Press Release Body = Chandigarh, Chandigarh, India, Friday, December 29, 2006 (InfoMailers.com)::
Punjab Golf Association (PGA), the administrator of Golf for the state of Punjab, conferred the first ever 'Punjab Golf Rattan' Award on Chiranjeev Milkha Singh, India's most prolific & highest ranked international golfer and a golfing hero for Punjab, here today. India's Champion Sprinter & Ace Olympian Milkha Singh and Mrs. Nirmal Milkha Singh, Chiranjeev's parents, were also honoured with Memento presentation by the PGA.
Sh SK Sharma, IPS and President, PGA presented Chiranjeev Milkha Singh with a Trophy, a PGA Golf Blazer, a Scroll of Achievements listing all his wins and the "Punjab Golf Rattan" Award, in the presence of Milkha Singh, Mrs. Nirmal Milkha Singh, senior PGA office bearers and over 500 Golf lovers from all over Punjab at a function in Chandigarh.
Chiranjeev Milkha Singh, currently ranked 37 on the Official World Golf Ranking, is the highest ranking Indian in the history of Golf. 2006 has been a phenomenal year for Chiranjeev with four title wins on three different Tours, 2006 Volvo China Open (co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours), Volvo Masters (European Tour), Casio World Open (Japan Golf Tour) and Golf Nippon Series JT Cup (Japan Golf Tour). He broke into the top 100 in October this year and then became the first Indian to break into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankings this month. Being placed in the top-50 in the world has also secured him exemptions into all four Majors next year. The 35-year-old was the first Indian golfer to become a member of the European Tour in 1998. Chiranjeev, only the second Indian to win on the European Tour after Arjun Atwal, was also crowned the Asian Tour's Order of Merit winner this year.
Chiranjeev Milkha Singh attended Abilene Christian University in the United States of America and won the NCAA Division-II Individual Golf Championship in 1993. He also won a number of amateur tournaments in the US. His first professional win came at the 1993 Southern Oklahoma State Open. Later, he played mainly in Asia, where he was a regular winner in the mid 1990s. In 1999 he came 50th on the Order of Merit. He struggled with wrist injury in the early years of the new century but roared back to form with a victory at the Volvo China Open in April 2006 that set up the tremendous year for him.
His professional wins are the Southern Oklahoma State Open in 1993, the Shinhan Donghae Open (South Korea) in 1994, the Philippine Classic and Asian Matchplay Championship (both Asian Tour) in 1995, the Philip Morris Asia Cup (Asian Tour) in 1996, the Lexus International (Asian Tour) in 1999, the Volvo China Open (co-sanctioned by the Asian and European Tours), the Volvo Masters (European Tour), the Casio World Open (Japan Golf Tour) and the Golf Nippon Series JT Cup (Japan Golf Tour) in 2006.
Speaking on the occasion, Sh SK Sharma said, "Chiranjeev Milkha Singh is a Golfing hero not only for youth in Punjab but all over India. His achievements over his entire career, especially during the current year, are a great inspiration to kids and youngsters to take up the game of golf. He has proved once again that Indian and Punjabi Sportspersons can not only compete but triumph on the international stage, especially in Golf. He is the ideal candidate for the first ever 'Punjab Golf Rattan' Award. We wish him all the success in the future and hope that he continues to bring honours to his state and country. We are confident that this is just the start for him and for the generations of Punjabi Golfers that he will inspire."
The Punjab Golf Association was established in 1997 to promote Golf, assist emergence of world class Golf players, create Golf Courses and Golf Training Facilities in Punjab. For nearly a decade now, the PGA has been providing quality training for Turf Management, Amateur Golfers, Coaches and Caddies in Punjab. The PGA has organized 7 State Championships, participated in 2 Indo-Pak Inter-Punjab Golf Tournaments, hosted the first Indo-Pak Inter-Punjab Golf Tournament, organized 108 Children Golf Clinics, 42 District Tournaments, 20 Inter-Club Golf Tournaments, 76 Caddy Workshop, 20 Caddy Coaching Clinics and 15 Turf Management Seminars so far. The PGA Teams won the first Indo-Pak Inter-Punjab Golf Tournament in 2005 and the National Golf Championship in 2002.
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