Golf pioneer Jeev Milkha Singh eyes the senior circuit

Jeev Milkha Singh tread an uncharted path round 25 years in the past, nudging an rising band of Indian golf professionals to transcend house consolation and make a mark on numerous worldwide excursions. It helped skilled golf to increase in India.

The four-time winner on the highest European and Japanese circuits was additionally the primary Indian to interrupt into the world’s prime 50 in rating and end within the prime 10 of a Major – tied ninth on the 2008 PGA Championship.

Jeev is now eyeing one other route which he hopes his compatriots would observe.

He is making ready to play on the earth’s prime occasions within the senior circuit – the Majors and European, Japan and PGA excursions. He goals to begin in January 2022, a month after he turns 50 and turns into eligible for the seniors.

Unlike different sports activities, golf provides ample alternatives to stay aggressive and earn respectable prize cash into the 50s and 60s.

“I am planning to stretch my golf career for another seven-eight years. I will turn 50 next December and be eligible to compete in the seniors’ circuit. I have already started preparing. My first target is to become a member of the Japan PGA (professional golfers’ association) because in Japan the senior tour in managed by their PGA and one has to be its (Japan PGA) member to be eligible to play,” says Jeev, at the moment in Japan to present a golf taking part in test to change into a Japan PGA member.

“I won four pro tournaments in Japan, so I will be exempt from their senior tour qualifying tournament, provided I get the membership by clearing the tests. It’s after a very long time, over a couple of decades, that I am giving a golf playing test. I am focused on having playing rights on all top tours in the senior circuit.”

The PGA Tour Champions within the US had scheduled 30 occasions in 2020, with every occasion providing greater than R10 crore in prize cash. Almost half the occasions have been cancelled this season within the aftermath of the pandemic. Senior excursions are additionally run by the European and Asian {golfing} our bodies, providing respectable prizemoney. There are three Majors too – British Senior Open, US Senior Open and Senior PGA Championship. Barring the Majors, different senior occasions are determined over three rounds, one spherical lower than the common tournaments.

“Because of my previous world ranking in top-50, I am eligible to play all three Majors for the first two years of my turning 50. Later, it will depend on my showing in the Majors. I had sufficient wins on the European tour; on that basis I’ll be exempt from qualification there. For the Champions Tour (US senior circuit), I have to qualify. Most likely, I will be travelling to the US in October next year for the qualifiers,” says Jeev. “Playing in the senior tour will be my retirement fund. If I am able to play for eight years in the 50-plus events, I will be fortunate.”

The later a part of Jeev’s professional profession was blighted by harm, particularly a nagging shoulder downside.

The prime senior tournaments are aggressive, that includes many previous champions. “To survive in the senior tour, one has to be fit and sound. Experience can take you to the next level, but if you are not fit and your body is not working, you can’t perform on the senior tour. My entire focus will be on fitness. I have to continue working on my body so that I can play good golf for the next eight-ten years.

“Moreover, I am hoping I am opening more avenues for Indian professional golfers. Golf is a sport of a lifetime and the pros can earn money through the sport for a very long time.”

There is not any professional occasion for seniors in India. For that to alter, extra Indian gamers could must observe in Jeev’s path once more. “With more Indian pros playing in the senior circuit at international tours, there will be opportunities to hold the senior pro circuit here in the future. I am hopeful we will have a Senior India Open in the next few years.”

So, will he bid bye to the final tour? “Many golfers in the world play on both the general and senior tours. Once I turn 50, my main focus will be the senior tour. I will play selectively on the general tour; a lot will depend on my card status in the general section,” says Jeev, who will play in subsequent month’s Chandigarh occasion named after him – Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational 2020 offered by TAKE.