Detroit, Jul 1 : Indian golfer Arjun Atwal tested negative for COVID-19 in an on-arrival test ahead of this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic on the PGA Tour, leaving him relieved and excited in equal measure as he geared up to compete amid the health crisis.
Flying into the venue on a commercial flight, Atwal joked, “I am glad it was not a test in Math.”
“The first thing was a test on arrival. No going to the course or the range, till the test came through. I had to wait for close to hours, but in a sense felt relieved at all these precautions.”
Atwal will play the first two rounds with Matt Jones and Michael Thompson and tee off in the first round in the afternoon at 1.20 pm local time.
He is raring to go.
“I have worked hard, lost almost 15 pounds, trained a bit with my son, who plays basketball. I have a new regimen, a new diet schedule and am taking less calories and working real hard,” said the man, who is the only Indian to have tasted success on the PGA Tour.
He won the Wyndham Championship in 2010.
“That was ten years ago, a long, long time ago,” he says.
Now 47, Atwal believes he can still compete at this level — he was runner up, losing in a play-off at the 2017 Mauritius Open, an event co-sanctioned by European and Asian Tours.
And of course, there is the example of Phil Mickelson, who turned 50 in June.
“I look forward to competing (this week). I miss the adrenaline. When I got the news that I got in through a sponsor’s exemption, I started getting excited to practice again. I started practising with a purpose,” said Atwal.
“Though he played five PGA Tour events in Fall in 2019, this is only his fourth start in 2020. His last start was The Honda Classic for which he came through the Monday qualifiers.”
As for playing, Atwal said, “The golf club (near his home) didn’t close and I did some practice but it was a weird experience. There was no real purpose to practice with the shutdown,” said Atwal, who is based in Windermere, Florida.
“I had a slight rib injury which I managed to get rid of. I’m looking forward to this one, as my body feels okay for the first time in a long while.
(PTI)
