Open season - India's two top golfers speak about their future

After putting India on the golfing map with a considerable amount of success, Jyoti Randhawa is looking forward to consolidating his position. Ranked 112 in the world and 35 on the European tour, the golfer says that he is enjoying his time on the tour and is working hard at improving his game and going one step ahead "" that is, winning titles. Excerpts from an interview...

How do you sum up the 2006-07 season? Was it one of the best in your career so far?
I think I have had a good enough run. Second place in the Spanish Open along with six top-10 finishes on the European tour is a satisfactory return. But I need to maintain the form and start winning titles. Though I am not happy with my scoring, hopefully I should regain my touch and perform consistently.

How would you rate the Indian golfing scene? How has it changed since you started out?
Golf has come a long way since I became a pro, which was way back in 1994. Back then, there were very few people to look up to. But now more and more people are taking up the sport and that will do a lot of good for the game in the country. The awareness levels and popularity of the game has increased and within five years' time you would see the game being the top two or three sports, and not in terms of following or popularity but in terms of talent as well.

Has the myth of golf being a retired people's game shattered?
Oh yes, definitely. I see young people teeing off and practising on golf courses all over the country.

Any special talent to look out for?
I think there are many young golfers who have great potential. Shiv (Kapur) is definitely one of them and he has a lot of experience at this age. Apart from him, Ashok Kumar is also pretty good. Gurbaz (Maan) is another talented guy coming through and looks to have a bright future.

What is it like travelling so much and being on tour for long periods at a stretch?
It can get tough but I take my family whenever I can and thus the situation is not that bad. Plus I love outdoor activities, so whenever I have a short break or something, I head out on my bike for rides and I go out camping and fishing. So it's not as bad as it may appear!

Do the expectations bother you, now that a lot a people actually keep track of how you and a few others are performing on the international circuit?
To be honest, it doesn't. It feels nice that people actually look forward to how Indian golfers are performing. That itself shows how far golf has come in the country!

'Competing with the best players in the world was fantastic' - Jeev Milkha Singh

Jeev Milkha Singh terms 2006 as a dream run and it is no coincidence that his dream run also ensured a memorable year for Indian golf. Something which he is extremely proud of. But after setting high standards, Singh has been unable to repeat his heroics in 2007, and has had an average return so far. Still, he is looking forward to the rest of the season and wants to finish the year on a high note.

After a glorious run last year, you have had a mixed bag of results in the season so far. What do you put this down to?
It's always difficult to maintain a consistent run in any sport, especially golf, and I agree that the results haven't been too promising. But I have been working hard on my game to improve certain aspects and hopefully it should come good.

Golf as a sport has come a long way since you started playing. What needs to be done to make it even more popular?
I think the foundation is there for the game to become big. But we need to make an effort to encourage more people taking up the sport. Whatever the sport, it is important that we start at the grassroot level and then only can we be considered a sporting superpower.

You are considered to be the poster boy of Indian golf, someone who has made people sit up and take note of how the golfers are doing. Do such expectations bother you?
There is no extra pressure on me from that front. My aim is to do well each time I step on the green and obviously playing in the US and European tours puts a little pressure. But that's not due to the expectations of people. I have set high standards for myself and I need to maintain them.

Speaking of the US tour, how was the experience of playing at the US Masters?
It was a fabulous experience. There is so much history attached with the Masters and just to be a part of the whole thing was amazing. Although initially I did well, I couldn't maintain my form and finished 35th. But overall, competing with the best players in the world was a fantastic experience.

What are your goals for the coming season? Have you set a target for yourself?
I was ranked number 37 in the world in 2006 but my ranking has dropped into the 70s now (his current ranking is 77). So I want to improve on that and hopefully on my way I can notch up a few title wins as well.