Atwal, Randhawa inspired me

Jeev Milkha Singh also says that playing on the US PGA Tour against some of the best players will be tough

Fresh from recent successes, ace Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh has confessed that when he was struggling with form, his compatriots Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa’s fine form inspired him to overcome the slump. Jeev, who won four titles in the just-ended season to shoot into a career-high 37th rank in the world, also conceded that he was “disappointed” with his performance since winning his maiden crown in 1999.

“In all these six years I was disappointed with my game but got a lot of support from all the people around me,” Jeev said in an interview. “Arjun and Jyoti had their fair share of success in the last couple of years. Their performances not only inspired me but a lot of other golfers in the country as well,” he added. Interestingly, while Jeev has overcome poor form, Atwal’s form has slumped. The first Indian to play on the US PGA Tour, Atwal’s ranking has nose-dived below 250.

The 34-year-old put up an inspiring performance in 2006 and is the first Indian to play in the prestigious Augusta Masters. Indian’s latest golfing sensation also earned the ticket to the British Open, the US Open and the PGA Championship, which means that he will rub shoulders with the likes of world No.1 Tiger Woods, Jim Furyk and Phil Mickelson. “Playing against some of the top golfers will always be tough. But I have seen Woods playing and have learnt a lot from him. He is mentally very strong and can raise his game at any time,” he said.

Recalling his dark days, Jeev, son of legendary athlete Milkha Singh, said: “It was an uphill battle for me, and I am fortunate enough to be back in the winning circle.”

In spite of hitting the low, the Chandigarh-based golfer never thought of hanging his club even though he was frustrated. That phase has passed. With nothing to lose at the world’s biggest competitions next year, Jeev said he would give it his best shot. “I will go out to give my best and focus on all the Majors, but the main will be the Augusta Masters. It is my favourite tournament and to qualify for it is a dream come true,” he said.

Jeev’s dream began when he clinched the Volvo China Open in April. The win ended his six-year title drought since winning the Lexus International in 1999. “It was a cherished win after a long time. I have spent six long years struggling on the fairway and, thankfully, I have made a comeback,” he said, looking relieved. “You always want to win after so many years and when it comes in your way it is always a special one. The win has given me a lot of confidence to go ahead and win other tournaments in the coming days,” Jeev said. This triumph reminded Jeev of his first title win. “I still remember winning my first title, the Lexus International. It was also a great moment.”

Jeev’s second title of the year was the Volvo Masters in Valderrama in Spain in October. He made history with this triumph, as he became the first Asian to win on the European Tour. “The win at the Volvo Masters is a dream come true as I have struggled for so many years. I am routine-oriented and not result-oriented. And I am fortunate that it has helped me to fetch good results,” he said.

The next week he won the Nippon Series JT Cup in Tokyo on the Japan Tour in November to make a memorable back-to-back triumph. Continuing his purple patch, Jeev then clinched the Casio World Open in Kochi, Japan, the same month to complete the dream run.

A pragmatic Jeev said that the year 2006 may have been fabulous for him, but there is no guarantee that the next year would be as good for him. “The game of golf is very unpredictable. There are lot of ups and downs in the game, but one has to fight back and never give up,” he said.