Siddikur Rahman is back in Bangladesh again after spending five months in USA, where he took higher training and played in quite a few tournaments. The ace golfer went to USA at a time when things were still not normal as lockdowns were just easing up in places. But now that the Asian Tour events are gathering up and there are talks of bringing the continent’s premier tour back in Bangladesh, Siddikur is looking forward with great expectations.
How are you and how is everything regarding your golf?
I just returned from the United States and started practising here in Dhaka now. I’m looking forward to the season.
You played a few tournaments in USA and played in the qualifying of the Korn Ferry Tour. How was your performance there?
The performance was good in the small tournaments, but missed the qualifying for the Korn Ferry Tour in the second stage. I was there basically for training, which went pretty well.
So you are back in Bangladesh permanently?
Yes, I’m back for now as there is no immediate agenda.
You played in two Asian Tour events on your way back home. You missed cut in one event by one stroke and made the cut in the other, although you had pretty good few days. How was your experience playing on the Asian Tour after so long?
Yes, I was playing on the tour after more than one-and-a-half years. It was a bit up-and-down for me as in training, I made a few changes to my game, mostly bio-mechanic corrections including my swing and hitting. The training was three-and-a-half months but the process of adapting to the new techniques will take some time. But it was a good experience nonetheless.
How was your overall experience in USA?
The overall experience was excellent, which I wouldn’t have realised had I not been there. There is a lot to learn for me and for players like me. If we want to compete at our level or even on the Asian Tour, you don’t need that kind of training. I can survive on the Asian Tour with whatever skill and training I have got here. But if you have the ambition to play on the PGA Tour or the European Tour or if you have the ambition to perform at an extraordinary level, there is no alternative to having top-level training in places like USA.
Since you took this training in USA, can we expect to see its impact on your game soon?
Of course you can, but it depends on how much time I can give to the follow-up of the training and how much I can nurture and groom what I have learnt there.
Does Bangladesh have the facilities or equipment to have what you learnt in USA sustained or nurtured further?
If I don’t get the environment here, I can’t simulate the training here. So I will need to go there again for the training and for my own practice.
Did you do anything else apart from training and playing in USA?
There was no time actually left after training and practice. I was basically in Dallas where I trained and played two tournaments apart from playing on the Korn Ferry Qualifier. One event was in Alabama too.
Now that you are back in Bangladesh and the Asian Tour is becoming regular with new tournaments added, can we expect to see you play regularly and rediscover the old Siddikur?
If the tournaments start regularly again, it will be good for me and the fellow golfers. The way things are moving forward, it gives us hope.
The BPGA events are also taking place. Some of your peers are playing on the PGTI regularly. So will we see you in those events too?
AI will definitely play on BPGA, PGTI and Asian Tour events at home and Asian Tour events overseas that’s for sure. I am hopeful that Asian Tour will return to Bangladesh again and I’m looking forward to it.
bit up-and-down for me as in training, I made a few changes to my game, mostly bio-mechanic corrections including my swing and hitting. The training was three-and-a-half months but the process of adapting to the new techniques will take some time. But it was a good experience nonetheless.
How was your overall experience in USA?
The overall experience was excellent, which I wouldn’t have realised had I not been there. There is a lot to learn for me and for players like me. If we want to compete at our level or even on the Asian Tour, you don’t need that kind of training. I can survive on the Asian Tour with whatever skill and training I have got here. But if you have the ambition to play on the PGA Tour or the European Tour or if you have the ambition to perform at an extraordinary level, there is no alternative to having top-level training in places like USA.
Since you took this training in USA, can we e
xpect to see its impact on your game soon?
Of course you can, but it depends on how much time I can give to the follow-up of the training and how much I can nurture and groom what I have learnt there.
Does Bangladesh have the facilities or equipment to have what you learnt in USA sustained or nurtured further?
If I don’t get the environment here, I can’t simulate the training here. So I will need to go there again for the training and for my own practice.
Did you do anything else apart from training and playing in USA?
There was no time actually left after training and practice. I was basically in Dallas where I trained and played two tournaments apart from playing on the Korn Ferry Qualifier. One event was in Alabama too.
Now that you are back in Bangladesh and the Asian Tour is becoming regular with new tournaments added, can we expect to see you play regularly and rediscover the old Siddikur?
If the tournaments start regularly again, it will be good for me and the fellow golfers. The way things are moving forward, it gives us hope.
The BPGA events are also taking place. Some of your peers are playing on the PGTI regularly. So will we see you in those events too?
I will definitely play on BPGA, PGTI and Asian Tour events at home and Asian Tour events overseas that’s for sure. I am hopeful that Asian Tour will return to Bangladesh again and I’m looking forward to it.
