Daniel Chopra has made an excellent start to the year. The Indian?Swede won the first tournament of the year on the PGA Tour, the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Kapalua in a play-off. This victory earned him 1.1 million dollars and a Mercedes-Benz CL 550 worth more than U$100,000!
However, what is even more impressive is the fact that the he beat some of the best players in the world (the tournament is reserved for champions on the PGA Tour), in the first tournament of the season and earned himself a ticket to the US Masters, the first major championship of the year. He is also only the third player in 20 years to win this tournament in his first attempt.
Daniel has always had the support of his wife Samantha and the two of them, accompanied by their dog Cosmo, are now regulars on the PGA Tour.
Daniel has carved a niche for himself on the world?s best tour and the Indian golfing fraternity has more reason to be proud of him. Daniel grew up and played all his golf in India before turning professional, he considers the Delhi Golf Course home ?it is one of his favourite golf courses in the world and he started his professional career from the Indian tour.
Following his first win on the PGA Tour last year; Daniel has proved that it wasn?t just a fluke and that he is ready to take on the best in the world. His game is better than it has ever been ?he has won two of the last three tournaments he has played ?and there is no limit to what he can achieve now. Having overcome the most difficult hurdle ? that of proving that he is capable of winning ? he can now relax and just play golf.
On the home front, Jeev Milkha Singh tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend Kudrat in a private ceremony in his hometown, Chandigarh. The duo make a good team, traveling and competing on the European Tour and will make ideal ambassadors of the game of golf abroad. Jeev, who is back in the thick of competition and is currently playing the first attempt on the European Tour this year in Abu Dhabi is looking forward to a better year than last year. His game is in good form and I am sure we will all be watching his progress.
Jyoti Randhawa and Shiv Kapur are also back in action and back on the European Tour. Things are changing for the better and just as the Asian Tour had a handful of Indians a few years ago, the European Tour is now feeling the same influx by the Indians, which is a great sign for Indian professional golf. And we will also be able to see our own heroes in action against the European Tour on home soil when the two European Tour events come to India, the Indian Masters and the Johnnie Walker Classic. So stay tuned.
