Kashika Misra (Image: IANS)
NEW DELHI: For 2 days at the Qutab Golf Course at the IGPL’s Delhi leg from Sept 30 – Oct 2 Kashika Misra looked every bit like a golf enthusiast prepared to take the next action.The 19-year-old Indian amateur had actually currently made her existence felt in the mixed-field IGPL Invitational in Delhi with a strong opening round of 66.
It was her second-round 64 that actually turned heads.
Six-under for the day took Misra to 10-under after 36 holes and, more notably, put her at the top of a leaderboard loaded with skilled experts.For a gamer still developing her profession, it was a considerable declaration.Misra ultimately ended up connected 20th after a six-over 76 in the last round, however she stayed the leading female golf player in the competition.
More than the last position, nevertheless, it was the way in which she contended versus a field of skilled experts that stood apart.“Just remaining in Delhi and getting to play Qutab out of this competition has actually assisted me a lot. I understood the greens quite well. Playing at home absolutely feels excellent,” Misra stated after her three-day project.“I simply kept my head down and dealt with my procedure, which exercised fantastic for me for the very first couple of days, specifically,” she stated.
That method was checked when the competition leaderboard started to bring her name above a number of recognized specialists. The IGPL’s combined format, where males and females complete in the exact same field while females likewise have a specific competitors, used Misra a various type of obstacle.“I believe this is certainly an extremely various and unique format. We get to find out a lot from it. Specifically, I discovered a lot the previous couple of days,” she stated.The experience was especially important since Misra was not simply comprising the numbers. After 2 rounds, she was within touching range of a piece of history. Her 66-64 aggregate of 10-under put her one shot ahead of Arjun Prasad and within one round of possibly ending up being just the 2nd Indian lady to win an expert mixed-field occasion. Pranavi Urs stays the only Indian lady to have actually accomplished that task, at the IGPL Invitational in Mumbai in 2015.Misra’s final-round problem rejected her that chance, however the larger image stayed motivating.“I seemed like if I keep my head down and work more difficult, I am absolutely up there,” she stated.That self-confidence is barely unexpected offered the trajectory of her amateur profession.Misra, who represents Odisha however is based in Delhi, increased quickly through the amateur ranks after using up golf at the age of 12. She protected a World Amateur Golf Ranking in 2023 and went on to develop herself amongst India’s leading females beginners.
In 2025, she ended up being the very first golf player from Odisha to reach the No. 1 position in the Indian females’s amateur rankings after ending up runner-up at the IGU West Bengal Ladies and Junior Girls Golf Championship.Her increase has actually likewise been marked by worldwide representation. Misra has actually used India colours at significant amateur occasions, consisting of the Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific Championship, while her junior profession included looks in competitors in Thailand, Singapore and the United States.
She was likewise the very first lady from Odisha to win an IGU nationwide golf competition when she thrived at the Northern India Ladies and Junior Girls Championship at Jaypee Greens, completing 11-under-par and winning the open amateur classification too.The Delhi connection, on the other hand, stays a fundamental part of her story. Misra has actually trained and completed thoroughly in the capital and has actually been related to Delhi Golf Club, where she has actually gathered junior and amateur titles.
Her convenience in familiar environments appeared once again at Qutab.Maybe the most telling element of her IGPL week was her mindset towards the specialists around her.“I didn’t actually consider it much,” Misra stated when inquired about the quality of the competitors. “But absolutely having the ability to have fun with such fantastic gamers assists you press yourself to your finest. Which simply was the primary go for the last 3 days.”It is a state of mind that has actually served her well as she has actually moved from junior golf into a more requiring phase of her profession. Instead of being overawed by names or track records, Misra appears intent on determining herself versus the very best and gaining from the experience.The weather condition, too, played its part in making the Delhi leg a satisfying one. While the last day brought some heat, Misra felt the conditions over the competition were mainly favorable to great golf.“Today was a bit hot in the front 9. The last 3 days were great, enjoyable weather condition. I believe it was windy. It was good,” she stated. “Definitely enjoyed the crowd today. It was absolutely an excellent 3 days to play golf.”For Misra, however, Qutab was not the location. It was another marker in a quickly establishing journey.
The schedule ahead is currently requiring. She is intending to play Hero the Indian Women’s Open later on this month at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram from Oct 22-25, followed by 2 more WGAI occasions, before possibly heading to Q-School.“So let’s see how it goes from here,” she stated.That determined reaction maybe summarizes Misra’s technique best. There is no rush to make grand statements, even after leading an expert combined field. The focus stays on the next competition, the next round and the next enhancement.The final-round 76 might have removed the opportunity of a historical success, however it did little to reduce the significance of the week. For a golf enthusiast who has actually currently increased to the top of the Indian amateur rankings and represented the nation worldwide, the Delhi IGPL leg provided another peek of what might lie ahead.And for Indian ladies’s golf, that might be the most motivating takeaway of all.