Chopra loan pays dividends

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On Sunday, Daniel Chopra completed his rags-to-riches tale when he became only the second European to win the Mercedes Championship in Hawaii — the season opening event on the U.S Tour.

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American dream: Chopra has flourished across the Atlantic

No wonder the 35-year-old Swede marks his ball on the greens with a coin bearing the inscription 'fortune favours the brave'.

No player ever left Europe to seek fame and fortune in America with less going for him. It was only the aforementioned loan from Indian Jeev Milkha Singh that enabled him to play some events on the Asian Tour in 2001, let alone think about the U.S.

Now look at him. In just over four years in the States he has become a six-million dollar man and a second tour title — he claimed his first last November — has brought him alongside such European luminaries as Luke Donald and Padraig Harrington in terms of tournaments won in America.

Could he go on to win an unlikely starting place in Europe's Ryder Cup team in September?

He has certainly begun the year with what the Europeans will hope is an encouraging omen, as he prevailed in a tense play-off against American Ryder Cup certainty Steve Stricker.

Watched by European captain Nick Faldo, Chopra had to wait until the fourth play-off hole before registering the birdie that enabled him to claim the near £600,000 prize.

Another victory perk, alongside moving him up to second place in the European Ryder Cup points table, was an invitation to the Masters in April.

'It's only January 6 and already I've achieved my lifelong dream to get to Augusta,' said Chopra following his closing 66. 'This is the best final round I have ever played.'

Chopra's toils in Europe between 1996 and 2000 were so fruitless that when he left, his only playing privileges were to compete on the Challenge Tour.

He could not afford to travel through Europe playing that subsidiary circuit so begged for sponsors' exemptions to compete in Asia. It was thanks to Singh's loan that Chopra was able to play on and win the 2001 Taiwan Masters.

From there he won a spot on the reserve American circuit, the Nationwide Tour, and then on the main tour itself.

'The most important thing is simply to believe in yourself,' he said on Sunday, an old line that just happens to have delivered something gloriously improbable in his case.