The last decade was a study in contrast for Mandeo Pathania. It began with a win on the Professional Golf Tour of India, among other highs, got interspersed by inner turmoil before finding peace closer to time.
With a couple of course records to his name and a driving distance that evoked ‘wow’, the sturdy athlete from the hills had a lot to look forward to before form dipped.
Mandeo kept at it, but after a while introspection set in on whether making up the numbers defined perseverance or if it was better to move on and explore an opportunity in Oakville, Ontario.
He took the plunge in 2015 and even played Q-School at the Korn Ferry Tour in Florida with the help of a fund-raising initiative by the Indian community there. “It was an eye opener with guys shooting really low scores,” says Mandeo.
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After two attempts, he “stepped back” and set up base in Oakville with the backing of “godfather” Rai Sahi @clublinkgolf
Fitness has been an integral part of Mandeo’s routine and was among the fittest on Tour.The new journey @glenabbeygolfclub started with holding pro-ams, clinics for corporates and juniors, and while the “transition was super, mentally it was horrible as if I was accepting defeat”. The bank balance started to grow but the urge to divide time between coaching and playing across Tours in Canada and India stayed. It was a tussle between “practicality and passion”.
After five years of “inner struggle”, peace got restored following a chat with fellow instructor and former @pgatour pro Ben Ferguson. “He told me ‘for a year try coaching as you would play’.” Mandeo has not looked back since and can now vouch how “satisfying it is to mould careers”.
Photo credit: Mandeo Pathania
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