GDI: Did you ever think of going to the US on a golf scholarship?
SS: I never wanted to study in the US. I had already decided that. I wanted to turn professional early and becoming one at 16 would not have allowed me to go there for studies. I always wanted to take the same route as Anirban (Lahiri). I believed I would be wasting a lot of time if I took a scholarship etc., though a lot of players have taken that route.
GDI: Did your father’s Army background help in getting easy access to a course?
SS: It would have been tough to become a pro had I not been an army man’s son. But having said that, my dad and I had no understanding of golf till the time we went to a course together. Both of us went to the Wellington course near Ooty, when I was 6 years old. That was my first encounter with golf. Nobody in my family knew about the sport before that, apart from casual reading in the newspapers. Golf is an expensive game and fortunately being part of the Army one gets easy access to a course and equipment.
GDI: You have got an invite to play in the WGC-Mexico Championship. What are your expectations from the event?
SS: I am very happy as this was the goal. When I won the Joburg Open, I knew I would be in the top-10 of the European Tour Order of Merit. But I would require to maintain that position with good finishes at the Maybank Championship up till the NBO Oman Open, which was the cutoff. I have a fair understanding of the high altitude conditions at the Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico. I have watched live telecast of the event and I can relate it to the kind of conditions I encountered in Johannesburg. Winds will be a factor too like Jo’burg with the ball rolling 20 yards extra due to the altitude. I think I have some experience of the ball flying longer and in Mexico the ball travels really fast. I will have to accordingly adapt. I saw that event last year and am happy I am getting a chance to play there.
GDI: The Hero Indian Open is returning to your home course – DLF Golf & Country Club – and you are most likely to be billed as the favourite with the form you are in. How would you like to repay your fans?
SS: Very happy that it’s happening at my home course. Last year I couldn’t capitalise on the opportunity as I fell sick and didn’t play even a single practice round before tee-off. I was happy to make the cut. DLF is not an easy course and local knowledge will be an advantage for me. I have enough experience of playing there and I will be fully fit this time for the challenge. I am confident of putting four good rounds together and hope for a memorable outing this year.
GDI: Which events are you going to play on the European Tour and Asian Tour?
SS: I will be mostly playing the full European Tour schedule barring a few weeks depending upon my status on the PGA Tour. I might play some events on the Asian Tour as well based on my chances of winning the Order of Merit.
Right now the only thing decided is that I am playing the WGC-Mexico Championship and the Hero Indian Open.
GDI: What do you specifically do to remain cool under pressure?
SS: I don’t really do anything for that. I would have meditated only once or twice in a year.
(Read more in the March issue of Golf Digest India. Download here.)