Jeev falters on final day

Ace Indian golfer Jeev Milkha Singh faltered on the final day of the US PGA Tour Qualifying School at La Quinta, California, when he returned a card of five-over 77 at the treacherous Stadium Course.

He thus missed on the opportunity to create history by becoming the first Indian to qualify for the lucrative US PGA Tour, but became the first Indian to gain a full exemption on the second-rung Nationwide Tour, which replaces the Buy.com Tour in the coming season.

According to information, the Hero Honda-sponsored Jeev was finally tied for the 73rd place at three-under 429 after six rounds. More than 4000 players started the Q-School and only 170 made it to the final stage in what is universally regarded as the toughest golf tournament in the world.

The top-35 and ties were to get their PGA Tour card, and 38 players got in at eight-under 424. The next 48 received full exemption on the Nationwide Tour, and those after that got some exemptions on the same Tour.

Jeev dropped five strokes in last five holes, making double bogeys on the 15th and 18th holes and a bogey on the 14th. Starting the day at eight-under, all he needed was to play a par round. But he did not have a good start and made bogeys on the second and third holes.

"Those bogies put a lot of pressure on me. Thereafter, I started trying too much. It was a make or break effort in the last few holes and I had to go for the maximum. I am extremely disappointed with the way I finished after playing so well the first five days," said the 30-year-old on phone from the US.

"In the final analysis, I think the fourth and fifth days were the turning point. I made so many birdies on those two days, but also made equal number of bogeys," added Jeev.

Jeff Brehaut won the medallist honour, shooting a 1-over 73 on the final day. Brehaut, who finished at 16-under-par 416, finished one stroke ahead of James McLean, Chris Anderson and Alex Cejka. McLean closed with a 70 while Anderson shot 72 and Cejka a 73.