Talk with psychologist helped me focus

Last night I told myself things couldn't get any worse. They could only improve from here. I called up my psychologist, Dr HK Khan in Can...

Last night I told myself things couldn’t get any worse. They could only improve from here. I called up my psychologist, Dr HK Khan in Canada, and spoke to him for about 15 minutes. It really did me a lot of good. Dr Khan asked me to do some muscle relaxation exercises. He wanted me to banish all negative thoughts and more specifically told me to think about all the good things that have happened to me on the Delhi Golf Club Course.

I thought about last year when I played so well and came second and about the year before that when I was in top 10. I must also mention a chat I had with my Dad on what has been happening to me over the last two days. He felt that I should not have missed the Singapore Open the week after winning in Thailand. I had taken the week off to be at my friend’s wedding.

My father’s reasoning is that it probably affected my momentum. I was coming off a good Dunhill showing and then Lexus. I have given it a thought and he probably has a point, but now I cannot do anything. The decisionhad been taken and I must live with it. Another learning experience, I presume!Back to the game. I am happy with the way the round went. I will be frank, I went in with the goal of getting a 66 or a 67. Still I will take a 69 after 74 and 76 on the first two days. The scores could have been better if those eagle putts on the eighth and 18th had rolled in.

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I had birdies on all four par fives besides another one on the 12th. I had an eagle putt from five feet on the eighth and from eight feet on the 18th. I was hitting well and the putts rolled okay, though they can always be better. As for my plans for Sunday, I am going to attack. Believe it or not, I am going to attack and go for a birdie on each hole. I want an under par score for the tournament and low 60s is my target for Sunday.

I heard about Jyoti’s exploits today and he now has three 69s and at nine under and three strokes ahead of the rest of the field, must surely be the biggest favourite.

Wow, it could be a back-to-back and if he does it, Ibelieve it will be the first time this would have happened on the APGA. I have fond memories of the great battle we had last year and here’s wishing him all the best. Go Jyo, go.

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