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BIOGRAPHY OF MOHAMMED SIDDIKUR RAHMAN
Bangladeshi Golfer
(Born 20 November 1984)
Apart from cricket and football other sports are considered to be neglected and unconventional in Bangladesh. People are even less interested in golf which is one of the most elite sports in the world. Understanding this game is difficult for most people , let alone playing it. Siddikur Rahman is the man who put Bangladesh’s name on the golf map and the world now knows Bangladesh for golf.
Life of "Mohammed Siddikur Rahman" At a Glance
Real Name: Mohammed Siddikur Rahman
Date of Birth: 20 November 1984
Place of Birth: Madaripur, Bangladesh
Father’s Name: Afzal Hossain
Mother’s Name: Manowara Begum
Siblings: Four brothers
Profession: Professional Golfer
Sports: Golf
Religion: Islam
Native Language: Bengali
Spouse: Samaun Anjum Auroni (m. 2015)
Awards:
➢ 2010: Brunei Open Champion (Asian Tour)
➢ 2013: Indian Open Champion (Asian Tour)
➢ 2016: Carried Bangladesh flag at the 2016 Rio Olympics opening ceremony
➢ 2013: Won the Hero Honda Indian Open (repeated)
➢ 2014: Won the Hero Honda Indian Open (repeated)
➢ 2022: Won the Mujib Borsho Chattogram Open
➢ 2022: Finished second in the PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers
➢ 2022: Finished third in the The Singapore International
Ranking: Career high ranking of 39 on Official World Golf Ranking in 2013
Publications: None
Early Life and Education
Siddiqur Rahman was born on November 20, 1984, in Madaripur. His father’s name is Afzal Hossain, and his mother’s name is Aisha Haider. He is the third of four brothers in the family. He can only be termed as a fairy tale. Proving him was not just a one-match wonder. He had to work extremely hard to climb out of the poverty of his birthplace, Dhamalcoat, a slum-like area in the capital city. He is making a name for himself and for his country on a global stage. He grew up in extreme poverty living with his family. Siddikur once moved with a boy next door to the Army Golf Club in Kurmitola, Dhaka. There, he started working as a ball boy in the second grade. In this way, he earns a small income (like 30 taka BDT per day). Also, there is an opportunity to watch the game from close quarters. Later he was promoted from ‘ballboy’ to ‘caddie’. This time, he has the opportunity to carry the equipment behind the players. And that’s how the game got into his heart. With his limited resources, he went to a blacksmith shop and made something like a golf club with an iron rod. In addition to his studies, Siddikur used to practice golf with the handmade club. As the golf clubs and equipment are expensive. But he made up his mind to become a player. Along with the work of the caddie boy, his golf practice also continues simultaneously.
At the beginning of this century, the Golf Federation took the initiative to produce professional golfers in the country. At first, players are selected from among the ball boys and caddies. Siddikur proved himself in that selection, and training began. Seeing his concentration and hard work, he was sent to play in various amateur golf competitions. He first participated in an international golf tournament in 2003.
Then he became champion in one amateur tournament after another. He won amateur golf tournaments in all SAARC countries, setting a unique record. He established himself as a professional golfer by winning 12 amateur tournaments in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, and his home country.
Career
He made his professional golf debut in 2007. He has also won several championships. He became the first Bangladeshi golfer to win the Professional Players Championship title at the Rs 3 million in a Professional Golf Tour of India held in Pune, 2008. After this, he became well-known in the world of professional golf by successfully participating in other tournaments, including two more victories on the Indian circuit.
He has been on the Asian Tour since 2008. He regularly plays in tournaments on the Asian Tour, the highest level of competition in Asian golf. But the biggest success came in 2010, when he became the first Asian Tour Brunei Open champion. Because of Siddikur Rahman, the red-green flag of Bangladesh has found a place in the world of golf.
After that, he continued to play well in one Asian Open tournament after another, once rising to number nine in the Asian rankings. This ‘wonder boy’ from a poor family started receiving millions of dollars in prizes. Due to being in the queue of the best in the Asian ranking, he got the opportunity to play directly in the 2013 Golf World Cup. Just before the Golf World Cup, another big success came in the career of Siddikur Rahman. He won his second Asian Tour title by winning the Hero Indian Open, one of the most popular and biggest tournaments on the Asian Tour. It was a great achievement to win the tournament, beating Indian golfers like Anirban Lahiri and Chowrasia. The Bengali edition of the Times of India awarded Siddikur the title of ‘Tiger Woods of Bengal’. Siddikur also dreams of one day playing with legendary golfers like Tiger Woods, Lee Westwood, Greg Norman, and Ernie Els.
Bangladesh’s athletes always go to the Olympics as a wild card. But in 2016, Siddiqur Rahman became the first Bangladeshi to play in the Rio Olympics in Brazil by merit. There are more than a million professional golfers in more than 200 countries, and only 60 of them qualify for the Olympics. About 30 of these 60 participants were from the United States alone. As one of the remaining 30 golfers, Siddikur Rahman represented the country’s flag at the 2016 Olympics and brought great honor to the country.
Personal Life
While playing golf, Siddikur met a young amateur golfer at Kurmitola Golf Club.The girl’s name is Auroni. The golfing couple got married on January 20, 2015. The bride Auroni Samaun recently completed her honors degree from a university in Dhaka. Her family resides in the cantonment area of Dhaka. Auroni is a three-time runner-up at the National Amateur Open, a bronze-winning golfer for the Army, and a team gold winner at the Bangladesh Games. She is the first female professional golfer of Bangladesh
Legacy
Starting his career as a ball boy, Siddikur is now one of the best stars in the country as well as in South Asia. Earlier, Siddikur had won many small and big titles at home and abroad. His disciples have won the country’s gold in team and individual events. People all over the world know Bangladesh as a country of natural disasters and political turmoil. In cricket, sometimes there is little success, but there is no continuity. Siddikur Rahman has shown how a player has to be consistent. Although kabaddi is the national sport of Bangladesh, Bangladesh has not yet won gold on the international circuit. Cricket is much more popular than football. Apart from this, swimming, shooting, chess, taekwondo, and weightlifting have been highlighted in the South Asian Games (SS Games) or Indo-Bangla Games. Now, golf has been added.
A player from Bangladesh can play professional golf; it was a dream a couple of years ago. But that dream became a reality. Siddikur has made the image of Bangladesh very high today by playing that world class golf. Siddikur surprised everyone by achieving his first success in professional golf. Golf is an expensive sport having come from a very poor family, many people are now turning to golf.
In the beginning Siddikur was helped by the top mobile operators. Under their patronage, he has been able to come so far. It can be said that if there is enough government and private sponsorship, more golfers like Siddikur will rise.
Conclusion
Siddikur’s tale also serves as a reminder that with hard work and devotion, any hurdle can be conquered. He began playing golf at an early age and had to overcome several obstacles to reach the top. He had to train in a nation with few golf courses, and he had to do it on a limited budget. He never gave up on his ambition. He worked hard and never lost faith in himself. Finally, he realized his ambition to become a professional golfer. His tale should serve as an inspiration to all of us. It demonstrates that if we put our minds to it, everything is achievable. And it tells us that no matter how impossible one’s aspirations seem, one should never give up on them. He will continue to inspire golfers for many years to come. He is a real inspiration and evidence that everything is possible when someone puts their mind to it.