•Vipin Pubby: Why did you choose golf when your parents found success in other sports?

I started playing golf in school. I could have opted for athletics or cricket but I always had the freedom to choose any game I liked. I used to go to the golf course with my father and felt at ease with the game right from the start. Very few individuals are able to make a living from a game they love the most and so I am lucky to have done that. I have always tried to make golf my top priority. My mother was very particular that I go through proper training alongside my studies and early in my career, she insisted that I go to the US for higher studies.

•Nainu Rohtaki: What was your father’s reaction when he learnt that you wanted to play golf?

My father was a competitive athlete and he realises that all games are alike. Once he realised that I was interested in playing golf, he was very supportive. Whether it was going to the US for further studies or playing on the junior circuit, my father always supported me and was always eager to arrange the best facilities for me. There are times when I feel low about the game and then, there is no one better than him to give me advice.

•Nitin Sharma: In the early days of your career, as an amateur, you played a lot in the US. What was it like to play on the nationwide tour and in tournaments like the Eisenhower Trophy?

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