Chowrasia story is the stuff of Bollywood

If Bollywood’s scriptwriters were planning a blockbuster movie about the life of a professional golfer, all they need to do is speak to S.S.P. Chowrasia.

The Indian golfer offers a wonderful rags to riches tale which epitomises hardship, dedication and eventual triumph, and a movie about his golfing life could well rival, if not better, previous hits including Tin Cup, The Greatest Game Ever Played or Legend of Bagger Vance.

The son of a greenkeeper in Kolkata, it wasn’t as if that Chowrasia was earlier invisible in a large field, but a stunning victory in the inaugural Emaar-MGF Indian Masters in February against a starry line-up which included Ernie Els has propelled him into the spotlight.

From being merely ‘a good player’, he has transcended into the league of contenders every time he tees up. No one understands that better than Chowrasia.

“Now I know my game will be watched even more closely. But I will still not put pressure on myself," he says.

But that's easier said than done.

In his next two events after his life-changing triumph, Chowrasia was hounded by the local press and subsequently missed the halfway cut on both occasions. But as the 29-year-old left the course each time, he was still smiling broadly just as he had done so coming into those tournaments.

That has been Chowrasia’s hallmark - always smiling. “I enjoy my game and so I am smiling always,” he replied to a query on his constant toothy grin.

Simple man. Simple answers.

Born in Kolkata, Chowrasia first learnt the rudiments of the game at Royal Calcutta Golf Club, the venerated club which is 180 years old. Not too far beyond the wall over the fifth green was where Chowrasia grew up in a small hutment with three brothers and sisters. Office for his father, Ganesh, was the RCGC, where he worked as a greenkeeper.

And certainly, the elite RCGC was Chowrasia's playground. Children of caddies and workers never really walked through the main gate – unless they were on the bag for the day. They simply jumped over the wall and walked across the greens and fairways.

Chowrasia, too, did that sometime. He smiles shyly when reminded of that. He has immense respect and love for the club and its members, who were virtually his family. The only one in the family to actually take up the game seriously, Chowrasia never really paid much attention to academics – he studied up to class eight.

He must have barely entered his teens when he received his first golf set from a club member, A.C. Law, who treated Chowrasia like his own son. That golf set was to be his life for times to come.

When he returned to RCGC after the win, he said, "I want to thank the RCGC and the many members who helped me along the way."

And of course, he remembered the RCGC management staff who chased him off the golf course after he had sneaked in to play several holes. When he was young, he, like many others, would find a way to get onto the course and practice a bit after the members had retired for the day. He would compete with friends over a few holes in fading light and practice his putting in darkness, with several candles lighted up, to escape the hawk-eyed course supervisor.

Chowrasia and friends couldn’t hit or drive from off the tee boxes for fear that they would be found out. So, they chipped quietly and the putted out. No wonder, they nicknamed Chowrasia 'Chip-putt-sia' for he has a lovely touch around the greens.

In the early years, he had very little, if often no money to go out and play tournaments. He was afraid to venture out of Kolkata and was worried that he couldn’t afford to pay entry fees and hotels. So, often than not, he just did not go out to play.

The first time he left home to board a train to Patna for a golf tournament was in 1998. "It was the first time I was leaving home and I was nervous," Chowrasia recalled.

He was barely 18 when he turned professional in 1997. But in the 1999 Indian Open, the little know Chowrasia finished second behind fellow Kolkata resident Arjun Atwal, and was marked as a big prospect.

Despite earning over US$22,000 which is fairly substantial in India, Chowrasia did not find the courage to travel, something which he regrets now. "Going out meant a lot of expenses and also I had never been out before. I was not sure of all the formalities," he recalled. Out of shyness, he did not even ask.

But after consistently doing well on Indian Tour – the money helped him buy a flat near RCGC – he took a big decision at the end of 2005 and signed up for the Asian Tour.

“At the end of the 2005, I decided I would put away part of my earnings from Indian Tour to play on the Asian Tour. I decided I would invest Rs.6 lakhs (US$15,000) for travelling and expenses on a few events. If it worked I would stay or else I would take a decision again."

The first half of the season, he made cuts. But the expenses of travelling, staying and hiring caddies were often too costly. He admits having misgivings midway through the 2006 season. But once the second half of the season began, things changed dramatically. He pulled off impressive top-20 finishes in the Philippines Open and the Crowne Plaza Open in China. A first ever top-10 at the Bangkok Airways Open saw his confidence soar even higher.

Then he made headlines at the Mercuries Taiwan Masters, but for the wrong reason. He led the field by three shots after the first round but was later disqualified for not signing his scorecard. Tears followed but it was a lesson well learnt. "That was an awful experience. I soon got over it. It was a big lesson," says Chowrasia.

A few weeks later at the Hero Honda Indian Open, he lost in a play-off to Jyoti Randhawa after missing a 15-feet birdie putt for the title on 72nd hole. He then ended his breakthrough season with a 10th place finish at the Volvo Masters of Asia.

But the education of Chowrasia had begun. He says the Asian Tour has been a learning curve. "Some years back I was not confident of travelling alone. I was not confident of talking to strangers and all I felt good about was getting to the golf course, where I knew I could compete with anybody," says the smiling Chowrasia, who is in his third year on the Asian Tour.

“And yes, my golf has improved. In my first year I was 38th, and was 32nd in 2007," says Chowrasia, who is currently third on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit. “The Asian Tour has given me a lot of opportunities to enhance my career and my life.

"I used to be hesitant to speak in English as I don't speak very good English, but I have realised that I need to communicate. I think it was all a mental block; now I go where I feel, and do what I want to."

Life has changed a lot over last few years. Now he is a golf star in India.

Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan was at hand to present him an Omega watch after his Indian triumph and Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, had a special word for him while Ernie Els had nice things to say about Chowrasia.

Every now and then, when he looks back at his humble beginnings in Kolkata, thinks to himself: "This is too good to be true."

March 17, 2008

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