Town of Southampton, June 17 -- The golfing world converges on the iconic Shinnecock Hills this week as the US Open returns to one of the sport's most demanding venues, bringing together the game's elite, ambitious newcomers and a growing contingent of players with Indian roots.

As the third major championship of the season gets underway, much of the spotlight will naturally fall on World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Yet the championship also features five golfers of Indian heritage, Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia, Aaron Rai, PGA Tour rookie Sudarshan Yellamaraju and Qualifier Manav Shah -- highlighting the increasing presence of the Indian diaspora on golf's biggest stages.

Amid this galaxy of stars, the Indian-origin c...