Players Championship: Yuvraj Sandhu Triumphs At Season-opener By Two Shots

Players Championship: Yuvraj Sandhu triumphs at season-opener by two shots (Image Source: IANS)

PGTI Players Championship: Chandigarh’s Yuvraj Sandhu continued his love affair with Tollygunge Club as he triumphed by two shots at the INR 1 crore PGTI Players Championship 2025, the PGTI season-opener here on Friday. Yuvraj (63-61-68-68), who was in the lead in all three previous rounds, shot a final-round score of two-under 68 to emerge wire-to-wire champion with a total score of 20-under 260. The 27-year-old Sandhu thus bagged his second title at Tollygunge Club where he had previously won in 2022.

Bangladesh’s Jamal Hossain (65-62-66-69), who posed a serious challenge to Yuvraj on the back-nine on Friday, produced a 69 on the last day to finish runner-up at a total of 18-under 262.

The Bengaluru-based Rahil Gangjee, who originally hails from Kolkata, carded a 70 on Day Four to take third place at 14-under 266. Dhruv Sheoran of Gurugram fired the day’s best score of 63 to move up 26 spots and end the week in tied fifth place at 12-under 268. The legendary SSP Chawrasia (68) was the highest-placed among the Kolkata-based professionals as he finished tied eighth at 11-under 269.

The 16-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 five-under 275.

Yuvraj 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.

Yuvraj seemed to be cruising to victory after he made a birdie on the 11th and a great up and down for par on the 12th. But Sandhu 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, Yuvraj roared back with a timely 12-foot birdie conversion on the 16th to extend his lead to two shots.

Sandhu’s bogey on the final hole couldn’t stop him from marching to his seventh PGTI title and overall 10th professional win. Yuvraj took home the winning purse worth INR 15 lakh. He now leads the 2025 PGTI Order of Merit.

Yuvraj, who fell just one stroke short of matching his record for the lowest winning total at Tollygunge, said, “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 as I was in control of the situation and stayed calm through the week.

“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. The 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,” he said.

“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.

Article Source: IANS