![\"rashid](\"images\/golf\/rashid%20khan.jpg\")
New Delhi: Home stars Anirban Lahiri and Shiv Kapur believe the future of Indian golf is in safe hands with the emergence of highly rated youngsters Rashid Khan and Khalin Joshi.Khan and Joshi put on solid performances at the SAIL-SBI Open Presented by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism which earned praises from Lahiri, who successfully defended his title on Saturday.
The 22-year-old Khan pushed Lahiri to the limit at the Delhi Golf Club but lost in the first extra hole. Despite the defeat, Khan still held his head high with his best result on the Asian Tour which propelled him to fourth place on the Order of Merit with winnings of US$33,000.
\u201cI\u2019m happy with how I played. I\u2019ve learned a lot of things. I\u2019ve played with a lot of top players and I\u2019m learning. That\u2019s what I\u2019m doing and I know what I have to do now,\u201d said Khan.
Joshi, India\u2019s number one amateur last year, roared into a share of the halfway lead last week but his title hopes faded with a final round 76. He showed composure and talent despite his tender age of 21 and is expected to bounce back and contend regularly.
\u201cI\u2019m amazed at the way the young guys are playing. It\u2019s a big stage. My first few years on the Asian Tour, I struggled. The guts and ability that the young guys like Rashid and Khalin are showing, it\u2019s phenomenal,\u201d said Lahiri.
\u201cI wasn\u2019t that good when I was their age. They are five years younger than me and I feel like an old man. It\u2019s fantastic for Indian golf. I think it\u2019s great,\u201d he added.
Kapur, a winner on the Asian Tour, shared the same sentiments as Lahiri. \u201cRashid played exceptional. He\u2019s got an old head on a young shoulder. He showed no signs of pressure and putted beautifully all day. Every time he sets up a putt, he looked like he was going to hole it.\u201d
Khan and Joshi missed the grade at the Asian Tour Qualifying School in Thailand earlier this year but they recovered superbly at the SAIL-SBI Open and are expected to follow in the footsteps of Gaganjeet Bhullar, Lahiri and Himmat Rai, who share a combined total of seven Asian Tour victories.
\u201cLook at Gaganjeet, Himmat and Anirban, who are winning already. We have a huge pool of players with Khalin also contending. Thailand and India are the two power houses of golf in Asia. Rashid is from here and I\u2019ve seen him grow. It\u2019s heartening to see. The sky\u2019s the limit for him,\u201d said Kapur.
The Indian swing of the Asian Tour will continue with the \u20ac1.8 million (approximately US$2.3 million) Avantha Masters, tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), starting Thursday.
Meanwhile, the US$300,000 Panasonic Open India will be staged from April 4 to 7 at the Delhi Golf Club where Khan and Joshi will be hoping to shine again on the region\u2019s premier Tour, which is celebrating its 10th season in 2013.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"