SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

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usaindian
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SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by usaindian »

i think its time to open a separate thread for  SSP,
here are some articles about his win
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/11/stories ... 901800.htm
biggest  purse winner on indian soil
http://www.hindu.com/2008/02/11/stories ... 051800.htm
third indian to win a european tour  event after arjun  ,jeevi
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by S_K_S »

I was fortunate enough to catch the highlights on Sky this evening and I was amazed by the performance of SSP. It was one of the finest final rounds in recent Golfing memory. He was so assured and confident throughout and his putting was amazing. He never looked in trouble and there was no wobble at all which is stupendous for someone who was going for his first major trophy. I don't know much about the mechanics of Golf but they had this expert on the panel who said that his acceleration through the ball when putting was note worthy. They showed a TV interview afterwards and he answered in Hindi via an interpreter. He seemed a really level headed and down to earth guy. Fantastic stuff.
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by usaindian »

due to this win his ranking moved from 388 to 161 ,the third best after jeev,jyothi
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by ajay »

Thanks usaindian for starting this thread. Yes, we must acknowledge this achievement with a thread on his name. There are some nice stories on SSP in the news media.
Read this Telegraph story that covers his rag to riches story.
Golf has known its share of rags-to-riches stories, but Indian Shivshankar Chowrasia's two-shot triumph over Damien McGrane in the Indian Masters yesterday is among the best.

 
Feel-good moment: Shivshankar Chowrasia with his trophy
Chowrasia, who was brought up in a hovel in the bushes behind Royal Calcutta's ninth green, has a smile to match Tiger's - and it was in place long before he put the finishing touches to his closing 67.

"My smile is not a secret," said the former caddie and son of a greenkeeper. ''Golf is a mind game and you will always play better if you enjoy yourself."

The 29-year-old 'SSP', as he is known, had never thought he would win an event taking in so many of the European Tour's finest, including a three-major man in Ernie Els. All of which helped to explain why, when he accepted his cheque for £211,642 from a Bollywood star by the name of Abhishek Bachchan, his mind went blank.

He has no idea what he will do with the money, but the brother whose turn it was to do the caddying yesterday will certainly get his share.

Whereas most European Tour players learn their trade in the amateur game, Chowrasia used to practise, furtively, on the edge of Royal Calcutta. As often as not, he would be shooed away by the very same members who later contributed towards his expenses for the local Indian professional tour. Out there, he would win 10 times before moving on to the Asian circuit.

His beginnings encouraged a short game in the same league as that of Seve Ballesteros, while it was not too long before his fellow professionals had awarded him the pseudonym of Chip-putt-sia.
Here is the Indian Telegraph story Calcutta gets a new hero
Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, who practised putts by candlelight, today scored arguably the biggest sporting triumph by a Calcuttan in an individual sport.

Chowrasia, son of the man who tended the course at Royal Calcutta Golf Club, beat top international golfers — including world No. 4 Ernie Els, Mark ’Meara and Thomas Bjorn — to win the $2.5-million Emaar MGF Indian Masters, a European Tour event.

The 29-year-old Class VI dropout bagged $416,660 (about Rs 1.6 crore) but more important, earned qualification for three years on the European Tour and moved closer to “realising my dream of playing on the US PGA Tour”.

“Right now my mind is totally blocked… I’m not able to think about anything. I’m just really happy to win,” the diminutive, ever-smiling Chowrasia had said at Delhi Golf Club moments after his win. But he had added: “I have now got the confidence to play against the best players.”

 
Calcutta hoped the feat would do for golf in the city what Sania Mirza has done for women’s tennis in India.

Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, who practised putts by candlelight, today scored arguably the biggest sporting triumph by a Calcuttan in an individual sport.

Chowrasia, son of the man who tended the course at Royal Calcutta Golf Club, beat top international golfers — including world No. 4 Ernie Els, Mark ’Meara and Thomas Bjorn — to win the $2.5-million Emaar MGF Indian Masters, a European Tour event.

The 29-year-old Class VI dropout bagged $416,660 (about Rs 1.6 crore) but more important, earned qualification for three years on the European Tour and moved closer to “realising my dream of playing on the US PGA Tour”.

“Right now my mind is totally blocked… I’m not able to think about anything. I’m just really happy to win,” the diminutive, ever-smiling Chowrasia had said at Delhi Golf Club moments after his win. But he had added: “I have now got the confidence to play against the best players.”

 
Calcutta hoped the feat would do for golf in the city what Sania Mirza has done for women’s tennis in India.
The last words  comparing with Sania are too optimistic for now as Golf has not yet reached masses. But hopefully, this success will boost this game's following.
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by BSharma »

Thanks USAIndian for starting the thread and congratulations to Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia for winning the Indian Masters. 
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by Omkara »

He is a class VI drop out.

He needed a translator while speaking to the media. It was so inspirational.
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by usaindian »

chowrasia tops asian order of merit for week 1
http://www.asiantour.com/story.htm?id=3388
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by jaydeep »

SSP also moved up to seventh on the Order of Merit on European Tour.

Check this article for European Tour site ...

Chowrasia serves up his own Indian takeaway

[quote]"On the back nine I tried to make my pars and I am glad I was able to do that,” said Chowrasia.

Chowrasia went on: “Over the last five holes I did think about winning and I just wanted to stay calm and focus on my target. I feel like I have played very well and stayed calm. I never thought that I could win this tournament, but I don't know what I'm going to do in the future. I am sure I will play more both in Asia and particularly in Europe.”

“When I reflect on the tournament, I played an awful lot of good golf this week and I’m happy with the way I played,” said the Irishman, Damien McGrane. “I could have won, could have done all sorts of things, but I’m satisfied with second place.

“But fair play to the champion. Obviously I’d have liked to win but in the end I’m delighted to see an Indian golfer win in India and I think that will be great for the future of golf the country and the future of the European Tour in India itself.”[/url]
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by Prem »

HEARTY CONGRATULATIONS TO SSPC.  :notworthy:
SSPC played simply beautifully on the last day.
While watching live, I was tensed and expected him to falter atleast on the last few holes.
But, SSPC was still calm and had a smile on his face all the time.
Wish him all the best in future & hope to see him a lot in Europe and US.
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by PKBasu »

Yes, he was absolutely brilliant on the final day -- a remarkable feat in itself, suggesting he thrives on pressure (and can perhaps blank it out from his mind). He nailed every tough putt on the final day, although he did occasionally hurry on easy putts on Day 3 and missed one or two. What was truly admirable was how he put it all together so brilliantly when it mattered on Sunday.
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by Caram Dharma »

I have to take some credit for clairvoyance.  I recall a couple of years ago someone had stated that Michelle Wie was nearly good enough to be on the US PGA tour when I stated that she was no match for Indian tour players such as our own SSP Chowrasia.  [PS -- I will try to dig up that post]  Now of course we know how good SSP Chowrasia is and he will belong to the US PGA tour very soon!!
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by BSharma »

Caram Dharma wrote: I have to take some credit for clairvoyance.  I recall a couple of years ago someone had stated that Michelle Wie was nearly good enough to be on the US PGA tour when I stated that she was no match for Indian tour players such as our own SSP Chowrasia
There is no doubt that Michelle Wie is a good golf player, but she no match for Indian golfers and many LPGA golfers.
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by S_K_S »

Sumanta wrote: He is a class VI drop out
I want to find all those teachers who used to tell me "khelnay koodnay say kuch nahin hoga".

The UK Telegraph had a big feature on SSP in its Monday Sports Supplement. The online version is here

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.j ... air111.xml
Last edited by S_K_S on Mon Feb 11, 2008 10:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by PKBasu »

The first seven paragraphs of that Telegraph (London) piece seemed to have been lifted verbatim from another article I had read yesterday...anyway, SSP deserves all the accolades he is getting.
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Re: SSP Chowrasia ----- Indian Masters Winner

Post by jaydeep »

Everybody is printing columns on SSP ... In a way its good considering less popularity of golf in India ... Here is another one from Rediff, frankly matter of an article is the same which we knows but also having some snaps in this slide show.

Crown for the caddie
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