On home course, Jeev to gun for victory

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 16 

As Jeev Milkha Singh gears up to tee-off at his home course — the Chandigarh Golf Club — next month, the veteran golfer says winning still remains a priority for him and he will chase victory from Day 1.  

Jeev will be a part of a strong field, which includes the likes of SSP Chawrasia, Shiv Kapur, Jyoti Randhawa, Bangladesh’s Mohammad Siddikur Rahman , Viraj Madappa, Khalin Joshi, S Chikkarangappa and Chiragh Kumar, at the Chandigarh leg of the domestic PGTI Tour. The event has been rechristened as the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational Presented by Take Solutions to honour the country’s most celebrated golfer.

The tournament will be played from November 1 to 4 and will offer an enhanced prize purse of Rs 1.5 crore — an increase of Rs 50 lakh from last year’s prize when Shubhankar Sharma won.

“It’s a great honour to play on the home course. For me, winning always matters and this is what I would be looking for from Day 1,” Jeev said here 

on Tuesday.

Asked if there would be pressure on him playing at his home course, Jeev said: “Being a professional does not mean there would be no pressure, but I am confident of the conditions here.”

He added: “As the host, the pressure on me is going to be that players are well taken care of.”

The 47-year-old, meanwhile, said the tournament was important keeping in view the change in IGU rules from January 1, 2019.

“There are at least 20 rules which will change from next year. We will be conducting a junior clinic before the start of the championship and it will be a treat to watch professionals playing here at the Chandigarh Golf Club,” he said.

Jeev also mentioned that the organisers were planning to introduce live streaming of scores after every three holes during the championship.

The championship will also feature three amateurs. “I believe that this championship is going to change the approach of local players here. This would be one of the biggest tournaments here under perfect playing conditions,” he pointed.

‘Tiger Woods bigger than the sport’ 

Tiger Woods is the only athlete in the world who is bigger than the sport he plays, said Jeev as he praised the American golfer for winning his 80th PGA Tour title last month. “For me, Tiger is the only athlete in the world who is bigger than the sport… there have been legends in basketball, in athletics, but I think what Tiger has done for golf, he is bigger than the sport. The awareness he has brought for golf, I think nobody could have done that,” said Jeev. The 47-year-old, who was once described by Tiger as a “great guy and good friend”, also felt that the iconic golfer had still got three-four years of golf left in him. “He will make a strong comeback and he has got another three-four years to win a few tournaments.”