New Delhi, Feb. 23 -- It's the third day of the $2 million International Series (IS) India golf tournament and a 15-year-old amateur is on the verge of making the "cut", to earn a space amongst the top half of the field that will play the final 36 holes. "Lamb among wolves," whispers his coach, Deepinder Singh Kullar, and adds, ".but he's holding his own," as Kartik Singh launches another impeccable drive straight down the middle of the fairway. The crowd erupts in applause. Kartik goes on to make the grade-an astonishing achievement for a lad who's technically still a junior.

The DLF Golf & Country Club is Kartik's home course, and he's got plenty of support in the gallery from his peer group. There are more children and teenagers follo...