City’s Yuvraj Sandhu wins his 7th PGTI title
Yuvraj Sandhu from the city emerged winner by two shots on the concluding day of the Tata Steel PGTI Players Championship at Tollygunge Club in Kolkata.
Sandhu (63-61-68-68), who was in the lead in all three previous rounds, shot a final round score of 2-under 68 to emerge wire-to-wire champion with a total score of 20-under 260. The 27-year-old bagged his second title at Tollygunge Club. Earlier, he had lifted a trophy in 2022.
Bangladesh’s Jamal Hossain (65-62-66-69), who posed a serious challenge to Sandhu on the back-nine on Friday, produced a 69 on the last day to finish runner-up with a total of 18-under 262. Bengaluru-based Rahil Gangjee, who originally hails from Kolkata, carded a 70 on day four to take the third place at 14-under 266. Dhruv Sheoran of Gurugram fired the day’s best score of 63 to move up 26 spots and ended the week in tied fifth place at 12-under 268.
SSP Chawrasia (68) was the highest-placed among the Kolkata-based professionals as he finished tied eighth at 11-under 269. Sixteen-year-old Kolkata lad Anshul Mishra, the only amateur to make the cut, won the trophy for the best amateur as he closed the week in tied 24th at 5-under 275.
Sandhu, who enjoyed a slim one-shot lead heading into the final round, built on his advantage with a strong front-nine where he delivered three birdies from a range of eight to 12 feet at the cost of a lone bogey. He seemed to be cruising to victory after he made birdie on the 11th and a great up and down for par on the 12th. But he had some late jitters when he found the hazard on the 15th and dropped a bogey even as Jamal collected a couple of birdies to narrow the lead to one shot.
However, Sandhu roared back with a timely 12-feet birdie conversion on the 16th to extend his lead to two shots. His bogey on the final hole couldn’t stop him from marching to his seventh PGTI title and overall 10th professional win. He took home the winning purse worth Rs 15 lakh and now leads the 2025 PGTI Order of Merit.
“It was another up and down day for me, but all the work I did with my mental coach Rabia Gill recently seemed to have paid off. I was in control of the situation and stayed calm through the week,” said Sandhu. He added, “The tough up and down for par on the 12th was a momentum-changer for me and then the long birdie conversion on the 16th was another key moment as it gave me a two-shot lead. Jamal really challenged me over the last 36 holes, but I think it’s just the comfort level that I have at Tolly that helped me stay ahead and bring out my best. I really like the warmth at this club and the food here. Last time I won here at Tolly, my career had a jump-start. Now, I’m hoping this win can once again give me a lift before I head to the Asian Tour.”
