Simi Mehra of India is not making a return to golf, although she hasn’t played competitively on a Tour for a few years, but she is making a return to the United States.
“I realized I don’t belong in a country where women’s opinions are not considered to be an opinion,” said Mehra, before practicing at Thorny Lea Golf Club. “I put my career on hold because I was playing with Lorena (Ochoa) and she said ‘Simi, it has been 14 years and there hasn’t been another player from India so what is going on?”
Mehra came over to the United States in 1996 after a brilliant amateur career that included 25 wins all over Asia. She qualified for the LPGA through Q-School, made her debut and played on Tour through the 2008 season.
In 2007, she returned to India to try and trigger more interest in golf from the female population. Mehra said she called all the golf courses in India (300 total she estimates) to find out how many girls under the age of 18 that are playing golf.
In 2006, the number was eight. Yes, eight.
“We didn’t even have an amateur pool,” said Mehra, who has two career top 10’s on the LPGA. “There are 1.3 billion people in India, isn’t it shameful that only eight were playing golf? There are thousands of boys playing, it is massive for them.”
Mehra wanted to see change so she started a Tour. In order to drum up interest, she organized a skins game with Heather Daly-Donofrio, Hilary Lunke and Celeste Troche to help start the Tour.
“There was immediate kick back and I even received letters saying that I didn’t have the right to invite international players to India for an event and I just started laughing,” said Mehra. “I just thought ‘OK, stop me’ and this is just the thought process there.”
Mehra eventual got Laura Davies and Helen Alfredsson to come to India to help her in the endeavor.
“I told Laura that this would be huge for women’s golf in India and she was like ‘absolutely, anything for you’,” said Mehra, who is playing in her second Epson Tour event of the season. “I’m fortunate to have those relationships.”
Mehra started Women’s Golf Association of India (WGAI).
“I ran it for five years and then I resigned five years ago,” said Mehra. “A lot of people were surprised when I resigned, but it just didn’t mean anything to me anymore.”
Unfortunately, there are still no Indian born players on the LPGA and none in the W.B. Mason Championship on the Epson Tour.
Mehra is back in the United States with a new goal on her mind; to win the RICOH Women’s British Open. One of the best finishes of her career was a T6 at the 1998 RICOH Women’s British Open.
“I’m here to win the British Open if I put it in a blunt way,” said Mehra, who is now 44 years old. “I want to get my LPGA Tour card (through the Epson Tour), get back out on Tour (LPGA) and go out winning. I think I want the British Open because I’m Indian and they’ve ruled us for 300 years.”
Mehra developed her grit and intense determination from her mom at a young age.
“I fought for everything,” said Mehra. “When I turned professional, my mom said that if I turn pro I have to win everything that I play so I won 25 events as an amateur. I had an excellent amateur career because I had to.”
Mehra played on the Ladies European Tour for a few years after resigned from her post at the WGAI and then took 2014 off when her father passed away. She is back now and feels strongly that she can compete.
“My game is exactly where it needs to be,” said Mehra. “My equipment is a bit of an issue because in India we don’t get anything at all. Ann Cain (Titleist) has been my supporter my entire career and she/Titleist have been phenomenal. I’ve ordered some new equipment and once it comes in, my confidence level will go up because I am still struggling with these irons. I should be good to go soon.”
Mehra is a three-time winner on the Epson Tour and last played on this Tour in 2006. She missed the cut last week at the Gosling’s Dark ‘n Stormy® Classic, her first event of the season.
Mehra admits that she thought she was done with golf, but was convinced by longtime friend and current LPGA Chief Tour Operations Officer Heather Daly-Donofrio to continue.
“I was almost ready to return and Heather gave me the last little nudge,” said Mehra. “I needed that from people that know me. I’ve been super blessed and fotunate. I played golf with Nancy Lopez and Beth Daniel and Annika Sorenstam and Meg Mallon. Pat Bradley gave me a golf lesson. I feel like I played golf during the golden years of the LPGA.”
Now, she’s trying to return to the place she calls “home” - the LPGA.
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