•Harpreet Bajwa: Do you see the government supporting golf?

Whatever is happening in golf in India right now is due to private houses. Imagine what would happen if people from all spheres of life could practice at ranges. I hope the government realises this soon so that we have adequate infrastructure for the game in India. The Indian Golf Union does provide free kits for upcoming players and I guess more such initiatives are needed.

•Mukesh Bhardwaj: Tiger Woods happens to be the world’s richest sportsperson. Do you think the prize money in Indian tournaments is good enough to attract more players to golf?

The situation at the moment is alright, although sponsorships are not so good. We have got about 20 tournaments and the Professional Golf Tour of India has allotted prize money worth Rs 8 crore, which is quite good. The prize money is distributed among the top 60 players and on an average, a player gets at least Rs 2 lakh. We need some more financial assistance from the corporate sector and more funding for the players.

•Shalini Gupta: You won four titles in 2006, apart from 14 top-10 finishes. Is this your best season so far?

There are still three more months to go in this season and I guess this year will also be as good as 2006. Yes, it was a year to remember and I was able to make my presence felt on the international circuit. I hope before the season ends I will win at least three more tournaments.

... contd.