Jeev Milkha Singh on Sunday added a golden chapter in Indian golf when he lifted the Volvo Masters at the Club de Golf Valderrama and became the first Asian to win in Europe.
The biggest win of Jeev's career came when he calmly carded a one-over 72 and collected the winning cheque of Euros 666,660 (USD 840,855), the biggest cheque won by an Indian in an individual sport.
Jeev, son of great Indian athlete Milkha Singh, had redeemed his career winning the Volvo China Open in Beijing earlier this year and since then has not looked back.
The win will move Jeev inside top-20 in Europe and also top-100 of the world rankings.
The Volvo Masters of Europe, the biggest event on the European tour, is also the season-ending event. This year it also decided the European order of Merit winner, as Padraig Harrington pipped Paul Casey in that race. Harrington was tied second behind Jeev.
Jeev carded two-under 282 for a one-shot win over three of Europe's finest talents, Luke Donald (69), Sergio Garcia (72) and Padraig Harrington (69), all of whom finished at one-under 283. Jeev finished with rounds of 71, 71, 68 and 72.
The win also meant that Indians hold both the Volvo Masters titles -- Shiv Kapur won the Volvo Masters of Asia in December and Jeev has added the European chapter.
"It is a great feeling. It all started with the Volvo China Open and I am happy I could do it. This is really a big win," said Jeev.
"I never looked at the scoreboard the whole day and saw it only on the 18th, when I realised I had a two-shot lead. I lagged the first putt and then tapped in for a five (bogey)."
Jeev said when he came to the par-five 17th, he thought the leader would be three or four-under.
"I thought someone would be leading at three or four-under. I felt I needed an eagle to have a go. I had a great second shot and had an eagle chance. In fact I had a birdie chance on 16th, too.
"The birdie on 17th brought me to three-under and when I came to 18th I saw I was leading and on the green I realised I had a two-shot cushion," he said.
The 17th was probably where the title was finally decided. Garcia with a birdie on 16th had caught up Jeev at two-under. Then on the 17th, Garcia had a birdie putt, but he missed and the par meant he stayed at two-under.
Coming one group behind him, Jeev drove beautifully right in the middle of the fairway and played a perfect shot. He then added to the drama with a superb second shot that landed 12 feet from the cup. An eagle would have closed the issue, but his putt just went past. He did land his birdie and moved to three-under.
Garcia meanwhile went into the greenside bunker on 18th and failed to find an up-and-down for par. His dropped shot gave Jeev a two-shot cushion on 18th.
The 34-year-old Indian golfing star, who started the day with a one-shot lead overnight, went through the front nine in one-under with just one birdie and rest pars.
"With the course playing tough, I did not want to make mistakes."
He had his birdie on the sixth, a par-three, which had yielded a birdie even on third day.
The stretch between 12th and 16th, the toughest of the course, proved difficult for the Indian.
He dropped a shot each on 12th and 13th, just as he had on Friday and Saturday. But he quickly recovered with some great shot making to par the next three holes.
Padraign Harrington, who finished with a 69 had finished the tournament at one-under and he grabbed the Order of Merit title under Paul Casey's nose, who after leading for much of the season was finally caught up by the Irishman.
When Garcia also finished second, the Merit title was Harrington's. Garcia ended second for the third year in a row.
Jeev, who has led the UBS Asian Tour Order of Merit since he won the Volvo China Open title, said, "It really helped me - the win in Volvo China Open. It was more of a personal battle that I was fighting and I overcame that.
"I have been playing well this year. I have more confidence and am following my routine and process under pressure. Coming into this tournament I was pretty happy with the way I was playing. I had a little wrist injury but I was coping with it."
