India`s most successful golfer, Jeev Milkha Singh has signed up for his maiden appearance at the Panasonic Open India next week with the aim of finally winning his first Asian Tour title on home soil.
|Last Updated: Mar 28, 2013, 03:27 PM IST|Source: Bureau
New Delhi: India`s most successful golfer, Jeev Milkha Singh has signed up for his maiden appearance at the Panasonic Open India next week with the aim of finally winning his first Asian Tour title on home soil.
Singh, a two-time Asian Tour number one, confirmed his participation in the third edition of the USD 300,000 tournament at the Delhi Golf Club, a course where he has never won previously.
Long regarded as the flag bearer for the Indian golf, Singh has won six times on the Asian Tour and multiple times on the Japan and European Tours, including last year`s Scottish Open. His two Order of Merit triumphs came in 2006 and 2008 on the Asian Tour, which is celebrating its milestone 10th season in 2013.
"I`ve played in the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open in Japan previously and I`ve done well there, so I`m looking forward to my first time in India," said Singh.
"I`m going to play at the Delhi Golf Club after such a long time. I think I last played there some five years ago (at the Hero Indian Open where he finished fourth in 2008). I`m looking forward to that. In April, the course will be firm and hard and I`m looking forward to the challenge."
"It`s a very different golf course. I don`t carry my driver on this course...just a three wood and three iron. It`s an amazing course, a demanding course. You have to hit it well and mentally you have to be strong to win on that course."
Singh included the Indian Open onto his early 2013 schedule to ensure he achieves the minimum number of tournaments required to keep his Asian Tour card for 2014.
"I`ve got to get my numbers up on the Asian Tour this year. I couldn`t do it last year due to injuries. This is my last year of exemption on the Asian Tour (through his Order of Merit triumph). Although I have my career earnings ranking to count on, I want to get my numbers up and keep my full exemption going," said Singh, who was conferred an Asian Tour Honorary Membership in 2009.
Singh believes the staging of world-class tournaments such as the Panasonic Open India, which is one of four to be played on the Asian Tour annually, is the perfect platform for India`s emerging talent to enhance their burgeoning reputations.
"Indian golf is the fastest growing sport in our country. A lot of new guys are taking up the game, big corporate wigs play the game and they love it. And they put in the money to help the game grow in this country," said Singh.
"There is a lot of talent coming out from the country. Anirban Lahiri, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Himmat Rai... they are world class. They can play anywhere in the world and they can do really well," said Singh.
The top-three players in the tournament will be extended invitations to the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Japan Golf Tour Organisation, which will be held in Osaka, Japan, in September.
The event will be beamed live throughout four days on the Asian Tour Media`s global television platform which reaches over 200 countries and 650 million homes.
IANS
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.