Govt must intervene to sort golf mess: Jeev Milkha Singh

NEW DELHI: Leading professional golfers, Jeev Milkha Singh and Gaganjeet Bhullar, have expressed concern over the situation in Indian golf, as the internal rift and factionalism within the national federation has cast a shadow over team selection for the forthcoming Asian Games.Jeev, with a total of 21 professional wins in his illustrious career, said an intervention of the highest nature was in order. “I think the govt should bring the two parties in and sort the issue out once and for all. This must stop. Some big authority in the govt should make them sit across the table and tell them to work together for the betterment of the sport," he said.Bhullar’s name figured in the long list of athletes for the Asiad, which was shared with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) by an IGU faction led by Harish Shetty. The IOA recognises the Shetty group as the sole NSF governing the sport of golf in the country.Another faction, led by Brijender Singh and IGU director general Maj Gen (retd) Bibhuti Bhushan, has the backing of the sports ministry and the International Golf Federation (IGF) and contends that it reserves the right to send the entries to the Games’ organisers through IOA.Both groups sent the long lists of golfers to the IOA, but the national Olympic committee (IOA) considered the names forwarded by the Shetty-led faction.The 11-time winner of Asian Tour title, described the current impasse in the Indian Golf Union (IGU) as “unfortunate and shocking”. “Early during my playing career, I would hear about federation infighting in boxing, wrestling, shooting or cycling. But we never expected this to happen in golf. It makes me sad.“In fact, more than sad, it’s a bit shocking for me. I heard such factional fights in different sports, but not in golf. It’s hard to relate such kinds of things with golf,” Bhullar told TOI on the sidelines of the launch of Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) on Thursday.