Amongst the many sports that
Rolex supports, one is golf, which has seen the Swiss brand's patronage since 1967, when it associated with American golfer Arnold Palmer, and later Jack Nicklaus and South African pro-Gary Player. Over the decades, this association has evolved to include partnerships with not just leading names in golf, but also institutions, events, and budding talent. In India, Rolex and golfer Jeev Milkha Singh joined hands more than 15 years ago - an Arjuna Award and Padma Shri recipient, Singh was the first Indian professional golfer to join the European Tour in 1998 and broke into the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking in October 2006. A decade ago, Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri also became a Rolex Testimonee - Lahiri broke into the top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking in March 2014, and his accolades include being a two-time winner of the Asian Tour; winner of the Hero Indian Open 2015; the Maybank Malaysian Open 2015, and many more championships. He is also an Arjuna Award recipient.
Kapoor Watch Company’s first Rolex boutique at DLF EmporioBoth Singh and Lahiri were recently in Delhi to attend an event hosted by Kapoor Watch Company to celebrate the opening of its first Rolex boutique at
DLF Emporio. WatchTime India caught up with both legends to talk about their journey and passion for golf and their association with Rolex.
WatchTime India: Rolex has a long-standing association with golf. How do you feel being a part of this legacy as a Rolex Testimonee?
Jeev Milkha Singh: I am very fortunate to be a Rolex Testimonee. Rolex is family to me and I have been a part of the brand for more than 15 years now. For me, Rolex stands for value, time, and credibility.
Anirban Lahiri: I feel proud and honoured to be a part of a very elite group of people who get to call themselves Rolex Testimonees. It is not an easy thing, it is an honour and comes with responsibilities. You have to uphold the values and the strong character of the brand that Rolex is. Rolex feels like a family, a family for 10 years. It’s been a wonderful journey and I look forward to many, many more years with them.
WTI: As a golfer, what would you say it is that you have in common with Rolex?
JMS: Rolex stands for values, time, and credibility in the way it makes watches. The same things are required for golf also. Timing matters a lot on the golf course. If you are late by just two seconds, it's a two-shot penalty. Similarly, you also have to be honest and credible on the golf course.
AL: There are so many synergies to draw upon from what Rolex as a brand has done. The first and foremost thing is precision - if you can’t keep time, then you fail. The second is their quality control, which I also try to bring, not just to my golf, also but to my life.
Anirban LahiriWTI: A special time when Rolex played a role in your journey?
JMS: Rolex has been supporting me since I had just turned the clock around in my career. I struggled a lot from 1999. They came on board and then everything changed for me in golf. I became a top 50 player, won the biggest tournaments in the world - Volvo Masters, Volvo China Open, Scottish Open, you name it. My life changed with Rolex, so it’s special for me and I’ll always cherish these memories.
AL: Rolex does so much that people don’t know of. They have been supporting, funding, and promoting golf at the grassroots level for decades. I come from a very humble background. When I was 14, I started going to my coach (who is still my coach), Mr Vijay Divecha in Bangalore. It was hard for my parents to afford my travel and coaching. So my coaching fees came from a Rolex grant that was given to the Indian Golf Union to support junior golf development. So, whether I knew it or not, Rolex funded my coaching for about four or five years. And I was not the only kid they supported.
Jeev Milkha Singh with his team on stageWTI: You are one of India’s top golfers. How did you decide to pursue it?
JMS: I come from a sporting background, and went to college in the States. My parents wanted me to do a professional degree because they were unsure about a career in sports. I won the NCAAs in 1993 Division Two and called my parents and told them that I wanted to be a golfer and follow my dream. My parents told me to go ahead and to always remember that I had nothing to fall back on as I didn’t come from a business family.
WTI: The world knows your father Milkha Singh’s achievements. Did you ever feel any pressure because of that? JMS: I always felt the pressure, but I think if you don’t have pressure in life, you can never succeed. Today, I am 54, and if I don’t have pressure, I will not be motivated to practice. No matter what you are doing in life, there has to be pressure to perform. If you crumble, you won’t succeed.
WTI: Anirban, your father's a Doctor. Was it challenging to convince him of your career choice?
AL: I was very fortunate in that way. I am Bengali and education is very important in our culture. My mother is a professor. I am a B.com graduate, which is considered illiterate in my family, but I had the full support and backing of both my parents. My father played golf himself and he knew and understood what the game was, which means it makes a man out of you. I am an only child, and I am grateful that my parents always supported me. I turned pro at the age of 20, in 2007, which was a little earlier than I thought I would because I didn’t think I could do it till I was about 18-and-a-half.
Alexandre Tabary, General Manager for Rolex India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal with Kapoor Watch Company's Directors, Pratiek, Amarjeet, Sandeep, and Raunaq KapoorWTI: What do you consider milestones in your golfing journey?
JMS: Golf is like a roller coaster - you have phases, and you go up and down, but if you believe in yourself and keep working, you will always get to your goal. There were two defining moments - the first was when I went to college and won the NCAA in 1993. I had lost a lot of confidence, but there was a time it changed for me and I became a pro. The second was when I dipped for a good six years, and then in 2006 came back and did really well all over the world. A major defining moment I would say was a personal one, when I lost both my parents in June 2021. I gave up that time. I didn’t want to play golf, didn’t touch a club. I just didn’t want to do anything in life. My parents were a big support and I was very close to them. Then, in January 2022, I decided to play golf and work harder for my parents and win for them. And after that, the day I won, I dedicated it to my parents.
AL: There is no one moment where everything changed for me. There were so many moments where I faced lots of failures and every time I failed, I had to pick up and gather myself to start again. I think all those failures in my life and my journey are what make me what I am today. However, turning pro in 2007 was a big step and now when I look back, I feel I have travelled a long road. It was a very blessed journey.
WTI: How do you keep yourself motivated while playing?
JMS: Yoga. I have been doing yoga since I was 16, so now it's nearly 38 years. I also do meditation and a lot of mental training, which keeps me going.
AL: I think everybody has different driving forces. For me, it was all about how good I can get. What I think is the ceiling of how good I can be and can I break that ceiling? It is always about breaking my own boundaries while continuing to stay in love with the game. I also leaned on meditation and my dad introduced me to yoga, which plays a big role.
WTI: What would you say to new golfers paving their way?
JMS: To set high standards and goals for yourself. People say things will change, but change is the only constant. It is you who has to work hard, have a disciplined lifestyle, and believe in yourself. If I were looking at a young Jeev Milkha Singh, I would say I would like to do better than him, and if he can do that, I would be 10 notches better.
AL: It is important for them to continue to dream big. As the sport has gotten bigger in India there are a lot of opportunities now. They should aspire to play at the absolute highest levels and not lose sight of what that dream is. Even when you do good, keep pushing yourself.
WTI: Your favourite golfer and why?
AL: I grew up in the Tiger Woods era as a kid, so obviously him. Also, Jeev Milkha Singh is someone I really looked up to, and I feel blessed to call him a friend now and a fellow Rolex testimonee.
WTI: Which Rolex timepiece is on your wrist right now and how would you define it?
JMS: I am wearing a rose gold Rolex Daytona. It was given to me in 2007 because I had broken into the top 50 in the world. This watch is a limited edition of 20 pieces, and it needs no introduction.
AL: I am wearing a Rolex Cosmograph Daytona, the Le Mans 100th edition, which I got last year. It is a very special watch, apart from the fact that it was the shortest manufacture watch in Rolex history. It has a 24-hour dial and a chronograph designed by the brand for the ultimate timing tool for endurance racing drivers.
WTI: What do watches mean to you?
AL: I am a nerd when it comes to watches. I am fascinated by the art form. With time, learning about the art of watchmaking, the history, and mechanical watchmaking, it all excites me and makes me happy.
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