The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Jeev grows further in stature

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Wednesday, Jun 20, 2007
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Jeev grows further in stature

Staging a European Tour event is great

Jeev has a 40-weeks-a-year playing schedule
Jeev feels putting was quite tough at Oakmont

New Delhi: A golfing nomad, Jeev Milkha Singh has been living out of a suitcase indeed, hitch-hiking his way to Asian, European and PGA Tour events across the globe. Little wonder, the country’s top golfer is excited as Delhi is all set to host a European Tour event early next year.

“I heard the development and can assure you that it’s great news for golf in India,” Jeev said from Munich, where he will play in the BMW International Open.

Though Jeev did not commit his participation in the watershed event, he did not rule it out either.

“I’m not too sure about the timing of the event and it would depend on my schedule. But, if it’s in February, it’s still a long way to go. This would be a significant development for Indian golf,” said an excited Jeev.

Frequent flyer

In case he turns up at the Delhi Golf Club, it would be a welcome break for the globe-trotting Chandigarh golfer, whose Frequent Flyer points keep swelling, thanks to a staggering 40-weeks-a-year playing schedule.

“Playing 40 weeks a year in diverse conditions maybe punishing for others but I enjoy playing golf, and this is what I have opted for. It’s not a worry for me. Actually, this is the way I prepare myself.

“Some golfers practice hard to fine-tune their game. But, I like to play in more and more tournaments and practice in competitions,” he said.

Fresh from his impressive tied 36th finish in the U.S. Open — his best show in a major — Jeev was coy when asked for his reaction on being recommended for the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, the country’s highest sports award.

“It feels great if you are recognised for whatever you are doing. Anyway, I have just been recommended and not won yet. It’s up to people to decide whether I deserve it,” he said, after much cajoling.

“I think my recommendation for the award underlines golf’s rapid growth in the country,” said Jeev, the first-ever golfer to be recommended for the honour.

One of the toughest

About the U.S. Open at the demanding Oakmont Country Club, Jeev said: “Oakmont was clearly one of the toughest courses I have ever played at. The greens were sloping and had lot of undulations. It was very fast and so easy to drop shots. Overall, it was an amazing test of patience,” said Jeev, who totalled 18-over 298, 13 shots behind eventual winner Angel Cabrera of Argentina.

Jeev’s was a remarkable show, considering that the World No. 2 Phil Mickelson and a host of other star players missed the cut as Oakmont bared its fang. The first round leader Nick Dougherty was only stating the obvious when he called the course “barbaric.”

Jeev has grown a reputation of thriving on difficult courses and he grew further in stature at Oakmont.

“Maybe I could have done slightly better. But, I did not go out with any burden of expectations on my shoulders. The idea was to just go through my routine. I finished in the 60s in the last U.S. Open and this time tied 36th. It’s a little improvement and I would take that.”

A hot putter could have pushed him further up the leaderboard but Jeev, who averaged 32.25 putts per round with his best of 31 coming in the final, said he was not too unhappy. “Putting was quite tough at Oakmont. Again, maybe I could have done a little better but overall, I think, I handled the situation pretty well,” Jeev said. — PTI

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