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In lead, Chopra eyes turnaround
MEWAT (HARYANA): Life hasn’t given Vikrant Chopra many reasons to complain. Even the tenure as a professional is termed as “10 good years”. But there is cause for
MEWAT (HARYANA): Life hasn’t given Vikrant Chopra many reasons to complain. Even the tenure as a professional is termed as “10 good years”. But there is cause for angst on the golf course. He has never won in individual stroke-play.
The 36-year-old feels no need to search for words to explain the predicament. “Mentally, I’m not tough enough.” Perhaps had he paid heed to brother Vishal, the occasions when he rued finishing runner-up wouldn’t have arisen.
The prolonged dry run meant he tried too hard (to win) and in the process tinkered with his game, which was counter-productive. Watching Anirban Lahiri and Gaganjeet Bhullar go past and win quickly on the pro circuit made it tougher. “It’s important to get a break early on,” said Vikrant, the clubhouse leader after Day Two of the PGTI Masters.
A special forces’ officer, Vishal knows a thing or two about staying calm when the going gets tough, and his advice to the elder brother was to unshackle the mind by taxing the body. Running 20 miles with a 20-kg backpack twice a week, was the advice, but Vikrant never got down to implementing it.
It did impact him though. Working out on a less-intense scale is now a stress buster, as is reading up on mental toughness and special forces. It’s a habit Vikrant’s taken instilled carefully. “If the mind is not into it, one can never focus.”
Vikrant teed-up again and carded a flawless eight-under 64. In the last 20 holes, he had shot 10-under, and it was attributed to staying patient. “Marriage has taught me a lot,” he said with a laugh.
