As luck would have it, Ajeetesh Sandhu was already in India when the clampdown happened due to coronavirus outbreak in India. In between tournaments, Sandhu was supposed to play in Royal Cup in Thailand but once that got deferred due to Covid-19 outbreak, the golfer returned to India and shifted his focus on Indian Open. As luck would have it, Sandhu was at home when not only the event got postponed but the entire country was put in lockdown.
From being a globe-trotting golfer Sandhu is very much enjoying his extended stay at home. With the course out of bound, Sandhu is spending time between a chip and putt in his backyard and some putting inside his home.
“No one knows how long it will last. We are at least in it for 21 days. For me it has been dividing time between a bit of chipping, putting in my backyard and doing some sort of physical fitness. I am also a big fan of yoga and meditation and these two are also coming in handy to stay mentally fit,” Sandhu said, who won the Jeev Milkha Invitational golf at Chandigarh Golf Club last year. Sandhu playing at his home course was tied with Rashid Khan at the end of regulation play but won in playoff which lasted four extra holes at the Chandigarh Golf Club. For Sandhu it was his fourth title on the PGTI and fifth overall. Karandeep Kochhar of Chandigarh took third place at 17-under-271 after a flawless 68 in round four.
He also had two second place finishes in the Bangabandhu Cup Open which also got delayed this year and tied second finish in Mercuries Taiwan Masters.While for many players disruption of rhythm is a challenge for Sandhu this break couldn’t have come at a better time. “I know this sounds strange and the whole world is fighting this pandemic. I have been on road since November last year. I was already trying to decide when to take a week off from tour as sometimes it gets too much. The good thing will be that everyone will come out refreshed once the break is over. So, I am not disappointed,” the 31-year-old said.
{{/usCountry}}He also had two second place finishes in the Bangabandhu Cup Open which also got delayed this year and tied second finish in Mercuries Taiwan Masters.While for many players disruption of rhythm is a challenge for Sandhu this break couldn’t have come at a better time. “I know this sounds strange and the whole world is fighting this pandemic. I have been on road since November last year. I was already trying to decide when to take a week off from tour as sometimes it gets too much. The good thing will be that everyone will come out refreshed once the break is over. So, I am not disappointed,” the 31-year-old said.
{{/usCountry}}Beating the lockdown
Sandhu said everyone in the world had to make this sudden adjustment with the lockdown in place. For a change he is enjoying home cooked meal a luxury he never had on the tour. “I am also learning to cook a bit. Music is one my other interest and I have joined online classes in order to learn how to read music. I have never been a fan of online games so these are few things and some quality family time that is keeping me busy,” Sandhu said.
Learning to stay in touch with the game is also proving to be a challenge and Sandhu said this break has helped him work of his technique and skills something which a player can’t devote much time while on tour. “It’s is a different kind of practice. It is to do with a lot of technique. You are not on tour and not competing. You get a chance to work on technical aspects and focus on areas you want to improve,” the golfer added.