The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Jeev ready to realise his dream

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Saturday, Mar 31, 2007
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Jeev ready to realise his dream

Atlanta: Jeev Milkha Singh is just one week away from realising a childhood dream — of being part of the elite field in The Masters Tournament.

As a kid growing up in Chandigarh, Jeev, along with his golfing buddies, would play-act with his caddie and imagine that he has a putt to win the Masters.

``My caddie would then tell me to just putt and stop dreaming. But now that dream is at hand,'' said Jeev, who this week is playing at Houston Open in the final tune-up to the Masters.

Jeev makes an historic Masters debut where every step and shot that he makes at the fabled Augusta National Golf Club will be followed closely by an entire nation.

``I've always dreamt about playing in the Masters. When I was young, I would joke with my friends on the golf course that I've got a putt to win the Masters. Now, the dream has come true,'' said the 35-year-old Jeev, the first Indian to qualify for the Masters.

``That's my favourite major championship. I'll go out there and enjoy every bit of that. I started playing golf at the age of nine but it wasn't until I was 13 or 14 that I first watched the Masters intently.''

The tenacious Indian, earned his place alongside the world's elite by finishing inside the top-50 of the Official World Golf Ranking last year. After a seven-year winless streak, Jeev enjoyed a bumper season, winning four titles around the world and the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit for the first time.— PTI

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