What keeps Jeev Milkha Singh going at 54: One last Major before calling it a day

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At 54, Jeev Milkha Singh continues to defy age and expectations, grinding it out week after week on the European Legends Tour and Japan Senior Tour. For a golfer who has already won 21 professional titles across the globe, slowing down would have been understandable. For Jeev, however, the hunger remains undiminished - driven by legacy, discipline and one unfinished dream.

A trailblazer for Indian golf, Jeev was the first Indian to break into the top-100 of the Official World Golf Rankings in 2006 and went on to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit twice, in 2006 and 2008. His trophy cabinet boasts victories on the European, Asian, Japanese and Korean Tours, but the competitive fire that once took him to the very top still burns strong. Also Read: Jeev Milha Singh on PGTI vs IGPL

Much of that relentless drive, Jeev admits, comes from the values he inherited from his legendary father, Milkha Singh. The famed work ethic of the 'Flying Sikh' continues to shape Jeev's mindset as he chases one final milestone - a Major title on the senior circuit before retirement.

Recent results suggest that the goal is far from unrealistic. In 2025, Jeev finished runner-up at the MCB Mauritius Legends at Constance Belle Mare Plage, while also registering top-10 finishes at the Vattanac Legends Championship Legacy Edition in Cambodia and the Black Desert NI Legends in Northern Ireland. The previous season saw him place T-8 at the OFX Irish Legends and T-3 at the India Legends Championship, underlining his consistency against elite senior competition.

Jeev is realistic about how the game has changed with time and technology. While he no longer possesses the raw power of his younger days, he has adapted smartly, choosing courses that suit his strengths and leaning on experience rather than distance.

"I have victories in both Europe and Japan. But that was because I used to have that much power at a younger age... I now generally hit 270-280 yards but the younger generation with the improvement in technology easily hit drives over and above 320 yards. I can't hit that far. But senior tour is different," Jeev told myKhel.

The motivation, however, remains singular. "I have chased the Majors my whole life. So, my only target now is to win a Major on the senior circuit and then I can happily retire. But till that happens I am competing around 35 weeks of the year between Europe and Japan," said Jeev, who famously became the first Indian to tee off at The Masters when he played at Augusta National in 2007.

Behind the scenes, maintaining peak physical and mental conditioning has become non-negotiable. Jeev follows a disciplined routine built around yoga, meditation and light weight training, ensuring his body can withstand the demands of an extended global schedule.

"I have now got into full-time yoga. I do yoga for 30-45 minutes every day including Surya Namaskar... Then, I do meditation. I go to the gym three times a week. After 45, you lose muscle... If you don't pump iron a little bit, just to maintain that muscle mass, you can't last. You will get injured," he said.

For Jeev Milkha Singh, age is merely a number. As long as the Major dream remains alive, the pursuit continues - with discipline as his anchor, legacy as his compass, and belief as his driving force.