Shiv Kapur sets sights on 2020 Tokyo Olympics

For the seasoned Kapur, who first won on Asian Tour in his debut season in December 2005, it took 11 years and four months to claim his next Asian Tour win, which came in April 2017.

Shiv Kapur said it would be a tough fight to claim a berth in India’s golf contingent for the Games.

In the form of his life with three Asian Tour titles last season, ace Indian golfer Shiv Kapur has now set his sights on the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, and is hoping to stay battle-ready to secure a berth at the quadrennial event.

For the seasoned Kapur, who first won on Asian Tour in his debut season in December 2005, it took 11 years and four months to claim his next Asian Tour win, which came in April 2017.

He followed it up with two more titles to pocket his fourth Asian Tour title, becoming the only Indian to have won three times on the Tour. The 36-year-old golfer now dreams of representing India in the 2020 Olympics.

READ: Shubhankar to lead strong Indian field in Indian Open golf

“Certainly when you win it’s the best thing and you just want to keep going. Now my next goal is the 2020 Olympics. I want to stay fit for that, try and get myself ready. This is one big goal for me. But it is easier said than done. A year ago no one would have been talking about me being in the Olympics but now I am taking about it as a realistic goal. I hope I can peak at the right time and be in the kind of form I am right now, closer to Olympics,” Kapur said on the sidelines of Hero Indian Open launch press conference here on Tuesday.

Hailing the phenomenal rise of Subhankar Sharma, Kapur said it would be a tough fight to claim a berth in India’s golf contingent for the Games.

“The Olympics have a long way to go. You want to be talking about Subhankar in the Olympic race three months ago or Ajeetesh (Sandhu) six months ago. You can never be complacent. 3-4 months ago before the cutoff it’s going to heat up. It’s nice to see healthy competition and healthy rivalry,” he said.

Kapur feels Subhankar, who has broken into the top-100 at no. 72 with two European Tour wins in less than two months, is destined for more success.

“Shubhankar is a fantastic player. He is very level headed, fantastic the way he handles himself under pressure. At 21, he has got maturity beyond his age. If he gets a wildcard in the Masters, he is not a kind of kid who is going to be overwhelmed, he will embrace the challenge. He doesn’t seem to have any weaknesses. When you get success so early in life, you can get thrown off by all the fame but he seems to be handling that perfectly,” he said.

Kapur said it is important to keep playing well and not think about results. “The challenge is to keep your expectations down. You can’t expect to have a season where you win three times. The goal is to continue playing well. At times you can play well and not win and at times you don’t play your best but still win. Wins are not always ultimate thing. The goal would be to try and improve a little bit in every area and if that brings more wins than its fantastic,” he said.

Kapur is yet to taste success at the Indian Open and in pursuit of a victory here, he has decided not to play in Qatar next week. “I am supposed to play in Qatar next week but I have picked up a back injury last week in Australia. I am going to assess it today and tomorrow with my physio because I don’t want to put the Indian Open in jeopardy. I want to be fully fit for the Indian Open which I haven’t been in the past,” he said.