Dubai: Jeev Milkha Singh reckons Dubai Desert Classic as the tournament which he has played most number of times in his career and said it is one trophy that he would love to have in my Cabinet.
The 42-year-old Indian veteran, who has four European Tours win amongst his 20-odd internationals victories, will this week be playing the event for the 16th time in his professional career that started back in 1993.
Speaking of his tryst with Dubai, Jeev said: "I am not sure, but it must at least be around 15 times and around the time I turned professional, apart from the Majors, this was the event everyone used to talk about and I came here for the first time in 1996."
"I love the event and outside of the Majors and WGC and the Indian Open, this is one Trophy that I would to love to have in my Cabinet," said Jeev, who missed the event four times (2003, 2005 and 2006) due to injuries and on a couple of occasions when he had lost his European Tour card.
"Over the years I have made so many friends and been here countless times. It is quite easily the most familiar place for me other than home and I keep coming here and to Abu Dhabi almost every year," adds Jeev, who has also played once at the Dubai World Championships and eight out of nine editions of the Abu Dhabi Golf Championships.
For the record, Barry Lane is the only player to have featured in each of the past edition of the Dubai Desert Classic, while Colin Montgomerie has missed just one.
Gaganjeet Bhullar and Shiv Kapur are the other two Indian challengers in the field.
Bhullar has just earned his card this year through winnings in tournaments which have been co-sanctioned by Asian and European Tours, while Shiv returned to the Tour via the Challenge Tour after a gap in 2013.
Since his four wins in 2008 –- a feat he also achieved in 2006 –- Jeev has won just once at the 2012 Scottish Open.
Ironically, it was an injury that he picked during the week of the Scottish Open that has also been troubling him.
Jeev said: "I have been struggling with the rotator cuff injury. I am on strong medication and anti-inflammatories. I take six pills a day and I just wanted to hold out for the three-week Middle East swing and then I will take a break during which I will get further treatment," said Jeev.
The Chandigarh golfer has been avoiding surgery, because he feels that it might affect him adversely.
He added: "If the inflammation comes down and with a long rest after Dubai, I could get overcome this. But if that does not happen I will go for a plasma enriched injection (PRP). Hopefully that should work."
Though he won once in 2012, the year 2013 was very tough as he made only six cuts in 23 starts on the European Tour, four out of the eight starts in Asian and four out of seven in Japan.
"Hopefully things will turn around in 2014. I have seen tough times before and have come out of that and I feel I can do it again," says the smiling and positive Jeev, who does not need to look far for inspiration.
His father's struggle and rise to fame and glory and now an award-winning movie, spurs Jeev on. "It is amazing what all he did in the face of adversities," says the adoring son.
