Jeev, Chopra fail to make it

Hero Honda-sponsored Jeev Milkha Singh, the only Indian ever to make it to the final stage of the Qualifying school for the prestigious USPGA Tour, failed to qualify for the 2002 season’s Tour despite a six-round tally of two-under 430.

Jeev finished tied-130th for the event.

The USPGA Tour Qualifying school was staged at the par-72, Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Daniel Chopra, the Swede of Indian origin, suffered a fate similar to Jeev’s.

He aggregated nine-under 423 to tie-87th for the event.

The cut was applied at 17-under 415 with 36 golfers earning themselves 2002 USPGA Tour cards.

Pat Perez emerged the best of this lot with a staggering tally of 27-under 405 winning him the Q-School event. Perez’s six round outing included a course record breaking 63 shot in the third round.

Ty Tryon, the 17-year old prodigy was among the lucky qualifiers as was Gary Nicklaus, son of the legendary Jack Nicklaus. While Tryon tallied 18-under 414 to finish tied-23rd, Nicklaus essayed a tied-13th finish with an aggregate of 411.

Outside of the qualifiers, 50 golfers from tied-37th to tied-81st positions earned themselves a free Buy.Com Tour Exemption, while the remaining players, including Jeev Milkha Singh and Daniel Chopra fell in the ‘Not Fully Exempt’ category for the Buy.Com Tour.

Jeev, who started on the tenth tee on Tuesday, began with a bogey and proceeded to drop two more shots on the 13th and 16th. With birdies on the 15th and 17th, Jeev went into his back-nine at one-over. Two bogeys and an equal number of birdies on his return journey saw him return a one-over 73.

Jeev’s six-round break-up included scores of 71, 74, 68, 72, 72 and 73.

Daniel Chopra, another tenth tee starter, had a poor outward journey which included among others, two double bogeys on the 14th and 16th. Three-over before making the turn, Chopra staged a remarkable back-nine recovery essaying four straight birdies from the 2nd to 5th to end the day at one-under 71. Chopra’s six-round tally comprised of scores of 68, 73, 73, 71, 67 and 71.