Then, there are optimists ready to work towards the utopian scenario of seeing the oil-water parallelism being used by the sporting community. Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera is one of them.
The disbarring of players from his nation from IPL matches in Chennai, the sending back of a junior cricket team a year before that — there’s a myriad of reasons that should be enough to tick the golfer off as far as making trips to Chennai is concerned. He isn’t, though.
“It’s more about the people and fostering good connections. I just want to do my bit. If my being here helps, I’m glad. That’s why I’m here,” he said on the sidelines of the pro-am charity golf meet organised by Madras Round Table 1 at Madras Gymkhana Golf Annexe. The event’s aim is to raise funds for flood victims.
Mithun’s case also lends weight to the aphoristic argument that aptitude doesn’t necessarily translate into affinity. “Football is my favourite sport, and this one is my job. I used to play the former as a kid, and was thin. After I began playing golf, I started resembling a barrel,” remarks the self-deprecating Sri Lankan — among his country’s icons in the sport — with a chuckle. “I share a bit of a love-hate relationship with golf. The paperwork prerequisites for my yearly travel are irksome. For me, being on the green is easier than getting a Visa.”
Mithun is one among the two Sri Lankan names to feature in the current Asian Tour (the other being Anura Rohana), and also the first from his nation to get a full-playing status on the tour.
Mithun asserts his exposure at the Asian level — and the Indian PGA Tour circuit — have been instrumental in his all-round development, and also an opportunity to give his ranking a boost.
“I was placed 20th on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit for this season; quite a jump from last time (he was 41st last year). I felt that it was a good finish for my standard. Not to mention that the golf courses here are much different than those back home. And, that definitely helps me develop my game in a more comprehensive manner,” explained Mithun.
Apart from helping him iron out kinks in his style of play, Mithun also opines that the Tour will help him get his foot on the making-the-Olympic-cut door — something that the 29-year-old is very keen on. “Making the Olympic cut is definitely my top goal. I’m quite close to getting there, as of now. My current ranking is 430, and three or four top-ten finishes before June can definitely help me seal a spot.”
(newindianexpress.com)
