New Delhi: Viraj Madappa shudders while remembering the shooting pain that traveled from his lower spine all the way to his left leg, rendering it virtually immobile. Having followed his fascination of hitting big “like Bryson DeChambeau,” Madappa was paying the price for going extra heavy in the gym. So much so that executing a simple swing, something that’s a second nature to golfers, was becoming increasingly tough.
That was 2023, and Madappa, playing through occasional pain and odd niggles since 2021, knew it was time to pull the plug. Diagnosis revealed a couple of bulges in his L5-S1 disc, meaning his lower back was crumbling. Madappa feels the genesis of his condition goes back to the 2019-20 season, when he decided to put his body under the wringer to gain yardage.
“I was excited at the thought of gaining 25-30 yards by lifting heavy. I was impressed by how far Bryson was hitting the ball, so I wanted to push my body to its limit. That journey started in 2019 and eventually the cumulative load proved too much,” said Madappa, who will turn out for Kolkata Classics at the upcoming 72 The League.
The PGTI-sanctioned league officially launched on Saturday and will feature six city-based franchises, each comprising 10 players. All the matches will be played in round-robin matchplay format with the first match scheduled on Tuesday at the ITC Classic Golf and Country Club in Gurugram. It’s the same venue where Madappa ended his 18-month injury layoff last April by winning the PGTI Players Championship—his first competition on return.
“The disc bulges were impinging into the nerve and coming down to the foot. The lower back got tight and I couldn’t get any mobility to turn. Every time I made a swing, I knew I was not operating at my 100 percent,” he said. “But now, after a prolonged rest and rehab, the body is holding up well and I want to get back to winning.”
Returning to play after an injury like this is never easy. For all his muscle memory, Madappa had second thoughts each time he swung hard or chipped from the rough. “Basically any motion that would potentially put pressure on the lower back was a bit of a concern. You tend to hold back initially, but gradually, it starts to come together,” he said.
Results followed soon after. Madappa made the cut in eight of the nine appearances last year, six of them being top-10 finishes. His average driving distance has come down from 320 yards to 300 yards, and his heavy-duty exercises—he used to front squat 150 kgs and deadlift 180 kgs—have become “smarter.”
“It’s a bargain I am happy to make for the sake of longevity. Whenever I hit 300 yards, I know I still have a gear in me which I can use if the situation really demands,” he said.
The time away from golf wasn’t easy. He enjoyed his first few months away from golf, immersing himself in his other passions — stock trading and music. But as the season wore on, the sense of frustration crept in. “There’s nothing you can do. You just have to let it pass,” the 27-year-old said. “I kept believing my game would be intact when I returned, and thankfully, it didn’t take long for me to find my rhythm.”
Along with Manu Gandas, Shubhankar Sharma, Yuvraj Sandhu, and Honey Baisoya, Madappa was looked at as someone who could carry forward the legacy of SSP Chawrasia, Jeev Milkha Singh, Jyoti Randhawa, and Arjun Atwal. However, barring Shubhankar, no one has been able to make a mark internationally. Madappa feels the lack of Asian Tour events set the Indian pros back in terms of getting players up to speed with international standards.
“That, and getting used to weather conditions in Europe is a challenge, but I believe we have the talent to shine on the global stage. It’s just a matter of things clicking for us. Also, the likes of Shaurya and Kartik are coming up fast to challenge us. These guys don’t care about reputations and are fearless in their approach. The competition on the PGTI is tougher than ever,” he said.
