Golf rivalry helps Kahlon siblings win accolades

Usually sibling rivalry becomes a matter of great concern for parents, but for Chandigarh-based Kahlon family it was more of a reason to rejoice when their younger daughter too started playing golf, following in the footsteps of her elder sister and it helped both achieve accolades in the sport. Coming April, in a proud moment for the city, 13-year-old Rabab Kaur Kahlon and her nine -year-old sister Gairat Kaur Kahlon will represent the country in two events in the USA.

Gairat, who is now the youngest Indian to compete in the drive, chip and putt national finals at the Augusta National Championship, will now play in the Masters Tournament organised by the United States Golf Association and Professional Golfers’ Association (USA) to compete in the prestigious Drive, Chip, and Putt (DCP) National Finals Competition at Augusta National Golf Club. The highly anticipated event will be held on April 6.

To qualify for the finals, Gairat excelled in two stage qualifiers, one at Stonebridge Golf Club (North Carolina) and the second at Grandover Golf Club (Tennessee). Her stellar performance in Tennessee earned her a coveted spot at Augusta. “It all started when Rabab used to tease me for not playing golf like her. My father, who is a merchant marine, took me to the golf club and taught me some basics. Thereafter, I joined the same coach who teaches Rabab and we both started playing golf,” said Gairat, who wants to represent the nation at the highest level in golf.

She has showcased her talent both at the national and international stages. In 2022, she won the Junior Africa Challenge at San Lameer Golf Club, Durban (South Africa), followed by winning the National Inter-School Golf Trophy at the Prestige Golf Club (Bengaluru). “I will be leaving for the USA at the end of March to participate in the DCP finals. Rabab will also be there to look after my game and help me out. I think the DCP final is just a start as I have a long road to cover before achieving my aim,” she added.

Last month, the Kahlon sisters participated in the Shubhankar Sharma Invitational Golf Tournament at the ITC Classic Golf Club and Resort, Gurugram. For Rabab, the event marked a significant milestone as it was her debut in the girls’ category B division, which she entered mid-tournament following her birthday on December 19. Despite a challenging start, she displayed resilience and finished the tournament with a 1-under-par score on the final day to secure the championship by a 7-stroke margin. Her final-day performance included 15 pars, two birdies and one bogey.

She had an exceptional 2024 season, especially the top podium finish at the Indian Golf Union (IGU) West Bengal Ladies and Junior Girls Golf Championship (Royal Calcutta Golf Club). She overcame a six-stroke deficit to win in a playoff. By winning both first and second legs of the US Kids Fall Golf Tour at the ITC Classic Golf Club in September 2024, she has played all four tournaments with a under par score ,earning her qualification for the US Kids World Championship 2025 at Pinehurst, USA.

“I will be competing in category B in the event to be held at Pinehurst against some strong international golfers. I am also considering improvement in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) events after my upcoming trip to the USA,” said Rabab. She further added, “It’s good to have competition among siblings. It allows us to spend our time together, discussing more about golf and the scope of improvement. We train under the same coach (Mahesh Kumar) and are trying to make it to the Indian golf teams in future.”