India's new golfing sensation S Chikkarangappa, who has been in sizzling form in his rookie season, is eyeing a year-end number one rank on the PGTI tour apart from earning an Asian tour card for the next season.
"At the beginning of the year, my target was a top 10 finish in the order of Merit. Having a good start, now I am looking at number 3 and also eyeing the Rolex ranking award also because it is just a few lakhs difference," said Chikkarangappa, who is ranked fourth in prize money list now.
"Next few events are also big events, I just have to pull two weeks and if I can do that I will be number one. That is what my target is," he said.
The 20-year-old finished inside top 10 seven times out of the 10 tournaments that he has played this year.
Chikkarangappa said his next step is to go to the Q school to get an Asian tour card.
"I have not played in the Asian tour event as a professional till now but I have played an European challenge tour event, Kensville in Gujarat. This year I will go to the Q-school. I wanted to play in PGTI, establish myself, get a good feedback and then move to the next level," he said.
"Asian tour is a different game. You have to shoot really good numbers, you have to shoot four-under everyday on an average. Even in PGTI nowadays cut is going at one-over because a lot of young guys are coming up and also looking at top 10 finish, so that they can move to the next level."
Born in a village in the suburb on the Bangalore-Mysore highway, Chikkarangappa had initially started as a ball boy and then worked as a caddie at 'Eagleton Golf Resort' in Bangalore but his love for golf saw him rise above adversity and win medals.
