SPORTS

'Title just a matter of time,' says Jeev

Source:PTI
March 17, 2008 16:39 IST

Two runners-up finishes in five weeks have convinced Indian ace Jeev Milkha Singh that his game is going in the right direction and a title is just round the corner.

The Indian golfer came agonisingly close to a sixth Asian Tour title when he was pipped on the third play-off hole by Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell at the inaugural Ballantine's Championships in Jeju, South Korea on Sunday.

Also read: McDowell halts Jeev's march

"Obviously, you play to win but somebody has to win. The last hole, he hit a great shot in there after I hit a good shot and I think the best man won," said the 36-year-old Singh.

"This week is over, I've got to look forward to something better. I gave it 100 per cent, I tried my best." The heartbreak came just weeks after he missed out on the title at the Indonesian Open to Chile's Felipe Aguilar with a bogey on his 72nd hole.

But rather than dwell on the past, Singh has turned his attention to this week's WGC-CA Championship in Doral and the US Masters next month.

"I gave it a good effort. I would like to congratulate Graeme for playing excellent golf and I'm looking forward to Doral now because I'm playing well."

"So may be, there's something better waiting for me there," said the Chandigarh golfer, who finished tied 28th in Doral last season.

He will be flying the Tricolour at the elite event along with Indian Masters champion SSP Chowrasia and will be confronted with a field led by world number one Tiger Woods.

Jeev could find solace from the fact that his recent close finishes have taken him to second place on the Asian Tour's Order of Merit with winnings of $ 517,050, approximately $ 40,000 behind leader Mark Brown of New Zealand.

The top 10 is dominated by Indians with Chowrasia, Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa ranked third, fourth and fifth respectively while Digvijay Singh occupies 10th place.

Shiv Kapur is 11th and Gaurav Ghei is placed 14th.

"I think we've got a good local tour in place and I think the local golfers now understand that they can compete with the top players.

"They obviously believe that if these guys can do it, why not us? That's the attitude they have," Jeev was quoted as saying.

Source: PTI
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