Special Column by Anand Datla
The worn muscles of an embattled golfer are like reticent children that refuse to communicate despite the repeated efforts of their host at making conversation. Arjun Atwal will know about this painful silence that renders the golfer into a state of despair, having suffered a career threatening back injury at the peak of his powers.
Atwal may never succeed in erasing the pain from his muscles or its lingering effect on his memories. The last gasp victory at the Dubai Open though will go a long way in healing the many wounds that laid him low for the past four years.
As he walked up to the 18th tee, Atwal was lying one back, perhaps reflecting on the lengthy drought that marked his existence as a golfer. Playing with the calm of a monk, Atwal summoned the wisdom of his experience to produce a timely birdie to end his spell in the wilderness.
Even as he celebrated his success with his enthusiastic family, Atwal remembered to thank a neighbor. Another rather famous golfer. The Indian counts Tiger Woods among the best of his friends and the two have spent countless hours on and off the greens as they dealt with their derailed careers.
“We’ve become really close,” Atwal told the media. “What with him going through his stuff and me struggling the last couple of years, we’ve been there for each other. There’s (sic) very few friends in the world that will be there for you when you need them the most, and he’s one of them. And I’m there for him as well.”
“Going through his two years of struggle, he’s always been nothing but positive,” added the 41 year old Indian. “I’ve spent some time with him, and he’s always guided me on the right way I should go with my game or my health, and how to go about rehabbing.”
The back seems to have mended and one of India’s most successful golfers was captured by shutterbugs even as he gave the trophy a longing look. The hint of love and his desire for success pervaded the Els Club in Dubai in those fleeting moments after his victory.
It will be very interesting to see Atwal build on his success and begin a new chapter in his journey of golf. Atwal will now escape the pain of being constantly reminded that he hadn’t won a feather since his historic victory at the Wyndham Championships four long years ago.
He is not only the first ever Indian to win a PGA Tour title, but he shall forever remain the winner of the inaugural edition of the Dubai Open.
