Irish golf star Rory McIlroy heaped praise on young Indian golfer Pranavi Urs on 14 October, calling her gold-medal victory at the Asian Games an 'amazing achievement' and applauding the 'resilience and character' she showed in recovering from a triple bogey to become the first Indian woman to win an Asian Games gold medal in golf.

McIlroy's Praise at the DP World India Championship

The 37-year-old world number one met Pranavi on the sidelines of the DP World India Championship in New Delhi, where she walked a few holes with him before heading off to prepare for the Women's Indian Open the following week at DLF.

'It's an amazing achievement winning the Asian Games, showing the resilience and character she showed to go on after having that early triple (bogey). And it was a delight to meet her. She is a wonderful young woman. She said she was nervous, but it didn't seem like she was,' McIlroy said after their meeting.

He added: 'I think her partner is playing this week as well in this tournament, an amazing accomplishment, and I'm glad I had the chance to meet her.'

How Pranavi Urs Won — and Nearly Lost — the Gold

Pranavi had entered the final round of the Asian Games women's individual golf event with a three-shot overnight lead, only to see it evaporate after a triple bogey on the third hole. Rather than crumbling, she steadied herself and held on to clinch the title — a comeback that drew admiration from one of the sport's all-time greats.

Pranavi herself revealed the mental anchor she used in that critical moment. 'I remembered what Rory did the first time he won the Masters. He started with a triple, I think, a double or a triple. And I was like, if he can go and win the Masters, so can you win the Asian Games. So I think that kind of got me back into my lane,' she was quoted as saying by Olympics.com.

McIlroy won his first Masters title in 2025, famously recovering from an early setback during that final round — a narrative Pranavi drew on directly during her own hour of pressure.

Historic Significance for Indian Golf

Pranavi's triumph ended India's 24-year wait for an Asian Games golf gold. The previous title had come through Shiv Kapur in the men's individual event at Busan 2002. Before Pranavi's win, the closest the country had come in the women's individual event was Aditi Ashok's silver medal at Hangzhou 2023 — Pranavi herself had finished fourth at those Games.

Notably, it was India's fourth gold in golf at the Asian Games overall. The first titles arrived at the New Delhi 1982 Games through Lakshman Singh, who also combined with Rishi Narain, Amit Luthra, and Rajeev Mohta to secure the men's team crown.

What's Next for Pranavi

With the Asian Games gold secured, Pranavi's immediate focus shifts to the Women's Indian Open at DLF, where she is set to compete next week. Her meeting with McIlroy — and the story behind her gold — has already brought fresh attention to women's golf in India at a time when the sport is growing its grassroots presence across the country.