Jeev Milkha Singh has claimed a host of international victories and risen to No. 39 in the world rankings but he says he is still behind his father in the Indian popularity stakes.
Milkha Singh is a former Olympic runner and better known in his homeland than his golfing son.
“Wherever we walk he always jokes with me especially at the airports or train stations,” Jeev told reporters after a second-round 69 earned a tie for the lead with Frenchman Michael Lorenzo-Vera on eight-under 136 at the European Open on Friday. “Most people will come and take an autograph from him and he will say, ‘This is my son Jeev, he plays golf.’”
Jeev, who has claimed 18 victories around the world, says only a major win will gain him widespread recognition in India.
“Cricket is still the No. 1 sport in our country,” he said. “But I am getting there, hopefully a major will get me there.”
The 37-year-old Singh, who was the first Indian player to qualify for the European Tour, is hoping golf will return to the Olympic fold for the first time in more than 100 years.
“Golf not being an Olympic sport means we in India have not been getting any funding from our government,” he said.
“Hopefully in October it becomes an Olympic sport. I think after that the government will allocate land in each and every city for a public driving range,” Singh said.
“Then a normal person can go there and try their hand at it. That’s when golf is going to really hit big in our country,” he said.
He said most of the golfing facilities in India were private.
“I don’t think there’s a public driving range in our country and there is only one public course,” the 2006 Volvo Masters champion said.
“The only way this game is going to get close to cricket is when we have more public driving ranges,” he said.
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