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Jeev's Official Bio

BORN: 15 DECEMBER 1971 (AGE 43)

WEIGHT: 165 LB (75 KG)
HEIGHT: 6 FT 0 IN (1.82 M)
SPOUSE: KUDRAT (M. 2008)
CHILDREN: HARJAI (B. 2010)
COLLEGE: ABILENE CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY
TURNED PROFESSIONAL: 1993
CURRENT TOUR(S): EUROPEAN TOUR & ASIAN TOUR
PROFESSIONAL WINS: 2

About Jeev

Born on 15 December 1971 in Chandigarh India, Jeev is the first Indian Golf professional 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 also the first Indian golfer to break into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking in October 2006. In 2007, he was granted the 4th highest civilian honor, the Padma Shri by the Indian government, which is the equivalent of a knighthood and is given to Indian citizens in recognition of their distinguished contribution in various spheres of public life, including the arts, industry and sports, thus becoming the only family in India with 2 Padma Shri awards (Jeev and his dad, the legendary Milkha Singh).  Growing up, Jeev was always involved with sports. He attended St. Johns High School in Chandigarh India and Bishop Cotton High School in Shimla.  Jeev attended Abilene Christian University in the United States, obtaining a degree in business and international studies in 1996, where he also won the NCAA Division II individual golf championship in 1993 in addition to a number of amateur tournaments in the U.S.

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Jeev turned professional in 1993 and his first professional win was at the 1993 Southern Oklahoma State Open. 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. In 1999, he finished 50th on the European Order of Merit and became only the third golfer to receive Arjuna Award. 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. In 2007 he became the first Indian golfer to participate in the Masters Tournament. He has played in 3 Masters tournaments, being paired for the first two rounds with Tiger Woods in 2009. In August 2008, Jeev 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. Jeev 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. In 2009, Jeev finished the WGC-CA Championship in fourth place, after leading round one.

 

On 15 July 2012, Jeev beat Francesco Molinari in a sudden-death playoff to win the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, the week before the 2012 Open Championship. The win secured Jeev 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 Jeev’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.

Family
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Jeev was born in Chandigarh, India to Indian Olympic athlete Milkha Singh and Nirmal Kaur, former captain of the Indian women’s volleyball team. Jeev has a very close knit family – he is the youngest of 4 children and is the only boy in his family. He has 3 older sisters – Sonia, Mona and Aleeza. In 2007, Jeev married his childhood friend Kudrat and welcomed his son, Harjai into this world in 2010. 

 

Growing up in Chandigarh, Jeev credits his father for taking him to the golf course when he was little. He was also encouraged by his family to attend Abilene Christian University in the United States, obtaining a degree in business and international studies in 1996 and where he also won the NCAA Division II individual golf championship in 1993.

 

Sporting accomplishments are not uncommon in the Singh family.  Jeev’s father, the legendary “Flying Sikh” Milkha Singh, was an Olympic sprinter for India. Jeev is very close to his family and credits his family for all the support they have given him during his career. When he’s not travelling on tour, Jeev resides with his family in Chandigarh and loves to spend time with his son.

Jeev's role model & inspiration - his dad Milkha Singh
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As Jeev mentioned in an article he wrote in April 2010 , “My father’s story gives me goosebumps. I have been asked this question more than a few times, and I have no hesitation in saying it again: I think my father is one of the greatest sportspersons in the history of Indian sports.”.   His dad, the legendary “Flying Sikh” Milkha Singh is an Olympic track and field sprinter who was introduced to the sport while serving in the Indian Army. He has won gold medals in the 1958 and 1962 Asian Games and individual athletics gold medal at the Commonwealth Games. He represented India in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome and the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian honour, in recognition of his sporting achievements. His time of 45.73 seconds in the 400m final at the 1960 Olympic games became the national record and held for almost 41 years.

 

Jeev credits his dad for exposing him to the game of golf and instilling in him the work ethic.  “My father was one of the millions of migrants from Pakistan, who lost everything, including his family, during the painful days of Partition. Sleeping under a street light, with tattered clothes on his body and without a single decent meal for months, Milkha Singh was struck with a thought – he wanted to be a world champion. Imagine, a youngster who was so hungry he was beyond care, thinking of being a world champion. To me, it is that kind of thinking which made him the man he is.”

From beginnings that saw him orphaned and displaced during the Partition of India, Milkha Singh has become a sporting icon in his country. In 2008, a noted journalist described him as “the finest athlete India has ever produced”.  He and his daughter, Sonia Sanwalka, co-wrote his autobiography, titled “The Race of My Life”.  The book inspired the movie “Bhaag Milkha Bhaag”, a 2013 biographical film of his life. He sold the film rights for one rupee but inserted a clause stating that a share of the profits would be given to the Milkha Singh Charitable Trust. The Trust was founded in 2003 with the aim of assisting poor and needy sportspeople. It performed very well at the box office, becoming the sixth highest grossing 2013 Bollywood film worldwide. 

 

“My father has been my best friend since I was 16 years old. We’ve had an incredible relationship and he’s guided me the right way every step of the way. I am truly glad to have been born in this household and watched him from close quarters. He’s always emphasized on hard work, discipline and determination and it’s definitely helped to get to where I am today.”

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Career Highlights

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2015
Named Captain of 2016 Eurasia Cup
2015

2016 Eurasia Cup

Darren Clarke and Jeev Milkha Singh have been named as team captains for January's EurAsia Cup in Malaysia.
2012
Scottish Open Win
2012

2012 Scottish open

Jeev Won the 2012 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.
2009
2009 WGC-CA Championship
2009

2009 WGC-CA Championship

Jeev finished 4th at the WGC-CA Championship.
2008
Jeev PGA Championship
Aug 2008

2008 PGA Championship

Jeev achieved the highest ranking for an Indian in any major by finishing tied for 9th at the 2008 PGA Championship.
Jeev 2008 Order of Merit
End of 2008

Barclays Singapore Open

Jeev won the Barclays Singapore Open which was his second Order of Merit title on the Asian Tour. He ended the 2008 European Tour ranked 12th on the Order of Merit.

Jeev Wins 2008 Bank Austria Golf Open
Jun 8 2008

Bank Austria Golf Open

Jeev won the 2008 Bank Austria Golf Open.




2007
Jeev holding up trophy
2007

Masters Tournament

Jeev became the first Indian golfer to participate in the Masters Tournament.
Jeev Padma Shri Award
2007

Padma Shri Award

Jeev received the Padma Shri in 2007 which is the fourth hightest civilian honor.

2006
Jeev orange shirt fist pump
End of 2006

Won season ending Volvo Masters

Jeev won the season ending Volvo Masters which elevated him to a final position of 16th on the Order of Merit. He finished the 2006 season as the winner of the Asian Tour Order of Merit and became the first Indian to make the top 50 of the Official World Golf Ranking.
Jeev Nippon Win
2006

Won the Nippon Series in Japan

Jeev won the Nippon Series.
Casio World Open
Nov 20 2006

Won the Casio World Open

Jeev won the Casio World Open with a score of -16.




Jeev number 1
April 2006

Won the Volvo China Open

Jeev won the Volvo China Open and become the second Indian player to win on the European Tour.

1999
Jeev Waving Golf Tee
1999

Came in 50th

Jeev came in 50th on the Order of Merit.
Jeev Trophy Grass Background
1999

Arjuna Award

Jeev was the third golfer to receive the Arjuna Award.
1997
Jeev Finished 7th
1997

Finished 7th

Jeev Finished 7th at the European Tour Qualifying School.
1993
Jeev Yellow Shirt Trophy
1993

First Professional Win

Jeev's first professional win was at the 1993 Southern Oklahoma State Open.
Jeev Golf Swing
1993

NCAA Champion - Turned Professional

Jeev won an individual NCAA and team national championship for the Wildcats in 1993 before turning professional.