Karandeep makes a mark on home turf

Deepankar Sharda

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 20

Every player wants to be at his best while playing at home and budding city golfer Karandeep Kochhar is no different.  

The 18-year-old, while making his pro debut at the Chandigarh Golf Club recently carded an 8-under 288 to finish fourth. 

It was the best score the youngster has achieved since he became the first Indian amateur to win a PGTI event last year in October. 

The finish was made even more memorable by an illustrious filed, which included the likes of veteran Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa.

While Jeev failed to make the cut, Randhawa finished a stroke behind Kochhar in sixth place at the TAKE Open.          

“I was playing a professional event at my home club for the first time and was very excited. And luckily, it turned out to be my best finish as a pro. It’s a huge confidence booster ahead of the Panasonic Open (Asian Tour) at the Delhi Golf Club and the Bangalore Open,” said Kochhar. 

“Playing along side some of the best in the business was obviously not easy. These players are really good. They can shoot a 65-66 on any given day of the week,” he said. 

After staring with a par 72, Kochhar improved his card by three strokes on Day 2 and maintained the consistency in third round with another 69. He then shot a 2-under on the last day to finish tied-fourth with Khalin Joshi.    

“Golf is such a game, where it is difficult to predict the results. On the very first day, I had never thought of finishing ninth in presence of some of the top golfers of the country. And on the next day, I was at fourth place. It was unbelievable. But later I observed that it was my best performance on the pro circuit,” said Kochhar. 

“I hope this performance should turn things around for me in the last part of the season. I have played five events on the PGTI so far and I have made the cut in four of them,” he recalled.   

Kochhar started taking interest in golf at the age of three, when his grandfather GS Kochhar gifted him a golf kit, and since then there has been no looking back for the youngster. 

His family also takes care of his financial needs in the absence of sponsors.

“It’s very tough to survive without sponsors. Golf is an expensive game and in this neck throat competition financial needs must be taken care off in a proper manner. I am eagerly waiting for some sponsors. Nevertheless my family is supporting me well,” added he. 

Kochhar also thanked his coach Jesse Grewal and Sagar Diwan for their support. 

Meanwhile, when asked about the rise of region’s golfers in professional events, he said the sport had seen a positive emergence for the past few years in North-India.

“The region is performing well as the youngsters are taking more interest in the sport,” said Kochhar.