Atwal confident of making impact

NEW JERSEY, August 9: Arjun Atwal, set to become the first Indian to tee off at the USPGA Championship this week, is confident of making a big impact at the season's last major, only the second of his career.
The former Asian number one will join the game's elite at the Lower Course at the Balsturol Golf Club on Thursday.
"It'll be fun to play this week.I got a spot through a money list that started from last year's PGA Championship till last week, so I'm hoping to make full use of this opportunity," the Indian star, who now plies his trade on the US PGA Tour, said.
"It definitely feels good to be here. A Major is a Major, it's a much bigger field and I'm looking forward to it. This is where you test your game."
The golfer is confident about his prospects at the championship.
"I've played okay this year. I've done enough to get my card (he has won over US$800,000 this season) and it sure feels good to get my full card back for next season. However, I thought I would get in a lot more events this year but I think I've just got a handful more to go," he said.
Last season's Asian Tour number one, Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand will join Atwal at Balstural this week along with several other Asian old hands. From the days when they were battling for honours across Asia's finest fairways, Atwal was delighted to catch up with Thongchai at a Major.
"It's great to see Thongchai here and we've planned a practice round together for Tuesday afternoon. There'll be a lot of catching up," said Atwal.
Atwal, winner of the Order of Merit in Asia in 2003, is paired with Jonathan Kaye and Craig Thomas for the first two rounds and the trio will be the first group out on Thursday morning.
Atwal missed the cut at the Open Championship last year. Other Indians to have played the Majors are Jyoti Randhawa (three times at the Open Championships), Gaurav Ghei once at the same event and Jeev Milkha Singh, who played all four rounds at the 2002 US Open.
Last season, in his rookie year in America, Atwal lost his full playing privileges by finishing outside the top-125 on the money list. But this year, the Indian star found his footing and made the cut in each of his 12 starts.
He came to within a whisker of becoming the first Indian to win a title on US PGA Tour, when he lost in a five-man play-off at the BellSouth Classic. Atwal was also tied fifth at Zurich Classic of New Orleans and tied ninth at the B C Open recently.
Thongchai, currently ranked 81st in the world, will compete in the year's final Major with his confidence soaring after becoming the first Thai to play in all four rounds of the Open Championship at St Andrews last month, finishing tied for 52nd.
He will play the opening two rounds with Charles Howell III and Bob Ford and will be looking to make amends for missing the cut last year.
The Asian stalwarts will have to contend with the likes of Tiger Woods, who has won two of the three Majors this year, and defending champion Vijay Singh of Fiji, whom Atwal often plays practice rounds with on the PGA Tour.