8216;Hope to return a better player8217;

Back 8216;home8217; after over two years, there are a lot of old acquaintances that need to be renewed. In life, though, Arjun Atwal is just keen on a fresh start.

Back 8216;home8217; after over two years, there are a lot of old acquaintances that need to be renewed. In life, though, Arjun Atwal is just keen on a fresh start.

For the watchers back home, injuries, relegation from the PGA Tour and then the road mishap translated as a journey downhill. The 34-year-old, though, chooses to treat it as just a bump in the road. 8220;I8217;ve had a tough two years. The back injury made me lose almost three months at the end of 2006, and then there was obviously the accident last year. A lot of off-course stuff came in way of my golf.

8220;I was mentally occupied and that hurt my game,8221; he says.

Then the end of 2007 seemed to mark a new beginning. When the fresh Nationwide Tour season started in January, Atwal began with a bang, with a second place finish in the first event 8212; the Panama Movistar Championship. 8220;On December 10 my second son Shiva was born. I think he8217;s already brought me good luck,8221; Atwal laughs.

8220;But after the experiences I8217;ve had, I think I8217;ve learnt a lot. So when I do get back on the PGA Tour, I think I8217;ll be a much better player when I8217;m in contention.

8220;My target is to win at least three events on the Nationwide or get into the top-25 on the money list and get my card back as quick as I can,8221; he says. After two events, he8217;s tied for second place at the moment.

With too many Indians not attempting the PGA plunge, the tour has variously been called lonely and unfriendly. The four-year full-time veteran there, though, begs to differ. 8220;I actually wonder why more Indians don8217;t come in. With people like Jyoti and Shiv doing very well, I think it8217;s time they tried it.

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8220;It8217;s a tough tour, you know. The courses are tough 8212; high rough, fast greens, different sort of grass 8212; and then some of the world8217;s best players. But I don8217;t know why people have this wrong perception of it being lonely. It8217;s a very friendly tour,8221; he says.

Landing in the city just today, jet-lagged but keen for action right away, Atwal found enough to eke out a round at the Delhi Golf Club. The course might be looking new with all the dressing up it8217;s done for the Emaar MGF Indian Masters, it was just the same for Atwal.

8220;Oh I8217;ve played so much here, it doesn8217;t feel different at all.

8220;We have a very strong Indian contingent and Jyoti seems to win every time he plays here, so I8217;m sure we8217;ll have an interesting time.8221;