New Delhi, Rory McIlroy’s perseverance in completing a career Grand Slam has left a lasting impression on India’s teenage golfer Mannat Brar, who is focused on refining her game and building physical strength as she aims to compete with the world’s best.
Event Context
The 19-year-old from Chandigarh, who clinched her maiden professional title at the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour event in Bengaluru last month after overturning a seven-shot deficit in the final round, says she often looks to the Northern Irishman for inspiration.
“I always idolized Rory McIlroy a lot. And even now, just, I think yesterday or day before, I was just seeing a random interview of his, which was before he won the Masters …
“…it was some interviewer asking him that, you must have wanted to win the Masters at this point. And he said, ‘I’ve not won, but it’s not from a lack of trying. I think these words, it’s really stuck with me because as golfers, we all want to win,” Brar told PTI during an interview.
“I believed I could win this tournament even two or three years ago. It was just a matter of chance that I didn’t,” she said.
Brar, who is working under renowned coach Jassi Garewal at the Roundglass Academy, said the past year has been about making technical improvements while becoming physically stronger.
“I’ve been with him for more than five years and we’ve been really working on my swing. He’s always told me that, I have great feel. I am very artistic. I can play. I can always manage to play good golf. But he wants to get me to play good golf by being technically very sound,” she said.
“And that is what I’m working on the most. Other than the technical aspects, I’ve also been working on my body a lot, spending a lot of time in the gym… I’ve been working a lot on mobility, strength, activation, those sort of things.”
Brar, who credits her Army upbringing for instilling discipline and commitment from a young age, was never that fond of sports initially.
She was pushed into tennis and basketball to stay active and then later she picked up golf and simply fell in love with the game.
The teenager has no plans to rush her progress despite becoming a professional winner at 19.
Player Focus
“Sometimes we try too hard, but we never try too less. And that’s something I see in myself also, that results really don’t matter, but to keep knocking on doors, to keep working hard towards that one goal, it’s something I really admire in Rory.
Brar’s victory in Bengaluru only strengthened the belief she had carried for years.
“I’ve thought about my short term goals quite a bit. At least the next two years, I’m just going to focus on myself. I’m going to focus on bringing my game to a level where I feel I can compete with the best players in the world, because right now I feel there’s some aspects that are lacking.
“I need to be hitting the ball longer. I need more strength to compete with the Europeans and Americans.
“And ultimately, I’d say, I think an Olympic medal is the biggest thing an Indian sportsman can do. I think it’s far greater than LET and LPGA. Making an entire nation proud is it’s something far bigger than yourself,” she said.
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Team Analysis
Reflecting on the impact of Indian Golf Premier League on her career, she said: “The IGPL has been incredible. Playing alongside men for the same prize money is rare in women’s sport and very validating.
“It also allowed me to learn from experienced golfers like Udayan Mane.”
Working on technically sound and physically stronger
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Match Outlook
“I obviously I have performed very well. And when I was an amateur on the national circuit, being an amateur, and I always believed that I can win and might sound cliche to say this, but I always knew that I’m a winner.
“So winning, I think just brought in the trophy. But the belief I had in myself of being a winner was always there.”
While still an amateur, Brar had finished tied 11th at the Indian Open in 2024. In April this year, she finished as the top female competitor in a mixed-field professional event at the IGPL Invitational Congo.
