Shiv ends year with third Tour title
PUTTING EDGE Delhi golfer claims seasonending title to become the first Indian to win three Asian Tour tournaments in a calendar year
It’s great to win three times during the season. If 2018 can come close, I’ll be happy SHIV KAPUR, Ace India golfer
NEWDELHI: It can now be termed a quirky twist that Shiv Kapur did not make the Asia squad for the Eur Asia Cup in Ku ala Lump ur in January. Had that happened, he wouldnot have played the Royal Cup. But here he was on Sunday with the trophy and the winner’ s cheque of $90,000.
Sans the EurAsia Cup, Shiv still had enough incentive to skip the Asian Tour’s season-ending event, whichwas included in the schedule days before it got underway at Pattaya’s Phoenix Gold Golf and Country Club.
From his point of view, these ason was epochal as he ended an 11-plus year title drought on the Asian Tour in April. Another jinx was broken in November when he won the Panasonic Open at the Delhi Golf Club, his home course, to end a long-standing urge. “Watching peers win here over the years had left me envious ,” he had said.
Like many others, he could have taken the week off and spent time at home with family, particularly daughter Veda. He did not have to experience the pangs of separation though as the infant and mother Maya were present on the 18th green as he rolled in the putt for par to signal the oneshot victory.
“Had I made the EurAsia Cup team, I wouldn’t be here. Sometimes, good things happen,” said Sh iv, thankful how from coming close to quitting golf, he racked up three wins in eight months.
“It’s great to win three times on the (Asian) Tour during the season. If 2018 can come close, I’ll be happy.”
Two shots back at the start of the final round, Shiv started well and even took the lead but bogeys on the 13th and 14th raised concern. Disappointed that his twoshot lead had turned into a twoshot deficit, Shiv decided to take “the tournament by the scruff of the neck”, quite like he did on the final day of the Panasonic Open.
“Standing on the 15 th tee, It old my caddie we’re not going to go down without a fight. Let’s make birdie here and see what happens or at least give myself a chance going into the last two holes ,” said Shiv.
Sure enough, he birdied the 15th, and got another on the 16th to force a deadlock with Prom Meesawat. The burly Thai was the first to blink as he bogeyed the 17th. From there on, it was about staying steady, which wasn’t a problem for Shiv, given what he had weathered to be where he finds himself.