Born in a poor family, Chikkarangappa joined a golf resort as a worker to earn a paltry wage of Rs.50 per day. Today, he is a winner in this sport of the rich. Having started by using a tree branch to practice golf swings, his passion made him win his first trophy at the tender age of 11. Read more to know how this farmer’s boy became a golfing sensation.
Golf is considered as a game for the rich. So when this young man born to farm labourers excelled in this sport, the news had to make headlines!
Chikkarangappa S bagged yet another trophy as he won TAKE Solutions India Masters on November 1 scoring a total of 18-under 270 after marking an amazing two stroke victory. Chikka’s victory over Abhishek Jha was his fourth professional victory, making him earn $12,250 and a two-year exemption on the ADT.
Jha was in six-shot lead over Chikka in the game but the latter made a dramatic comeback and remarkably snatched the victory from Jha’s hands.
“This was my first win as a pro on my home course. I always felt something was missing. For the last two weeks, after my grandfather passed away, golf wasn’t even on my mind. I dedicate this win to him,” said the 21 year old golfer toThe Hindu.
Chikkarangappa won TAKE Solutions India Masters on November 1
This young golfer from Eagleton Golf Resort became the second Indian after Sujjan Singh to win on the Asian Development Tour. The journey till this stage has not been easy for Chikka. Born to a farmer father and a daily wage labourer mother in a small village Bidadi, near Bangalore, Chikka always faced various financial restrictions.
At a tender age of 10, he joined Eagleton Golf Resort to earn some money and make ends meet. But gradually, he got fascinated by the sport. He would watch the players for hours and finally, he couldn’t help but develop an interest in the game. He made a golf stick out of a branch of a tree and practiced golf swings in his spare time.
Some time later, he managed to get a real golf stick and started practicing. One fine day, a coach Vijay Dhivecha, noticed him swinging his golf stick and asked him if he would like to play the sport professionally. It came as a great surprise to Chikka, and initially he was reluctant to take up the offer due to his family’s poor background, but he eventually agreed and convinced his family too. Since then there has been no turning back.
He gave everything he had to the sport and even quit his schooling to take up golf full time. He played his first professional tournament in Ooty and bagged the second position. Later that year, he participated in another championship at Eagleton at the age of 11 and won his first trophy.
He developed interest in the sport at a very young age and has been following his passion since then.
As he continued his journey in golf, language came across as a huge barrier. “I was really scared about my not knowing English. Things were quite difficult those days. ‘Your shoulders are shut,’ Mr. Divecha would say, or ‘open your stance’. What could I understand? For a while, we only communicated through sign language,” Chikka revealed toSports Star.
Chikka’s achievements have made him the talk of the town. He has won the India Juniors three times and the All India Amateur Golf Championships two times. Chikka is the youngest golfer so far to win the ‘India Amateurs’ championship ,which he won at the age of 16.
With regular practice, Chikka has overcome his weakness in English and now speaks fluently and with confidence. Chikka’s latest victory proves that passion does not need a strong financial or family background, it just needs a strong will power and dedication. Chikka found his way to victory against all odds. We congratulate him for his recent success and hope to see many more such young and passionate players making headlines.
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