There is no nervous excitement. He is Indian golf’s GenNext, and Himmat Singh Rai knows awe is not the right emotion to have when your aim is to match steps with the world’s best.

Looking ahead to the golf carnival this month, Rai says the big gain will be a chance to see just how world-class players conduct themselves on the course. The 20-year-old only played partially on the pro tour last season, and so has made the cut only for the Asian Tour event — SAIL Open — out of the three biggies this month.

But he says he’s going to be right where the action is.

“I’m going to be at the course. It’s obviously great that people we see on television are going to be right here to be watched and emulated. But I wouldn’t say I’m in awe of anyone,” he says.

“But what it does is give us an added reason to be consistent on the domestic tour, so overall the standards will go up for us. There is an extra carrot to give your best in every event.”

Rai, who tweaked his back, had to skip the last PGTI event of the year, got back after that break to an 11th-place finish at the first tournament this calendar year.

With two top-ten places already this season, his perch of seventh on the order of merit has landed him an Asian Tour country spot. And after an already delayed start to the Asian Tour this season, Rai can’t wait to get started now.

“I’m really excited about the coming year,” he says. “I’m enjoying hitting it with the pros, and this year will give me an idea of how I rate up to the competition there,” he says.