Bhullar, Pukhraj Among Top Indian Challengers At IGPL Bharath Classic In Morocco

Bhullar, Pukhraj among top Indian challengers at IGPL Bharath Classic in Morocco (Image Source: IANS)

The New Zealand PGA Championship: Gaganjeet Bhullar, winner of most Asian Tour titles amongst all active players on the Tour, former Order of Merit winner, Jazz Janewattananond, and Ian Snyman, currently third on the Order of Merit, will be among the strong contenders for IGPL Bharath Classic.

More than 40 players from the IGPL Tour have gained entry into The USD 500,000 event. IGPL Bharath Classic, the flagship event on the IGPL Tour, is being held in Morocco this season, after the successful first edition at Kensville Golf Resort in India last year.

The Asian Tour’s evolving partnership with the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) is an important part of this stretch with this week and last week’s tournaments joint sanctioned.

The event has become a significant feature on the Indian and Asian golfing calendar, as it affords the Indians of a chance to climb up the golfing calendar. A win this week will earn the player a full card to the region’s main Tour and good performances here will also open doors to the International Series. The next International Series event is scheduled in Morocco next week.

“Getting to an event like this what IGPL has provided for us, plus there are opportunities on the International Series,” said Pukhraj Singh Gill, winner of the AM Green IGPL Order of Merit 2025. He has already made his debut in International Series and will also tee up next week a the $ 2 million event alongside a bunch of Major winners.

Bhullar, who is third on all-time list of Asian Tour winners, is eyeing a win this week. His last Asian Tour win came in November 2023 and it has been more than 30 months since. However, in the period since then, Bhullar has won four times on the IGPL, the latest being in March in Chandigarh, which has now become his home.

Apart from Bhullar, the other leading Indian challengers will be Pukhraj Gill, Karandeep Kochhar, Udayan Mane, young Kartik Singh, who was T-12 last week on the ADT, Shaurya Bhattacharya, Aman Raj, Sachin Baisoya and Aryan Roopa Anand among others.

One of the front runners this week will be the in-form South African Ian Snyman, who won his maiden Asian Tour win at the Taiwan Glass Taifong Open last month and also posted a T-10 in the Korea Open two weeks ago was also T-3 at the Namseoul Country Club at the Maekyung Open prior to his win in Chinese Taipei and was T-5 at the season opening Philippine Golf Championship. He is currently third on the Order of Merit.

Others includes Thailand’s Pavit Tangkamolprasert, currently fourth on the Order of Merit, and who was a runner-up at the season-opening Philippine Golf Championship and a T2 in the International Series Japan.

Also in the field is Charlie Lindh from Sweden, who was sole second at the Korea Open two weeks ago after being T-6 at the New Zealand Open.

American Austen Truslow is having a good season on the Asian Tour with a T-4 at International Series Japan, a T-9 at the Philippine Golf Championship and a T-13 at the KOLON Korea Open. He also won his first pro event earlier in the season, The New Zealand PGA Championship, on the PGA Tour of Australasia.

The 2019 Order of Merit winner Jazz Janewattananond from Thailand, a nine-time winner on Asian Tour, whose last Asian Tour win came in Morocco at the 2022 International Series Morocco, will also be fancying his chances after a T3 at the Singapore Open in April.

Last week’s winner, Tanapat Pichaikool from Thailand, will hope to carry on his winning form from the Asian Development Tour in Morocco.

The IGPL Bharath Classic is in its second year and last year when the event was held in Kensville, Gujarat, India, the winner was Poosit Supupramai of Thailand, who will try and defend his title this week.

Last week’s winner, Tanapat Pichaikool from Thailand, will hope to carry on his winning form from the Asian Development Tour in Morocco.

The Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, this week’s venue, is on the Atlantic coast of Morocco. It is an 18-hole course designed by nine-time major champion Gary Player from South Africa and is considered one of the most spectacular golfing properties.

Article Source: IANS