After the initial uncertainty and stocktaking when the pandemic kicked in last year, Chiragh Kumar settled into a rhythm that was innovative and heartwarming.
It was easier said than done, as the Asian Tour (2015 Panasonic Open) winner realizes on looking back. The phase was his longest break from golf and couple it with negativity on various fronts, the stage was set for a battle. It was fought and won in the mind.
Known for the meticulous following of what athletes term the “process”, Chiragh made his choice. Since golf had to take a backseat given the times, fitness it was to be. Conventional methods were merged with novel ones, and when Chiragh emerged from home for tee-off, expectations had gone up. Never had so much work gone into fitness, and along with whatever little golf drills he could manage indoors and the lawn, Chiragh emerged for tee-off in November last high on hope.
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No gym. No school. No excuses. 💯 👨👧👧 💪@KumarChiragh #MondayMotivation #StayWell pic.twitter.com/T3959zPUPv
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) May 4, 2020
Perhaps the expectations were too high. “A lot of hard work went in last year and when the efforts did not translate into results, I was disappointed,” said Chiragh. Known to be harsh on himself given the high benchmark set, the frustration on the golf course and off it hurt but not an extent that “I would do something stupid”. “I do think a lot, but a bad day ends with the round, I don’t carry it with me outside,” said Chiragh.
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Conditioned by the phase, Chiragh knew better during Lockdown 2. There was the usual work on fitness, but the moment golf clubs opened in and around Delhi, the focus shifted to course work. And yes, expectations were watered down this time.
The result was when tournaments restarted on the Professional Golf Tour of India at the beginning of the month, Chiragh found himself in a better space mentally. Letting go helped him relax and translated into some strong results. Top-20s in Hyderabad and Panchkula led to the T6 at last week’s J&K Open in Srinagar, where he notched his first to-10 since the Tour. Championship in December 2020.
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Surely, a different approach can work wonders at times.
Photos: Chiragh Kumar
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