Jeev Milkha Singh

{{For|his father, the athlete also known as the "Flying Sikh"|Milkha Singh}}

{{Infobox golfer

| name = Jeev Milkha Singh Rathore

| image = Milkha Singh.JPG

| image_size = 200px

| caption = Singh at the 2009 Omega European Masters

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|12|15|df=y}}

| height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}}

| nationality = {{IND}}

| residence = Chandigarh, India

| spouse = {{marriage|Sakshi|2008}}

| children = 1

| college = Abilene Christian University

| yearpro = 1993

| retired =

| tour = European Senior Tour
Asian Tour

| extour = PGA Tour
European Tour
Japan Golf Tour

| prowins = 20

| pgawins =

| eurowins = 4

| japwins = 4

| asiawins = 6

| sunwins =

| auswins =

| nwidewins =

| chalwins =

| champwins =

| seneurowins =

| otherwins = 7

| majorwins =

| masters = T25: 2008

| usopen = T36: 2007

| open = T69: 2012

| pga = T9: 2008

| wghofid =

| wghofyear =

| award1 = Arjuna Award

| year1 = 1999

| award2 = Asian Tour
Order of Merit winner

| year2 = 2006, 2008

| award3 = Asian Tour
Players' Player of the Year

| year3 = 2006, 2008

| award4 = Padma Shri

| year4 = 2007

| awardssection =

}}

Jeev Milkha Singh (born 15 December 1971) is an Indian professional golfer who became the first player from India to join the European Tour in 1998. He has won four events on the European Tour, becoming the most successful Indian on tour. He was the first Indian golfer to break into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking in October 2006. The Government of India awarded him the civilian honour of Padma Shri in 2007. He is also the recipient of 1999 Arjuna Award.{{cite web|url=http://yas.nic.in/yasroot/awards/arjuna.htm#Football|title=LIST OF ARJUNA AWARD WINNERS - Football {{!}} Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225221945/http://yas.nic.in/yasroot/awards/arjuna.htm#Football|archive-date=25 December 2007|access-date=25 December 2007|website=yas.nic.in|publisher=Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports}}{{cite web|title=List of Arjuna Awardees (1961–2018)|url=https://yas.nic.in/sites/default/files/LIST%20OF%20ARJUNA%20AWARDEES.docx%2061%20-%2017_0_0.pdf|publisher=Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports (India)|access-date=12 September 2020|df=dmy-all|archive-date=18 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200718084523/https://yas.nic.in/sites/default/files/LIST%20OF%20ARJUNA%20AWARDEES.docx%2061%20-%2017_0_0.pdf}}

Early life

Singh was born on 15 December 1971 to Indian Olympic athlete Milkha Singh and Nirmal Saini, former captain of the Indian women's volleyball team.[http://www.the-south-asian.com/June2002/Jeev_Milkha_Singh.htm "Jeev Milkha Singh,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210615025853/http://www.the-south-asian.com/June2002/Jeev_Milkha_Singh.htm |date=15 June 2021 }} the south-asian.com June 2002. Retrieved 15 March 2009. Singh attended Bishop Cotton School in Shimla and later went to Abilene Christian University in the United States, obtaining a degree in business and international studies[https://web.archive.org/web/20110526055229/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1061104/asp/opinion/story_6955314.asp "Carry on, Jeev,"] The Telegraph (Calcutta, India), 4 November 2006. Retrieved 22 September 2008. in 1996.[http://www.acu.edu/acutoday/documents/2007summer/Sports_s07.pdf "Wildcats lead way as LSC honors all-time top performers,"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081029211508/http://www.acu.edu/acutoday/documents/2007summer/Sports_s07.pdf |date=29 October 2008 }} ACU Today, Summer 2007, p.32. Retrieved 22 September 2008.

Singh won the NCAA Division II individual golf championship in 1993 in addition to a number of amateur tournaments in the U.S.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

Professional career

Singh turned professional in 1993 and his first professional win was at the 1993 Southern Oklahoma State Open, a minor local event. He played mainly in Asia, where he was a regular winner in the mid-1990s. In 1997 he finished seventh at the European Tour qualifying school, and joined the tour the following year.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

He became the third golfer to receive Arjuna Award in 1999.{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/golf/top-stories/Gaganjeet-Bhullar-becomes-seventh-golfer-to-receive-Arjuna/articleshow/22166442.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131216182844/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-30/top-stories/41617888_1_gaganjeet-bhullar-young-golfers-khel-ratna |url-status=live |archive-date=16 December 2013 |newspaper=The Times of India |title=Gaganjeet Bhullar becomes seventh golfer to receive Arjuna |access-date=4 December 2013}}

His best season in Europe until 2006 was in 1999, when he came 50th on the Order of Merit. He struggled with injury in the early years of the new millennium. In April 2006 he won the Volvo China Open, becoming the second Indian player to win on the European Tour after Arjun Atwal. He also won the season ending Volvo Masters, which elevated him to a final position of 16th on the Order of Merit. He finished 2006 as the winner of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and capped his season with a pair of back to back wins in Japan to become the first Indian to make the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.[http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=345147&ssid=95&sid=SPO Punjab Golf Association confers award on Jeev Milkha Singh] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930185146/http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=345147&ssid=95&sid=SPO |date=30 September 2007 }}, zeenews.com, 31 December 2006. In 2007 he became the first Indian golfer to participate in the Masters Tournament.{{Cite web |url=http://www.europeantour.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7B5A258B31%2D8294%2D4C0E%2DB8B9%2DA796F6009E52%7D&newsid=414622 |title=Record 34 European Tour Members Invited to Augusta |access-date=5 April 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930224524/http://www.europeantour.com/default.sps?pagegid=%7B5A258B31-8294-4C0E-B8B9-A796F6009E52%7D&newsid=414622 |archive-date=30 September 2007 |url-status=dead }} In August 2008, Singh achieved the highest ranking for an Indian in any major event at the 2008 PGA Championship in Oakland Hills, finishing at T9, making him arguably India's best golfer ever.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

Singh finished the 2008 European Tour season ranked 12th on the Order of Merit, and after winning the Barclays Singapore Open won his second Order of Merit title on the Asian Tour.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

In 2009, Singh finished the WGC-CA Championship in fourth place, after leading round one.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

Singh played on the Nationwide Tour in 2003. He played on the PGA Tour from 2007 to 2010, where his best finish was 4th place at the 2009 WGC-CA Championship.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

Singh received India's fourth highest civil honour, the Padma Shri, in 2007.{{Cite news|date=26 January 2007|title=Vikram Seth, Jeev Milkha Singh win Padma Shri|work=The Times of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/vikram-seth-jeev-milkha-singh-win-padma-shri/articleshow/1467077.cms|access-date=20 June 2021|archive-date=26 June 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210626075848/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/vikram-seth-jeev-milkha-singh-win-padma-shri/articleshow/1467077.cms|url-status=live}}

On 15 July 2012, Singh beat Francesco Molinari in a sudden-death playoff to win the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, the week before the 2012 Open Championship.{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/8168338/jeev-milkha-singh-wins-scottish-open-phil-mickelson-finishes-tied-16th |publisher=ESPN Golf |title=Phil Mickelson finishes with 74 |date=15 July 2012 |access-date=15 July 2012 |archive-date=16 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120716091559/http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/8168338/jeev-milkha-singh-wins-scottish-open-phil-mickelson-finishes-tied-16th |url-status=live }} The win secured Singh a spot in the 2012 Open Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club as a result of finishing as the highest non-qualifier at the event. The win was also Singh's fourth career victory on the European Tour and moved him ahead of Arjun Atwal, making him the most successful Indian golfer in European Tour history.{{Citation needed|date=June 2021}}

Personal life

Singh lives in Chandigarh with wife Kudrat and their son.{{cite web|title=Jeev Milkha Singh profile|url=http://www.jeevmilkhasingh.net/profile.html|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130806093622/http://jeevmilkhasingh.net/profile.html|archive-date=6 August 2013|access-date=20 June 2021}}

Amateur wins

1993 NCAA Division II Individual Championship

Professional wins (20)

=European Tour wins (4)=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

! Legend

style="background:thistle"

| Tour Championships (1)

Other European Tour (3)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.

!Date

!Tournament

!Winning score

!To par

!Margin of
victory

!Runner(s)-up

align=center|1

|align=right|16 Apr 2006

|Volvo China Open¹

|align=right|72-69-67-70=278

|align=center|−10

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|ESP}} Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño

style="background:thistle"

|align=center|2

|align=right|29 Oct 2006

|Volvo Masters

|align=right|71-71-68-72=282

|align=center|−2

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|ENG}} Luke Donald, {{flagicon|ESP}} Sergio García,
{{flagicon|IRL}} Pádraig Harrington

align=center|3

|align=right|8 Jun 2008

|Bank Austria GolfOpen

|align=right|64-63-71=198*

|align=center|−15

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|ENG}} Simon Wakefield

align=center|4

|align=right|15 Jul 2012

|Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open

|align=right|66-70-68-67=271

|align=center|−17

|Playoff

|{{flagicon|ITA}} Francesco Molinari

*Note: The 2008 Bank Austria GolfOpen was shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

¹Co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour

European Tour playoff record (1–1)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|1

|2008

|Ballantine's Championship

|{{flagicon|NIR}} Graeme McDowell

|Lost to birdie on third extra hole

style="background:#D0F0C0;"

|align=center|2

|2012

|Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open

|{{flagicon|ITA}} Francesco Molinari

|Won with birdie on first extra hole

=Japan Golf Tour wins (4)=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

! Legend

style="background:#D6E8FF;"

| Japan majors (2)

Other Japan Golf Tour (2)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.

!Date

!Tournament

!Winning score

!To par

!Margin of
victory

!Runner(s)-up

align=center|1

|align=right|26 Nov 2006

|Casio World Open

|align=right|66-69-69-68=272

|align=center|−16

|2 strokes

|{{flagicon|NZL}} David Smail

style="background:#D6E8FF;"

|align=center|2

|align=right|3 Dec 2006

|Golf Nippon Series JT Cup

|align=right|67-65-67-70=269

|align=center|−11

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|JPN}} Nobuhiro Masuda

align=center|3

|align=right|27 Jul 2008

|Nagashima Shigeo Invitational Sega Sammy Cup

|align=right|67-74-68-66=275

|align=center|−13

|2 strokes

|{{flagicon|JPN}} Sushi Ishigaki

style="background:#D6E8FF;"

|align=center|4

|align=right|7 Dec 2008

|Golf Nippon Series JT Cup (2)

|align=right|64-70-68-66=268

|align=center|−12

|2 strokes

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Brendan Jones, {{flagicon|NZL}} David Smail,
{{flagicon|JPN}} Taichi Teshima

Japan Golf Tour playoff record (0–1)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|1

|1999

|Kirin Open

|{{flagicon|KOR|1997}} K. J. Choi

|Lost to par on first extra hole

=Asian Tour wins (6)=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.

!Date

!Tournament

!Winning score

!To par

!Margin of
victory

!Runner(s)-up

align=center|1

|align=right|17 Dec 1995

|Philippine Classic

|align=right|65-73-72-73=283

|align=center|−5

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|THA}} Preecha Senaprom

align=center|2

|align=right|21 Jan 1996
(1995 season)

|Asian Matchplay Championship

|colspan=3 align=center|3 and 1

|{{flagicon|THA}} Boonchu Ruangkit

align=center|3

|align=right|1 Sep 1996

|Philip Morris Asian Cup

|align=right|66-66-65-65=262

|align=center|−26

|6 strokes

|{{flagicon|KOR|1984}} Kang Wook-soon

align=center|4

|align=right|17 Oct 1999

|Lexus International

|align=right|69-69-65-72=275

|align=center|−13

|Playoff

|{{flagicon|PAK}} Taimur Hussain, {{flagicon|MYA|1974}} Zaw Moe

align=center|5

|align=right|16 Apr 2006

|Volvo China Open¹

|align=right|72-69-67-70=278

|align=center|−10

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|ESP}} Gonzalo Fernández-Castaño

align=center|6

|align=right|16 Nov 2008

|Barclays Singapore Open

|align=right|73-68-67-69=277

|align=center|−7

|1 stroke

|{{flagicon|ZAF}} Ernie Els, {{flagicon|IRL}} Pádraig Harrington

¹Co-sanctioned by the European Tour

Asian Tour playoff record (1–3)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent(s)!!Result

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|1

|1997

|Ericsson Asia-Pacific Masters

|{{flagicon|AUS}} Darren Cole

|Lost to par on first extra hole

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|2

|1998

|Thailand Open

|{{flagicon|ZAF}} James Kingston

|Lost to par on first extra hole

style="background:#D0F0C0;"

|align=center|3

|1999

|Lexus International

|{{flagicon|PAK}} Taimur Hussain, {{flagicon|MYA|1974}} Zaw Moe

|Won with birdie on third extra hole
Hussain eliminated by par on first hole

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|4

|2008

|Ballantine's Championship

|{{flagicon|NIR}} Graeme McDowell

|Lost to birdie on third extra hole

=Korean Tour wins (1)=

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.

!Date

!Tournament

!Winning score

!To par

!Margin of
victory

!Runner-up

align=center|1

|align=right|11 Sep 1994

|Shinhan Donghae Open

|align=right|73-71-66-73=283

|align=center|−5

|4 strokes

|{{flagicon|USA}} Tom Pernice Jr.

Korean Tour playoff record (0–1)

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result

style="background:#F2C1D1;"

|align=center|1

|2008

|Ballantine's Championship

|{{flagicon|NIR}} Graeme McDowell

|Lost to birdie on third extra hole

=Other wins (6)=

1993 (2) Southern Oklahoma State Open, Bukit Kiara Golf Championship (Malaysia)
1994 (1) Northern Indian Open
1995 (3) Thailand PGA Championship, Mahindra BPGC Open (India), Toyota Crown Open (Thailand)

Results in major championships

Image:Fontana Vienna Euro PGA 2008.JPG]]

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"

!Tournament !! 2002 !! 2003 !! 2004 !! 2005 !!2006 !! 2007 !! 2008 !! 2009 !! 2010 !! 2011 !! 2012 !! 2013 !! 2014 !! 2015 !! 2016

align=left|Masters Tournament

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T37

|T25

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|U.S. Open

|T62

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T59

|T36

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

align=left|The Open Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T69

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align=left|PGA Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

|style="background:yellow;"|T9

|T67

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

CUT = missed the half-way cut

"T" = tied

=Summary=

Totals	0	0	0	0	1	2	14	8
class=wikitable style=text-align:center !Tournament !! Wins !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Top-5 !! Top-10 !! Top-25 !! Events !! Cuts made
align=left\|Masters Tournament	0	0	0	0	0	1	3	2
align=left\|U.S. Open	0	0	0	0	0	0	5	3
align=left\|The Open Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1
align=left\|PGA Championship	0	0	0	0	1	1	4	2

Most consecutive cuts made – 4 (2002 U.S. Open – 2007 U.S. Open)
Longest streak of top-10s – 1

Results in The Players Championship

class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"

!Tournament

!2009

align=left|The Players Championship

|T64

"T" indicates a tie for a place

Results in World Golf Championships

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"

!Tournament!!2007!!2008!!2009!!2010!!2011!!2012

align="left"|Match Play

|R64

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|R64

|style="background:yellow;"|R16

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align="left"|Championship

|T28

|T26

|style="background:yellow;"|4

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

align="left"|Invitational

|T51

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T64

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T67

align="left"|Champions

|colspan=2 style="background:#D3D3D3;"|

|T33

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T23

|T46

QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play

"T" = tied

Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.

European Tour professional career summary

Total*	304	190	4	3	2	33	91	6,487,987	62
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! Year !! Starts !! Cuts Made !! Wins !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Top 10 !! Top 25 !! Earnings (€) !! Money list rank
1994	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	align="right"\|0	n/a¹
1995	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	align="right"\|4,200	n/a¹
1996	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	align="right"\|6,944	n/a¹
1997	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	align="right"\|8,689	n/a¹
1998	22	11	0	0	0	1	5	align="right"\|83,823	104
1999	24	15	0	1	1	2	8	align="right"\|222,783	50
2000	13	5	0	0	0	2	3	align="right"\|68,199	145
2001	17	10	0	0	0	2	4	align="right"\|174,011	108
2002	20	8	0	0	0	1	2	align="right"\|83,347	152
2003	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	align="right"\|1,773	n/a¹
2004	5	3	0	0	0	1	1	align="right"\|28,817	n/a¹
2005	7	5	0	0	0	1	2	align="right"\|42,845	n/a¹
2006	17	11	2	0	0	4	8	align="right"\|1,173,177	16
2007	31	26	0	0	1	1	9	align="right"\|717,790	46
2008	26	20	1	2	0	8	15	align="right"\|1,218,209	12
2009	22	17	0	0	0	3	8	align="right"\|847,844	34
2010	15	10	0	0	0	2	7	align="right"\|393,449	74
2011	30	17	0	0	0	2	8	align="right"\|329,262	94
2012	25	19	1	0	0	2	6	align="right"\|926,062	32
2013	23	6	0	0	0	1	5	align="right"\|156,643	133