Jeev Milkha Singh (Ind) is a Dubai Golden Visa awardee and a Dubai resident, and boasts 20 career victories around the world. He plays on the Asian Tour and now he is a Senior, plays on the Legends Tour in Europe. Gulf News caught up with the 51 year-old at The Els Club, Dubai.
Gulf News: Welcome back to Dubai Jeev. Why are you in Dubai this time?
Jeev: I am in Dubai as it is the best time weather wise. My home town in Chandigarh India is freezing in the winter. I am today here at The Els Club hitting golf balls, chipping and putting and I will workout when I get back to my hotel.
What is your golfing schedule moving forward?
I am flying to Oman on Monday (today) for the International Series - Oman, on the Asian Tour, my first time there and my first tournament of my year. I have heard a lot of good feedback about both Oman and the Greg Norman designed golf course at Al Mouj Golf in Muscat.
Then I am playing the next week in Qatar at Doha Golf Club for the International Series - Qatar. I have played the Peter Harradine designed Doha Golf Club many times on the DP World Tour.
I will come back to Dubai for a day then off to India and then back to the Asian Tour, International Series - Thailand and then off to Japan. I will be in Asia until the first week in May,
I will spend a week in India with the family then flying off to the UK to play the Legends Tour in Europe and some trips to the US until September. I seem to be as busy as ever.
Have you any plans to compete on the Champions Tour in the US?
I will try some Monday Qualifiers on the Champions Tour when my schedule permits.
At the end of May, June and July I will be playing in the US Senior Qualifying and I should be qualified for the US Senior PGA Championship as well as The Senior Open presented by Rolex at Royal Porthcawl Golf Club in Wales.
In summary what is your overall schedule for 2023?
I will play 16 weeks on the Legends Tour and with the Asian Tour and other tournaments, it will be a full season, about 33 weeks of tournaments in total. When I was on the main tour I used to play upto 40 weeks.
What are your aspirations for the year?
I am really excited about the year ahead. Last year was an eye opener for me on the Senior Tours and thought I would win easily, but I was wrong. Age is just a number and there is a lot of talent out there.
The quality of golf for the above 50’s is impressive and everyone is working so hard. I was perhaps a little bit complacent. I am now working harder on my fitness.
The second important element is my mindset and the third element of importance is work ethic.
I have not practised much over the winter and have been busy doing a lot of administration with house sales and purchases and the like, it just seems to take so much of my time. I am playing golf these days for the memory of my parents, who sadly both passed away not long ago.
I have my desire back and still am ambitious.
I hear your son is getting into golf?
My son is 13 years old and is at school in India. In the summer he lives in Sunningdale, England. I have become a member of Sunningdale Golf Club, and he is a cadet member and has a handicap in the low single figures. He loves golf as well as basketball and the outdoors.
We can walk to the golf club from our home there and he plays the British Junior Tour and county golf.
