By IANS
Dubai : Jeev Milkha Singh is ready to take on the golfing world after his marriage to childhood friend Kudrat last week in Chandigarh. Fresh after a five-week break, Jeev begins his 2008 season in the Middle East, where he will play three weeks in a row.
The star golfer will begin with the Abu Dhabi Open and continue with the Qatar Masters before he comes to his favourite – the Dubai Desert Classic, where he always has a huge following. He will follow those three weeks with the EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters, which will bring a European Tour event to India for the first time.
“Everything’s been good. I feel settled in life now,” Jeev said about his marriage. “It was a private affair with just the families.”
He plans to have a formal party in March.
“Any sportsman will tell you it’s very important to find a partner who can be with him and should be someone he can talk to after a day’s work,” said Jeev, who is also the brand ambassador for ‘golf in DUBAI’ that promotes the Dubai Desert Classic as well as the EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters.
Jeev, who was the first Indian to break into top-50 after a dream run in 2006, is also the first Indian golfer to be awarded the Padma Shri.
The son of legendary Indian athlete Milkha Singh, who himself received the Padma Shri in 1958, Jeev jumped to a career-high 37th rank in the world from a poor 376th in just one season when he claimed four titles, including the Volvo Masters at Valderrama at the tail-end of 2006 to make up for six winless years.
“What happened in 2006 was a great run, but I continue to play well and my game is in excellent shape despite not having won last year. That’s golf. You don’t win every day,” said Jeev, at present, ranked 77th in the world.
“I am playing well, striking the ball well and have every reason to believe that I can return to winning ways this season. There is always room for improvement and I am working hard to try and ensure things fall in place this season,” said the golfer who almost won his final event in 2007 at the Nippon Series JT Cup until a double bogey on the last hole slipped him into a tie for third.
“My dad always said, ‘Hard work and discipline is what it takes to succeed.’ I’ve heard that a million times, maybe more,” said Jeev who will lead the home challenge in the EMAAR-MGF Indian Masters at the Delhi Golf Club from Feb 4 to 10.
When asked what the $2.5 million tournament – the richest ever to be played in India – will provide in elevating the status of the game among one billion people, he said: “Indian golf will be the winner.”
“Certainly, hard work has paid off for Jeev, who is a well established international star with a tremendous fan-following,” said Mohamed Buamaim, vice-chairman and CEO of ‘golf in DUBAI’.
“I am sure his presence will spice up our tournament,” he added.