Seenappa Chikkarangappa has indeed come a long way. He has traversed golf’s winding paths in great style. The Ramnagar lad, who worked as a caddie at the age of 10 earning ` 60 a month, took home the best amateur award totaling 281 after finishing tied 26th overall.
Had Chikka, as he is popularly known, been a professional, he would have earned
US $12,187.50. Harendra P. Gupta of India and Jason Kuntzon of USA tied with Chikka for the 26th slot and both got cheques for that amount. Unfortunately, Chikka had to make do with a glittering trophy but nothing in prize money. Chikka has plans to turn pro along with another talented golfer Khalin Joshi.
The sooner the better as Chikka has a long career ahead of him. He had a passion for golf for a long time. Chikka worked as caddie at the Eagleton Golf Resort nearer his home to earn money for himself and to support his family as well.
But walking the greens with some big golf names and watching them in action, turned Chikka’s attention to the game and he took to it like fish to water. He developed a passion for the drives, the putts and the consequent birdies. The bogeys on the way did not matter at all. Chikka took part in local events, won some, lost some and at the age of 16, emerged as India’s amateur champion.
Chikka’s life is surely nothing but a fairy tale. Of course, he has toiled hard no doubt. But from an amateur champion to making the cut among professionals at the Indian Open and then to emerge as the best amateur, Chikka has done what many would only dream to do.
Chikka had scored of 72, 68, 67 and 74 for a total of 281, a -3 effort which saw him tied a creditable 26th and first among the five amateurs who made the cut of 81 with the pros.
“This was my fourth year at the Indian Open and I didn’t make the cut in the first three editions. I was desperate to make the cut here, and then perform well,” Chikkarangappa said.
Chikka, 18, played his round with Australian Scott Hend after making the cut. The Aussie is a proven golfer with seven titles on the pro circuit. “It’s was a big boost to play with Scott Hend, one of the biggest hitters on the Asian and European Tour. If you look at his game, you may think of hitting it long too. But you have to focus on your own game, and do only what works for you. This kind of analysis, for example, comes only from getting the opportunity to play in these events,” Chikka had said.
“This tournament will serve as a tremendous help when I begin my pro career,” he added.
“It was Vijay Divecha, my club coach, who felt I had the talent to play golf and encouraged me. I will always be grateful to him and whatever I have achieved is because of him,” Chikka added.
Chikka’s effort was amazing considering that many other Indians failed to make the cut. That included the KGA course hero and home boy Chinnaswamy Muniyappa. Chikka is yet to decide when he would turn pro. No matter what, Chikka is sure to set a lot of courses on fire for he has the talent and, more importantly, the hunger to do so.
During the 2009-10 season, Chikka won the Karnataka Open Junior and sub junior title. He went on to claim the East and Western India titles in the same category while being the runner-up in three other events.
He was runner-up in the Faldo Series pre-qualifying Asia Region and placed 5th in the Malaysian Junior meet.
Chikka also represented the country in the Asian Junior and the World Junior meets.
His exploits at many other tournaments have raised eye-brows. He has already done superbly in the Indian Open after having made the cut for the first time.
Surely, the professional golf world is a very tough place to be in. But when the going gets tough, the tough get going. And they hardly come tougher than Chikka.
