Meet Pranavi Sharath Urs, India's first women's golf gold medalist at Asian Games; Kapil Dev sends special message

In a landmark moment for Indian sport, Pranavi Urs etched her name into the history books by securing India’s first-ever women’s individual gold medal in golf at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan. The 23-year-old delivered a composed and resilient performance to finish at 15-under-par 265, claiming the title by a single stroke over China’s Yin Ruoning and Singapore’s Shannon Tan. 

Urs entered the final round at the Kasugai Country Club’s East Course as the overnight leader, holding a three-shot advantage after posting an impressive 15-under 195 through 54 holes. What followed was a true test of character as an early triple-bogey on the third hole wiped out her lead and threatened to derail her challenge. Many players might have crumbled under the pressure, but Urs responded with remarkable composure, and everyone is now talking about her stunning achievement. 

Meet Pranavi Sharath Urs, India's first women's golf gold medalist at Asian Games

The Mysuru-born golfer carded birdies on the sixth, tenth and thirteenth holes, recovered steadily, and closed with an even-par 70 to seal the gold. Her final aggregate of 15-under 265 proved just enough. Yin Ruoning, the world number six, and Shannon Tan both finished one shot behind on 14-under 266. The victory marked not only India’s first women’s individual golf gold at the Asian Games but also the country’s first golf gold in any category since Shiv Kapur’s men’s triumph in 2002, ending a 24-year wait. 

Born and raised in Mysuru, Karnataka, on April 15, 2003, Pranavi Urs has steadily risen through the ranks of professional golf. The victory has been widely celebrated across India as it has given hope and motivated young golfers. Pranavi Urs’s historic victory at the 2026 Asian Games will be remembered as a defining moment, one that combined technical skill, mental toughness, and national pride. 

Pranavi has been playing golf since a very young age. At the age of eight, she started developing her game at the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar Golf Club. The gold medalist had all support of her parents which helped her progress through junior and amateur competitions and finally become one of the promising golfers of the country. 

Apart from the historic gold medal at the Asian Games 2026, she won the second and third legs of the 2020 Hero Women's Pro Golf Tour. She also came third in the Andalucia Costa Del Sol Open de Espana on the Ladies European Tour (LET) in 2024. Following this, she equalled her earlier best performance on the LET at the Helsingborg Open. 

Pranavi Urs’s father speaks after the historic gold medal triumph

Pranavi has been inspired by her father, Sharathchandra Raj Urs. After the victory, he stated that he was proud of his daughter’s historic achievement. Sharathchandra Raj expressed joy over the victory and said, as per a report in the Deccan Herald: