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Jeev keen to set the record straight

— Photo: AFP

FOCUSED: Jeev Milkha Singh, who has had a fruitful season, is determined to win his first big title at home.

NEW DELHI: Jeev Milkha Singh is yet to win a major dollar-event in India. Still, the genial 37-year-old golfer from Chandigarh begins as the favourite every time he tees off in the Indian Open.

Though Jeev has repeatedly wilted under the pressure of expectations at the punishing Delhi Golf Club course, there is no dearth of optimists following his fortunes all the way.

With renewed hope, Jeev is back for the first-ever million-dollar Hero Honda Indian Open that tees off on Thursday. Though his down-to-earth demeanour, unmistakable sincerity and never-say-die spirit have all contributed to Jeev becoming the best known golfing ambassador of the country, a big title before his home fans is still missing in his resume.

Out on the course, Jeev has to overcome the demons of self-doubt that have kept him out of a top-10 finish in all his appearances at the Open. On the other hand, he will have to contend with, among others, three-time winner Jyoti Randhawa who is eyeing a hat-trick of Open titles.

Ranked 58th in the world, Jeev is currently the most performing golfer from India. Winner of two titles each on the European Tour and the Japanese Tour this season, Jeev is keen to continue the form that saw him finish a highly creditable 24th in the most trying conditions at the recent Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.

This season’s form surely favours Jeev to finish ahead of a struggling Randhawa, ranked 115 in the world. With Arjun Atwal trying to claim his card for the PGA Tour and Shiv Kapur working hard to retain his European Tour card, Jeev and Randhawa will be leading home favourites.

Home-grown talents like S.S.P. Chowrasia, winner of the $2.5 millon Emmar Masters — the first ever European Tour event held in the country in February this year — Ashok Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Rahul Ganapathy will also be around to strengthen the Indian challenge.

Among the overseas challengers, Swede Daniel Chopra makes a return to the Open after 2001 on a course where he grew up playing.

Asian Tour leader New Zealand’s Mark Brown, winner of this year’s SAIL Open and Johnnie Walker Classic in successive weeks in Greater Noida and Gurgaon, respectively, will be looking to improve upon his tied-fifth finish of the last edition.

Interestingly, though previous winners like Randhawa, Thaworn Wiratchant (Thailand), Mardan Mamat (Singapore), Mike Cunning (USA), Vijay Kumar, Feroze Ali and Ali Sher will be around, Jeev will still be the favourite based on the world rankings.

On Tuesday, Jeev acknowledged that this had been a good year so far and added, “still some work needs to be done.”

Currently ranked second in the Asian Tour Order of Merit, Jeev has earned over €1.17 millon this year to be placed 10th on the European Tour Order of Merit.

At present, Jeev looks a certainty to retain his place in the top-10 and qualify for next season’s U.S. and the British Opens. His place in the starting line up for the PGA Championship, where he finished ninth this year, is almost sure. That leaves Jeev with doing some work to ensure his entry in the only remaining Major — the Augusta Masters. Should Jeev regain his place in the top-50 list, he will be seeded for the Masters.

With no dearth of motivation, Jeev has every reason to be inspired to bring off his best result in the Indian Open this week.

“Every time I come here, I try my best. Hopefully I can end that wait (for the title) soon,” said Jeev. On not doing well in his “own backyard”, Jeev smiled and said, “Perhaps, I did not nurture it well. This time, I wish to do it.”

Surely, the law of averages is firmly with Jeev.

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