As the son of "The Flying Sikh", Jeev Milkha Singh [Images] was always going to find it difficult to make a name for himself when he decided to become a professional sportsman.

One of the greatest athletes in India's history, Milkha Singh ran at three successive Olympic Games and finished fourth in the 400 metres in Rome in 1960 when the first four home all ran faster than the previous world record.

Perhaps it was appropriate that his son should win the China Open -- his first European Tour title and the first of any description for seven years -- in the city which will host the next Olympics [Images] in 2008.

"I hope I'll be a hero in India, but I think my dad is a bigger hero still," said the 34-year-old after his one-shot win on Sunday. "He's been a true sportsman and he's been a big support in my life."

Singh's father wanted him to be an athlete and agreed to him swapping the spikes of the running track for the heavier model sported by golfers on one proviso.

"He's the man who speaks the way he does and tells you straight up," said Singh. "He told me 'If you want to take up the sport, you might as well give your best to be the best, otherwise stay at home and do something else'."

Singh looked like going some way to fulfilling his father's demand early in his career and after impressing on the Asian Tour became the first Indian to qualify for the European Tour in 1997.

• Also read: 'Jeev's perseverance paid off'

But he spent much of his time in Europe struggling with a wrist injury and relinquished his card in 2002.

"When I was injured, I didn't know if I was going to come back in the sport," he said. "When I came back I wasn't thinking the same way. I was struggling, I was putting pressure on myself and I was getting down."

Singh said his success in Beijing [Images] had come from reining in his natural aggression on the course.

"I've let so many tournaments go in the last four or five years and I learned that it hasn't worked for me so I might as well step back," he said.

With his mobile phone buzzing constantly as family and well-wishers tried to get through to congratulate him, Singh said he had already spoken to his father.

"He would be proud of me today but I'm sure he'd expect more from me."