Bhullar sets record for lowest winning total to lift Chandigarh Open trophy

PTI

Chandigarh, April 6

Star golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar lived up to his billing, carding a solid four-under 68 on the final day to clinch the Chandigarh Open title with a record total here on Saturday.

Bhullar (67-67-65-68), a 12-time international winner who was playing at his home course this week, set a record for lowest winning total at Chandigarh Golf Club en route the title.

Bhullar bagged his 25th career title and 13th win on Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) after taking his week’s tally to 21-under 267, which happened to be the lowest winning total at Chandigarh Golf Club.

Bhullar’s third win at the Chandigarh Golf Club saw him eclipse the previous best 72-hole total at the venue which was 20-under 268 achieved by Ajeetesh Sandhu and Rashid Khan at Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational 2019. Ajeetesh went on to win that event in a playoff.

“I knew about the 72-hole course record being within my grasp but the target in my mind was 25-under for the week,” said Bhullar, who took home the winning cheque of Rs 15 lakh to be placed seventh on TATA Steel PGTI Ranking.

“The way I was playing, I thought I could achieve it. I came close and had those few putts fallen on the back-nine, it was well within my reach. Nonetheless, 21-under is a great score.

“I could not start off well this year, so I needed a really solid week here at home to give me a boost for the rest of the season. A win in the first half of the year is just what I was looking for.

“The key for me was hitting most of the fairways this week. I missed just one fairway today and about four to five through the week.”  

Angad Cheema (66-67-66-72), another Chandigarh-based pro who was the overnight joint leader along with Bhullar, shot a 72 in round four to finish runner-up at a total of 17-under 271 at the Rs 1 crore tournament.

Bhullar’s ball-striking was on point once again as he found all fairways except one in the final round. His hitting coupled with his good wedge shots and one long conversion on the 15th earned him seven birdies on Saturday at the expense of three bogeys.

The 35-year-old Gaganjeet, a winner on DP World Tour, established a three-shot lead by the 11th hole and never looked back thereafter.

Cheema’s card featured two birdies and two bogeys. His runner-up finish earned him a prize money cheque worth Rs 10 lakh and lifted him from sixth to fourth place in TATA Steel PGTI Ranking.

Mysuru’s Yashas Chandra (72) ended the week in third place at 15-under 273, while Abhinav Lohan (68) of Faridabad finished a further shot back in fourth place.

Karandeep Kochhar (68) was the third Chandigarh player to finish inside the top-10 as he took tied-fifth place at 13-under 275.

Indian golfing great Jeev Milkha Singh finished tied 42nd at one-under 287. 

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