15-year-old son of Jeev, Harjai Milkha lifts his second IGU title in Panchkula

Talking about how he plays national tournaments following the advice of his father and international golfer Jeev Milkha Singh, Harjai, the grandson of Indian athletics legend Milkha Singh, said: “My father has always told me to be confident in my own abilities and what I train in my practice. Our conversations about golf are always about him backing his instincts at the golf course, and it should be the same in my case, too. The course here was playing a bit rough, and the key was to keep the ball in the fairways. The greens were playing good, but the third round was cancelled on Thursday due to rain, and they were playing soft today (Friday). So, putting was the key on the final day, and I am happy to win my second title of the year.”

A tenth standard student at Strawberry Fields High School in Sector 26, Harjai had first tried his hand at cricket and football at his school before he opted to play golf.

In 2017, he had won the Milkha Junior Challenge before he finished third in the US Kids Golf World Championships in Malaysia in 2018.

In 2023, Singh had won the title in the U-13 category in the US Kids Golf European Championship in Scotland before he also competed in the Jersey Legends Cup at the Channel Islands as an amateur, where his father Jeev Milkha Singh also competed.

Last year, Harjai won the title in category B in the IGU Southern India Junior Boys Golf Championship before winning the overall title in the same tournament this year.

“Whenever I get a chance to play abroad, I aim to understand the conditions at the different golf courses. When I finished third in the US Kids Golf World Championships in Malaysia in 2018, my father had caddied for me and he lay emphasis on a lot of things apart from advising me to always respect the conditions and to be ready to adjust one’s game judging the conditions at the course,” said Harjai, who trains under coach Jesse Grewal.

In the last two months, Harjai played in two tournaments organised by the Thailand Golf Association, where he finished 16th and seventh. The youngster also played in the Huntsville Junior, organised by the American Junior Golf Association last month, where he finished 20th.

“Playing in Thailand and the US helped me understand the conditions as well as the kind of competitions abroad. I plan to play some more tournaments in the IGU circuit in the coming months, and I also hope to get some invites as an amateur golfer, too, in some professional tournaments.”

Chief guest Indian Golf Union secretary SK Sharma gave away prizes to the winners. Harpuneet Singh Sandhu, Member, Governing Council, Indian Golf Union (IGU) and Chairman, Indian National Golf Team, was also present on the occasion.