Thirteen years ago, top Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh was sitting in the Castle Stuart clubhouse enjoying a ‘cupper’ when he found himself in a play-off for the 2012 Aberdeen Asset Scottish Open.

​In the hour or so since he’d ended his own round Singh did not think he’d done enough to win the event nor entertain thoughts he would make a play-off having ended round three sharing 16th place, five shots off the lead and out on that Sunday July 15th afternoon in the 30th of 39 groups​.

So when Singh ended his round in birdieing five of his opening 10 holes but paring the remaining eight, he probably throught to himself it was a decent finish but ‘I think I will come-up short’.

However that was not to be as firstly, Scotland’s own Marc Warren left the overwhelming Scottish crowd stunned, dropping four shots over his closing five holes while Sweden’s Alex Noren bogeyed his 72nd hole and finally third round leader Italian Francesco Molinari, who was out in the final group, stumbled his way to a level par 72 but managing to tie Singh at 17-under to force a play-off.

Your author was present at the event and I recall there was no time for Singh to warm-up, not that he would have wanted to, as he simply met -up with caddy and with pair returning to course to brilliantly birdie the first extra hole and not only collect a whopping £470,000 first prize cheque, but earn himself entry into the following week’s Open Championship.

AN EMOTIONAL END TO A 1⃣3⃣-YEAR WINLESS DROUGHT ….

So happy for champion Jeev Milkha Singh from an historic 2012 @ScottishOpen @DPWorldTour
to final event 2025 @Officialigpl season

Read: https://t.co/7ibPHQIvxr

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✅@TOURMISS @Record_Sport (Bernie ) pic.twitter.com/zQvqTet4ry

— Fatiha (@TOURMISS) December 26, 2025

Now 13-years on from that memorable ​triumph along the River Ness shoreline, and Singh has ended his long overdue wait to win what is his 21st pro career tournament​, in the final event of the inaugural season of the Indian International Golf Premier League.

It was not only a dream finish for the 54-year-old but an emotional occasion beating a host of young and experienced stars to win the IGPL Invitational Sri Lanka on the Royal Colombo Golf Course​, and also a first win since losing both parents in 2021 due to the COVID virus.

After a modest second day, Jeev spent almost half an hour at the putting green. It may well have paid off as he putted superbly to add to his splendid iron play that saw him hit his approaches to inside 5-10 feet. At one stage he had five birdies in a row and seven in a span of nine holes between the sixth and the 14th.

Starting two shots behind Aryan Roopa Anand, Jeev, who turned 54 ten days ago, turned the clock with a closing 6-under 65 to total 15-under. He beat Aryan by one shot.

Aryan (68) needing an eagle on the Par-4 18th to force a play-off managed only a birdie and was sole second at 14-under.

A both physically and emotionally Jeev was mobbed by friends after the finish.

“I had never played in Sri Lanka before. It is an emotional moment for me. Because this is where my parents fell in love and began their relationship. My mother played volleyball and my father was here for athletics. So, this is where their journey together began,” said an emotional Jeev, wiping the tears away.

“We lost them in 2021 and I lost my will to play but a little later in 2022 I decided I would play for them and win. I hope today’s win will put a smile on their faces.”

Jeev’s father was one of India’s greatest track athletes, Milkha Singh, and died in 2020 aged 91 of Covid-19.  He was affectionately known as “the Flying Sikh” in recognition of his running achievements, winning gold at the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, in Cardiff after having taken gold medals at 200 and 400 metres in the Asian Games in Tokyo earlier in the year.

He also finished fourth at the 1960 Olympic Games, though history reporting he should really have won the gold medal had he not looked over his shoulder in nearing the finish line.

His mother Naur was a champion India Volleyball captain, passed away five days before her husband, also of Covid-19.

A double tragedy for Jeev, and another of golf’s good guys.

Well done and so pleased for you, Jeev.

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