Hero Women's Indian Open 2025: Contrasting Preparations, Common Purpose as Contenders and Indians Eye Glory at DLF

Gurugram, Oct 8: In the serene yet rain-soaked surroundings of the DLF Golf & Country Club, the final calm before the competitive storm revealed two strikingly different rhythms of preparation.

On one end, Mimi Rhodes, the English sensation leading the Ladies European Tour (LET) Order of Merit, chose to skip the traditional Pro-Am to soak in the sights, sounds, and spirit of India - her first visit to the country.

On the other, Singapore's Shannon Tan, her closest rival in the season-long race, was fully dialed in, using the Pro-Am to study the softened fairways and slower greens that have replaced last year's dry and fiery conditions.

For Rhodes, the week is as much about adaptation as ambition. Having already won three times in her rookie season,

the 23-year-old is leading the Order of Merit but knows the margins at the top are razor-thin.

"I have a lot of excitement especially playing in a new country," she said. "But I still have to make the same preparation and make sure that I'm focused and getting in my practice and also spending time in Delhi adventuring around. I need to make sure I'm staying in the right mindset and practicing and getting ready for the tournament. "

Her rival Tan, who came agonizingly close to victory here last year, losing by a single shot, sees this week as unfinished business. "I've been looking forward to this event after playing it last year," she said. "I lost by one and came in second, so ever since that I've wanted to come back. "

The Singaporean Olympian spent much of the Pro-Am recalibrating her approach to the course. "They've had rain so the greens are softer and not as fast as last year, but they have grown the rough out. It's different, but still challenging. With the rough how it is, you've got to be on the fairways, and with the greens being softer you can go at the pins a bit more, but you still have to be cautious with your misses. "

Meanwhile, the Indian players, many of whom have grown up competing on this course, are banking on familiarity and feel to bridge the gap against the tour's elite. Diksha Dagar, who finished third in the 2023 edition, has been fine-tuning her rhythm after taking a brief break mid-season.

Tvesa Malik, playing virtually in her backyard, has been juggling practice with showing her international peers around Delhi. "It is fun to share the culture of India with my friends," she smiled. "They show their cities when we play abroad, and the LET is a happy family visiting India this week. "

Adding a unique twist to the pre-tournament buzz, the Pro-Am drew star names from outside golf as well. Aaron Rai, the World Top-30 English golfer, joined his wife Gaurika Bishnoi, a three-time top-10 finisher at the HWIO, alongside Dr. Pawan Munjal, Pankaj Dinodia, and Kapil Dev, who teed up with Ridhima Dilawari. Despite heavy rain on Tuesday evening, DLF's world-class maintenance team ensured a seamless start at dawn - a testament to the venue's reliability even in the most testing conditions.

As the 2025 Hero Women's Indian Open tees off, the narratives intertwine: Rhodes chasing history, Tan seeking redemption, and the Indian stars hoping to script a homecoming triumph. The routes may differ - one through curiosity, another through calculation, and yet another through comfort - but the destination remains the same: lifting India's most prestigious women's golf trophy.