Shiv Chowrasia
Encyclopedia
Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (born 15 May 1978), also known as "Chipputtsia", and "Chow" is an India
n professional golf
er. After he turned professional in 1997, he went on to win eight titles on the Indian Tour
and finished second twice in the Indian Open.
In February 2008, he won the inaugural Indian Masters
, which was a part of the 2008 European Tour
.
In February 2011, Chowrasia won his second European Tour event winning the 2011 Avantha Masters
in New Delhi
.
at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in Kolkata
, India
. It was at this golf course that Chowrasia picked up golf at the age of 10. The self-taught golfer is nicknamed "Chip-putt-sia" because of his short game.
for a few years. After entering professional golf in 1997, his earnings at the end of 1998 were $1,220. Chowrasia finished second to Arjun Atwal
in the 1999 Indian Open held at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club.
He joined the Asian Tour
in 2006 after making steady progress in India with cumulative earnings being $36,983 along with eight Indian Tour titles.
His first season in the Asian Tour had a good opening event in the Pakistan Open
, top-20 finishes in Philippine Open
and in China. This was followed up with a top-10 finish at Bangkok Airways Open
. At the Mercuries Masters in Taiwan
, he led the field by five shots at the halfway mark, but was disqualified for forgetting to sign his scorecard.
At the 2006 Hero Honda Indian Open
, he narrowly missed out on winning the title. The title that won by Jyoti Randhawa
, was decided by a play-off. He ended 2006 with a tenth place in Volvo Masters
.
After being one stroke behind the leader on the opening day of the 2007 Malaysian Open, he lost ground and ended up finishing tied for 16th at the end of the tournament.
His Asian Tour ranking improved from 38 in 2006 to 32 in 2007.
, Thomas Bjørn
, Maarten Lafeber
and Ross McGowan
along with Indian golfers Arjun Atwal
, Gaurav Ghei
and Digvijay Singh
vying for the title. The event, which he won with a score of nine under par, fetched him £239,705, which doubled his earnings over the past decade. He was the only player to achieve sub-par rounds on all four days in this biggest golf event in India.
After winning the title, Chowrasia said:
Chowrasia, ranked 388 in the world before the tournament, obtained a two-year exemption on the European Tour. After Jeev Milkha Singh
and Arjun Atwal
, he became the third Indian golfer to win on the European Tour. Shortly after his victory, not only he was ranked 161 in the official world golf rankings, but also he topped the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n professional golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
er. After he turned professional in 1997, he went on to win eight titles on the Indian Tour
Indian Golf Tour
The Professional Golf Tour of India is a professional golf tour for men based in India. The tour was formed in 2006, as the successor to the Indian PGA Golf Tour, which ran from 1997 to 2006....
and finished second twice in the Indian Open.
In February 2008, he won the inaugural Indian Masters
Indian Masters
The Indian Masters was a professional golf tournament on the European and Asian Tours, that was played in February 2008. The tournament was introduced as part of the continuing globalisation of the European Tour, making India the 37th territory to stage a European Tour event, and increasing to...
, which was a part of the 2008 European Tour
2008 European Tour
The 2008 European Tour was the 37th golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2008 season consisted of 50 official money events, a drop of two from the previous year. This included seven major championships and World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the PGA...
.
In February 2011, Chowrasia won his second European Tour event winning the 2011 Avantha Masters
Avantha Masters
The Avantha Masters is a professional golf tournament on the European and Asian Tours. It was a new tournament for 2010, and marked the European Tour's return to India following the cancellation of the Indian Masters in 2009....
in New Delhi
New Delhi
New Delhi is the capital city of India. It serves as the centre of the Government of India and the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. New Delhi is situated within the metropolis of Delhi. It is one of the nine districts of Delhi Union Territory. The total area of the city is...
.
Early life
Chowrasia's father worked as the greenskeeperGreenskeeper
- Basic work description and duties :A professional who maintains a golf course or country club's grounds. This includes all cultural practices along with setting of pins and marking of hazards for regular club play along with tournament play. Greenskeepers work under the direction of the Golf...
at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club in Kolkata
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It was at this golf course that Chowrasia picked up golf at the age of 10. The self-taught golfer is nicknamed "Chip-putt-sia" because of his short game.
Professional breakthrough
Before entering professional golf, he was a caddieCaddy
In golf, a caddy is the person who carries a player's bag and clubs, and gives insightful advice and moral support. A good caddy is aware of the challenges and obstacles of the golf course being played, along with the best strategy in playing it. This includes knowing overall yardage, pin...
for a few years. After entering professional golf in 1997, his earnings at the end of 1998 were $1,220. Chowrasia finished second to Arjun Atwal
Arjun Atwal
Arjun Singh Atwal is an Indian professional golfer who has played on the Asian Tour and the European Tour and is the first player born in India to become a member of, and later win on the U.S.-based PGA Tour.-Early life:...
in the 1999 Indian Open held at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club.
He joined the Asian Tour
Asian Tour
The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore...
in 2006 after making steady progress in India with cumulative earnings being $36,983 along with eight Indian Tour titles.
His first season in the Asian Tour had a good opening event in the Pakistan Open
Pakistan Open
The Pakistan Open is a golf tournament organised by the Pakistan Golf Federation that was first played in 1967. In 2006 and 2007 was part of the Asian Tour schedule....
, top-20 finishes in Philippine Open
Philippine Open (golf)
The Philippine Open is one of the world's longest running men's golf tournaments. First held in 1913, it is also Asia's oldest golf tournament and Asia's oldest national golf open...
and in China. This was followed up with a top-10 finish at Bangkok Airways Open
Bangkok Airways Open
The Bangkok Airways Open was an Asian Tour golf tournament played in Thailand from 2005 to 2008. In 2008 the prize fund was US$300,000, which is one of the smaller purses on the tour.-Winners:-External links:*...
. At the Mercuries Masters in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, he led the field by five shots at the halfway mark, but was disqualified for forgetting to sign his scorecard.
At the 2006 Hero Honda Indian Open
Hero Honda Indian Open
The Hero Indian Open is a golf tournament on the Asian Tour that has been held for several years at the Delhi Golf Club.The inaugural event was held in 1964 and won by Peter Thomson of Australia, who was the inspiration behind the event...
, he narrowly missed out on winning the title. The title that won by Jyoti Randhawa
Jyoti Randhawa
Jyoti Singh Randhawa is an Indian professional golfer who was ranked in the top 100 of the world and is the third-highest Indian in the world rankings.-Career:...
, was decided by a play-off. He ended 2006 with a tenth place in Volvo Masters
Volvo Masters
The Volvo Masters was the concluding official money event of the European Tour season until 2009, when it was replaced by the Dubai World Championship...
.
After being one stroke behind the leader on the opening day of the 2007 Malaysian Open, he lost ground and ended up finishing tied for 16th at the end of the tournament.
His Asian Tour ranking improved from 38 in 2006 to 32 in 2007.
Indian Masters
The 2008 Indian Masters had golfers such as Ernie ElsErnie Els
Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing...
, Thomas Bjørn
Thomas Bjørn
Thomas Bjørn is a professional golfer from Denmark who plays on the European Tour. He is the most successful Danish golfer to have played the game having won thirteen tournaments worldwide on the European Tour. In 1999 he also became the first Dane to qualify for a European Ryder Cup team...
, Maarten Lafeber
Maarten Lafeber
Maarten Lafeber is a Dutch professional golfer who won the Dutch, Swiss and Spanish amateur championships before turning professional in 1997....
and Ross McGowan
Ross McGowan
This article is about the golfer. For the anchorman for KTVU, see Ross McGowan Ross Ian Thomas McGowan is an English professional golfer....
along with Indian golfers Arjun Atwal
Arjun Atwal
Arjun Singh Atwal is an Indian professional golfer who has played on the Asian Tour and the European Tour and is the first player born in India to become a member of, and later win on the U.S.-based PGA Tour.-Early life:...
, Gaurav Ghei
Gaurav Ghei
Gaurav Ghei is an Indian professional golfer who plays on the Asian Tour. He turned professional in 1991. His wins include three Asian Tour titles: the 1995 Gadgil Western Masters, the 2006 Taiwan Masters, and the 2007 Beijing Open...
and Digvijay Singh
Digvijay Singh (golfer)
Digvijay Singh is a professional golfer from India currently playing on the Professional Golf Tour of India and the Asian Tour....
vying for the title. The event, which he won with a score of nine under par, fetched him £239,705, which doubled his earnings over the past decade. He was the only player to achieve sub-par rounds on all four days in this biggest golf event in India.
After winning the title, Chowrasia said:
I never thought that I could win this tournament, but I don't know what I'm going to do in the future. I am sure I will play more both in Asia and Europe, but my ultimate target is to get onto the US Tour.
It is the biggest win of my life. I can't describe my emotions. Only when I get back to Kolkata will it sink in.
Chowrasia, ranked 388 in the world before the tournament, obtained a two-year exemption on the European Tour. After Jeev Milkha Singh
Jeev Milkha Singh
Jeev Milkha Singh is the first Indian professional golfer to become a member of the European Tour. He is the highest ranked Indian golfer in the world and first broke into the top 100 in October 2006.-Early life:...
and Arjun Atwal
Arjun Atwal
Arjun Singh Atwal is an Indian professional golfer who has played on the Asian Tour and the European Tour and is the first player born in India to become a member of, and later win on the U.S.-based PGA Tour.-Early life:...
, he became the third Indian golfer to win on the European Tour. Shortly after his victory, not only he was ranked 161 in the official world golf rankings, but also he topped the Asian Tour Order of Merit.
European Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 Feb 2008 2008 European Tour The 2008 European Tour was the 37th golf season since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2008 season consisted of 50 official money events, a drop of two from the previous year. This included seven major championships and World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the PGA... |
Emaar-MGF Indian Masters | 2 strokes |  Damien McGraneDamien McGrane Damien McGrane is an Irish golfer.McGrane was born in Kells, County Meath, Ireland. He turned professional in 1991.McGrane has had full status on the European Tour since 2003, and has earned over €3.5m in prize-money... |
|
| 2 | 20 Feb 2011 2011 European Tour The 2011 European Tour will be the third edition of the Race to Dubai and the 40th season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972.-Schedule:... |
Avantha Masters Avantha Masters The Avantha Masters is a professional golf tournament on the European and Asian Tours. It was a new tournament for 2010, and marked the European Tour's return to India following the cancellation of the Indian Masters in 2009.... |
1 stroke |  Robert ColesRobert Coles (golfer) Robert Coles is an English professional golfer who currently plays on the European Tour.Coles was born in Hornchurch, England. He turned professional in 1994.... |
Asian Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 10 Feb 2008 2008 Asian Tour The 2008 Asian Tour was the 14th season of the modern Asian Tour, the main men's professional golf tour in Asia excluding Japan, since it was established in 1995... |
Emaar-MGF Indian Masters | 2 strokes | Damien McGrane Damien McGrane Damien McGrane is an Irish golfer.McGrane was born in Kells, County Meath, Ireland. He turned professional in 1991.McGrane has had full status on the European Tour since 2003, and has earned over €3.5m in prize-money... |
|
| 2 | 20 Feb 2011 2011 Asian Tour The 2011 Asian Tour will be the 17th season of the modern Asian Tour, the main men's professional golf tour in Asia excluding Japan, since it was established in 1995.-Tournament results:The table below shows the 2011 schedule.... |
Avantha Masters Avantha Masters The Avantha Masters is a professional golf tournament on the European and Asian Tours. It was a new tournament for 2010, and marked the European Tour's return to India following the cancellation of the Indian Masters in 2009.... |
1 stroke | Robert Coles Robert Coles (golfer) Robert Coles is an English professional golfer who currently plays on the European Tour.Coles was born in Hornchurch, England. He turned professional in 1994.... |
Indian Golf Tour wins (10)
- 2001 Singhania Open
- 2003 HT Pro Golf, Tata Open, Hero Honda Open, NGC Open
- 2005 Singhania Open, Tata Open
- 2006 Singhania Open, Tata Open, Hindu Open