The Hindu : Sport / Golf : I won't change my approach, says Jeev

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Sunday, Dec 24, 2006
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I won't change my approach, says Jeev

New Delhi: Winner of four titles on the Asian, European and Japan Tours in a single year, India's ace golfer Jeev Milkha Singh said he would not be result-oriented but approach his goal with more focus and determination on the PGA Tour Majors.

Jeev is eligible to participate in the Majors alongside the likes of Tiger Woods in the coming year following his steep climb to 37th spot in the world golf ranking.

``I will not change my approach. I have been less result-oriented and more routine oriented while starting my campaign this year and will stick to the same approach,'' Jeev said.

Mental game

``It's more of a mental game, technique is important but we need to work hard. You need to be focussed and determined,'' said the Chandigarh ace on the sidelines of his felicitation ceremony organised by the Delhi Golf Club here on Friday night.

Jeev, who rounded off his season with back-to-back wins on the Japan tour, said his triumph in the Volvo Open in China in April was a turning point of his career.

``The victory at the Volvo China Open was the turning point in my career as it gave me a lot of trust and confidence that I could win tournaments at this level.

Special one

The 35-year-old Jeev singled out the win attained in the prestigious Volvo Open Masters at Valderrama, Spain (the traditional end-of-season showpiece of the European Tour) as a special one among the list of honours.

``The victory gained at the Volvo Masters at Spain is what I cherish the most of all the titles I have won this year. Mainly when one considers the quality of the field and the manner in which I went into the last day as the overnight leader and ended up winning,'' he said.

Asked how demanding it was for a golfer to bring results consistently, Jeev, the first Indian golfer to play on the European Tour, said the unfamiliar courses made it a difficult task. ``It's very difficult for golfers to be consistent because the courses are different and so are the climatic conditions, but we need to adapt and play accordingly to it. Some courses we can adapt and some we cannot because of these factors.

Enriching experience

Jeev, who was paired with Tiger Woods for the opening two days in the HSBC Championship in Shanghai, said this stint was an enriching experience.

``Playing alongside Tiger Woods was the experience of my life. Not only is he the best golfer but also a great human being. The most notable thing about his game is how he forgets his bad shots and come backs strongly,'' he said. — PTI

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