SWOT analysis of the Indian golf team for the Paris Olympics 2024
The Indian golf team is currently gearing up for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Golf will feature two medal events, one for men and one for women, with India participating in both categories.
Representing India will be four golfers - two men and two women. Aditi Ashok, who narrowly missed out on a medal at the Tokyo Olympics with a fourth-place finish, will be making her third Olympic appearance. Joining her will be another promising golfer Diksha Dagar.
In the men's tournament, the experienced duo of Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shubhankar Sharma will compete for India.
Before the games begin, let's analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of the Indian golf team.
SWOT Analysis of the Indian golf team at the Paris Olympics 2024
Strengths:
Experience and Talent: The Indian golf team have a good blend of experience and talent at the Paris Olympics 2024. With a fourth-place finish at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Aditi brings valuable experience. She is a five-time winner on the Ladies European Tour and is currently ranked 62nd in the world.
Shubhankar Sharma, India’s top-ranked male golfer with 177 globally, Shubhankar was Asia’s top player in 2018 and has two European Tour wins.
Gaganjeet Bhullar, an 11-time winner on the Asian Tour, currently ranks 281 in the world. He has significant experience and past success in international competitions, which will come in handy in the quadrennial event.
Young Talent: Despite her young age, Diksha Dagar made history by being the first Indian golfer to compete in 100 Ladies European Tour (LET) tournaments. She has 16 top-10 results in the previous 99 LET tournaments before competing at the Aramco Team Series in New Korea Country Club in May. Dagar won her second paid tournament, the Czech Ladies Open, last year.
Weaknesses:
Lower World Rankings: The Indian golfers, except for Aditi Ashok, are relatively lower in the world rankings compared to many of their competitors. This could impact their seeding in their competition.
Olympic debut for some players: Both Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar will be making their Olympic debuts. Lack of Olympic experience in the Indian golf team can be a disadvantage, especially in handling the pressure of such a high-stakes environment.
Opportunities:
Potential for historic achievement: With Aditi Ashok narrowly missing a medal in Tokyo, there is strong motivation and a clear pathway for potentially securing India's first Olympic medal in golf. Aditi has been excelling in her golf career, reaching a personal best ranking of 39.
Her game has significantly improved with an increase of 9-10 yards in her driving distance over the past few years. The Indian jersey seems to bring out her best performances. She finished 41st at the Rio Olympics before finishing fourth in Tokyo and recently secured a silver medal at the 2023 Asian Games.
Exposure and Development: The Indian golf team performing well on the Olympic stage can significantly boost the visibility of golf in India, encouraging greater participation and investment in the sport at the grassroots level.
Threats:
High Competition: The field in Olympic golf includes the world's top-ranked players. Competing against golfers, who are ranked higher, could be challenging and pose a significant threat to medal prospects for the Indian golf team.
Pressure and Expectations: To secure a double-digit medal haul for India, the pressure on the Indian golf team for the Paris Olympics 2024 to perform could be immense. This added pressure might affect performance, especially for those new to the Olympic stage.