun. I've been just trying to do everything that I can to get better in any way possible.," revealed Durga, who carried the bag for South African golfer Stacy Lee Bregman at the Women's Indian Open last year.
Her target is to get a full card on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in the next couple of years. "Currently I am 10th in the HWPGT Order of Merit after last week. My goal has always been to play on the LET full time. So, I'm gonna go to Q-School get a card and just play in Europe. I really like the travel and the entire experience of it. Hopefully, if this week goes well maybe I don't have to go to Q-School," she signed off.
