CHENNAI: With the pandemic halting golf world over, Jeev Milkha Singh is spending quality time with his family in Chandigarh.
He is using the opportunity to bond with his parents and connect with his friends, for which he hardly had time before. Jeev is worried that it will take a long time for golf to resume and is requesting everyone to be patient during these challenging times.
"I am home with my family, parents and dogs. Chandigarh is under complete lockdown. There is nothing much you can do. So I am using this time to catch up with my friends. It has been a long time since I've gotten such quality time at home. I am making the most of it."
The four-time European Tour champion says that his affinity for the outdoors has made isolation difficult, but he's adapting to the situation.
"I have developed a daily routine. Every morning, I do yoga. I am on the phone for a while. Then I do a little bit of work at home. I have lunch and watch TV for an hour. After that, I play cards with mom and dad. Then I chat with my family and relax for a while. I have dinner at 8pm. After that, I watch something on Netflix or Hotstar, and then go to bed."
"You have to be a responsible citizen, respect each other, and follow the lockdown. I am a professional and an outgoing person, one who spends a lot of time outdoors. But when the situation demands that you have to stay at home, you have to do it. To stay indoors is tough, but this routine helps."
Like all others in various cities, Jeev is also sticking to the rules while buying groceries. "The market is only 300m from our house. There is specific time for buying essentials, and people come only then."
There's a palpable change in Jeev's tone — a happy one — when his father Milkha Singh is mentioned. "He's very active. He exercises every day: light weights and skipping. I also do a lot of exercises. Shutting your body down is not good, especially for athletes. You need to be active."
Jeev has assumed a pragmatic approach to how his professional life will be once normalcy is restored. "It has never been like this before. I think that Asian Pro golf may start by the end of August. Maybe by next June, things will be better. It is a long time. But we're sincerely hoping that things improve fast." The 48-year-old is worried about the maintenance of golf courses, particularly those in India.
"They are shut, so people cannot go there and work on them. When the situation improves, it will take a long time to get them all back in shape."