New Delhi: Shiv Kapur is easily one of the most articulate golfers on the Asian tour. He is normally never lost for words, but this was one time, words were getting stuck in throat as made his emotional winners speech after completing a convincing three-shot win at the Panasonic Open India on Sunday.
“That’s one big monkey off my back,” he said as he came out of the scorer’s room and got ready for all the duties of a champion.
Then he quickly looked around for his family - held and kissed his three-month daughter, Veda, and hugged his wife, Maya, before going to his mother and father for another round of hugs.
Smiling and laughing later, Kapur told a packed media room, “I had dream of everything and planned everything if I win here at DGC, but what I did not prepare for was the speech. So, it did get very emotional.”
As he was escorted to the prize distribution, it was already beginning to hit him a little. Wearing the traditional Panasonic Open India winner’s blue jacket, and going up to receive his trophy, the eyes were getting moist.
He held back his tears as he thanked his friends, fellow members, caddies and everyone else at the DGC. He admitted, “It was always my dream to walk up that the 18th fairway and putt out to win. And now to be able to do that is incredible. It has not sunk in and when I lie down and reflect on it tonight, maybe it will slowly sink in.”
Kapur shot his fourth straight round in 60s with a four-under 68 that took his total to 17-under, as a massive bunch of seven players, six of them Indian, were Tied for second at 14-under. They were Chiragh Kumar (64), Ajeetesh Sandhu (65), Karandeep Kochar (66), SSP Chawrasia (69), Om Prakash Chouhan (69), Sudhir Sharma (69) and Paul Peterson (71) were tied for second.
Shamim Khan (72) and Honey Baisoya (68) were Tied for ninth, as nine Indians figured in the Top-10.
Kapur birdied the second, and then parred all the way till the ninth and turned in one-under for the day and 14-under for the tournament. A bogey on the 10th was a big jolt. “Actually that bogey fired me up,” he said.
Though Kapur won by three shots, the contest was very intense for most part of the day. The lead changed so many hands that it was difficult to keep track. The 35-year-old Kapur found his way past a maze of opposition. One-under at the turn and 14-under for the tournament, Kapur said he was not thinking about any specific player. “There were too many bunched up and on this course one hole can change the course of a tournament,” he said.
He said the bogey on tenth fired him up. “The birdies on 11th and 12th gave me a cushion and standing on 14th I told myself this was the tournament to win. I wanted to take it by the scruff so to say and win. I went all out after that and went for the flags. When the birdies dropped on 14th and 15th for a three-shot lead I knew I had to play smart.”
After the par on 16th and 17th, Kapur had another choice to make. “I have never played anything but this time I went for 3-Wood. Actually I don’t know how to hit a 3-wood on 18th. Then when the second shot landed on fairway, I knew the win was near. I knew that par was god enough. The margin of three looks big, it till a little before that it was very tight.”
As usual he was available for all the kids - “I was among them many years ago when I started coming here,” he said — adults and everyone else.
“All these years I had seen my friends, from Gaurav Ghei to Arjun Atwal to Chiragh Kumar, SSP, Anirban and so many win. I would be envious and keep dreaming about winning here. Now after this I will be even more relaxed than what I was this week. SO many thoughts are swirling in my mind - the week before Yeangder I was wondering if I would win again on Asian Tour. With so many events still left in the season one more win would be nice. I am off to Manila tommorrow.”
