Golf has grown in popularity in India but professional game hasn’t progressed, feels Shiv Kapur

Mumbai, Mar 7 (PTI) Three-time Asian Tour champion and Arjuna Award winner Shiv Kapur on Friday said while golf has become popular in the country, it still hasn’t seen corresponding progress on the professional front.

Kapur said India should have produced a Major winner by now and have had players featuring in the top rankings in the world, but it is not the case.

“Golf has grown in popularity a lot. I think the corporate game has grown. There's a lot more people playing,” Kapur told PTI in an exclusive interaction during Habitat for Humanity India's sixth Annual Charity Golf Tournament here on Friday.

“But unfortunately, the professional game hasn't progressed as well as I would have liked to see it,” he said.

“You know, we should have had a major champion by now. We should have had many Indians in the top 10 or 20 in the world, like other countries,” he said.

“But the game in general has increased in popularity. A lot of club members playing, a lot of corporates (are) playing, so the support for the game is there.” The 40-year-old Kapur said golf hasn’t had a breakthrough champion unlike cricket and hockey, the team sports where India have been able to make a mark at the global level.

“We've still not been able to make a breakthrough like we have in cricket or in hockey and other sports, where you've got national icons that young kids can look up to and say, ‘this is what, you know, I want to be able to be the number one in the world’,” he said.

But adding that there is potential for things to change, Kapur said, “There's no reason why we can't have a world champion out of India in the next few years.” Kapur said a competitive edge in a player tends to come out even if one is playing for a cause.

“When you're on the course, your competitive nature will come out and everyone wants to be out here trying to win, win trophies. But when it's all said and done, I think the greater cause is what everyone is here for, (irrespective of) win or lose. But, when you're here, you want to play well, you want to win," he said. PTI DDV KHS