Hoping to create more headlines in Malaysia

Way back in 1993, just weeks after I decided to turn professional, my first trip outside India to play tournaments was to Malaysia. I played four tournaments in the local professional circuit and I finished second, first, second and first.

It was a fantastic start to my professional career and, of course, I thought it was just too easy. Of course, it did not take too much time for that view to change.

One particular newspaper headline from that trip is still etched on my mind after all these days. In big, bold fonts, it said: ‘Hurricane Jeev strikes Malaysia’.

As the European Tour makes its way back to country for the Maybank Malaysian Open this week, all those great memories have come flooding back. I also hope I play good enough golf to give similar inspiration to the newspaper copy editors.

The tournament has been played at the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club the last few years, and I like the golf course. It is not very long; in fact, it plays exactly 7,000 yards from the back tees. But it is a shot-maker’s course and you need to play with lots of patience, especially because the afternoon thunderstorms are bound to create weather delays.

So, if you can keep your cool in the stifling, tropical heat of KL, if you are patient enough and if you keep the ball out of the rough and putt well, you have a very good chance of becoming the next Malaysian Open champion.

I finished tied 11th last year, which was great. But I have to tip my hat to Louis Oosthuizen, who put together a stunning performance to win the week after his Masters heartbreak. He made the journey all the way across the globe to Kuala Lumpur after losing the playoff to Bubba Watson at Augusta National.

South African Thomas Aiken played amazing golf last week to win the Avantha Masters in India. He was solid throughout the week to win by three shots at 23-under par. India’s Gaganjeet Bhullar mounted a super charge on the final day, but despite closing with an eight-under par 64, he fell short.

Bhullar is one of India’s most promising talents and even though he must be feeling a little hard done by, all I would tell him is to continue doing what he is doing. He has been playing very well and I am sure bigger things are in store for him.

Personally, I thought I played really well, but I just could not get any momentum. On all four days, I had great starts, and yet I’d make bogeys from nowhere, and just get bogged down. A tied 23rd place wasn’t bad, but considering I made nine bogeys and a double in the four rounds, it certainly was a missed opportunity.

(Jeev Milkha Singh is a four-time champion on the European Tour)