Jeev Milkha Singh

Tokyo: Jeev Milkha Singh capped a spectacular season when he won his fourth title of the year and second in as many weeks by clinching the season-ending Nippon Series JT Cup golf tournament on Sunday.

The win, which fetched Jeev a cheque of ¥30 million, will also carry him into the top-50 of the world golf rankings.

He will now be a starter at all majors including the US Masters in Augusta, where no Indian played before and the British Open, which he narrowly missed out on last year.

Jeev shot a par 70 on the final day to finish with a score of 11-under 269, one shot clear of Nobuhiro Masuda.

The Indian needed to hole a tense 10-footer to ensure he avoided a play-off and won in regulation.

“I am happy the way I have managed to keep myself going in tense situations. I have followed my routine and done the right things and I have been patient,” said Jeev, whose ranking should be somewhere in the 40s when it is announced on Monday.

Jeev also finished a career-best third on the Japan money list, which was topped by Shingo Katayama of Japan.

This year Jeev has been first in Asia, third in Japan and 16th in Europe. He has had four titles and a total of 18 top-10 finishes around the world. His climb in the world rankings has been the most remarkable, from 376th to inside top-50.

“I cannot describe the feeling of elation that I am going through. It has been a dream season from the time I started way back in January. Four titles on three different tours, topping the UBS Asian Tour Order of Merit and winning twice in Japan and the Volvo Masters of Europe… It is going to take some time to sink in,” he said.

He was crowned the Order of Merit winner after his joint third place finish at the Hong Kong Open and just last week, he tasted his first win in Japan at the World Open.

Jeev will now be a starter at all majors including the Masters, where no Indian played before and the British Open, which he narrowly missed out on last year.

Jeev, whose performance is best by any golfer in a season barring Tiger Woods, was the first Indian to play and make the cut at the US Open in 2002 and he also played this year.

The Indian set the pace in the tournament in the second round when he shared the lead. Then in the third round he broke away from the crowd to open up a four-shot lead that put him on top.

On the final day, he kept the momentum going and kept his date with destiny.

“I am tired but there is just one more event to go, the Volvo Masters of Asia and then I will rest for a while,” said Jeev.

“The final par putt was a little over 10 feet and I had to hole it to win outright. There was never a doubt in my mind that I would not do it. That’s what confidence does to you. I stuck to my task and it fell in.”

Masuda, lying way behind, climbed to second with a four-under 66. Jeev had four pars and then a bogey on the fifth hole but was quick to reply with a birdie in the following sixth hole.

Despite a late charge by Masuda, he stayed calm as he birdied the 10th hole. He dropped another shot on the 12th but parred the remaining six holes for the win.