The DP World India Championship has given the world’s best a test they’re not used to seeing.
With 350-yard drives becoming more common, and courses that sometimes allow players to overpower them, this weekend requires an entirely different approach.
Delhi Golf Club is a departure from anything on the PGA Tour. Tiger Woods once called it the narrowest course he’d ever played, and looking at it now, he wasn’t wrong. The layout winds through the New Delhi jungle, putting a premium on precision over power.
The way the course is set up means Rory McIlroy hasn’t been using his driver. In fact, he left it out of his bag for his opening round. Michael Kim did the same, something he hadn’t done since he was a kid.
Michael Kim didn’t hit driver once in his opening round at the DP World India Championship
Kim’s late arrival in India was down to visa issues, which meant he couldn’t fit in a practice round before the tournament. Even so, he carded a four-under 68 and shared his thoughts afterwards.
Speaking about his first round, Kim mentioned that he didn’t use his driver at all. The last time that happened, he recalled, was when he was around 12 years old.
Despite not having any preparation time, Kim opened with back-to-back birdies. Given the blind tee shots and well-placed bunkers scattered across the course, it was an impressive start.
He admitted after his round that he wasn’t always sure what lay beyond some of the trees he was hitting over but put a lot of trust in his caddie to guide him through it.
Kim isn’t known for being one of the longest hitters on tour, but Delhi Golf Club plays into his strengths. With one good round behind him already, he’s got himself off to a good start as he looks to chase down a second win on Tour.
Rory McIlroy played the DP World India Championship without a driver in his bag
Unlike Kim, McIlroy did have a practice round before the tournament and quickly decided he wouldn’t need his driver at all. He left it out of his bag entirely for the first round.
His well-known dog head cover was nowhere to be seen, giving him a different look on the course. After posting a three-under 69, McIlroy shared how he’s approaching the layout.
He said: “Dog was out of the bag, probably asleep in the locker. I was sort of thinking about it last night before I went to bed. Well, sometimes if you’re really conservative off a par-5 today, you might have like a 5-wood into the green, but I’m never going to hit driver.
“So I just thought I’ve got 2-iron, 3-iron, 4-iron all the way through, and then I’ve got a 5-wood just in case I need to hit it for an approach shot on a par-5. But I just don’t see any hole out there that I hit to hit it more than say 260, 270 off the tee.”
READ MORE: Rory McIlroy reacts to changes in Delhi Golf Club during DP World India Championship
This weekend takes away one of McIlroy’s strengths and has forced him to lean on his long irons instead. Given that he’s one of golf’s top driving iron players though it shouldn’t pose too much trouble for him.
Even so, there’s something fascinating about watching these players adapt without their usual tools at hand.
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