Last year, it was local favourite Gaganjeet Bhullar who stormed the field at the Gujarat Kensville Challenge to become the first Indian player to win on the Challenge Tour. Here is our pick of Indian players to look out for this time around…
Shiv Kapur
One of the biggest stars of Indian golf, Kapur is sure to draw the crowds next week.
After becoming an All-American at Harvard University, the 29 year old has gone on to become one of the most successful golfers his country has produced, winning the 2000 Malaysian Amateur Open Championship, the 2002 Asian Games Individual Gold Medal and the 2002 Indian Amateur Open Championship.
He came agonisingly close to claiming a maiden European Tour victory in 2010, when he lost out to Richie Ramsay in a play-off at the South African Open Championship.
As an amateur, he played in the Eisenhower Trophy in 2000 and 2002 and was part of the winning Bonallack Trophy team in 2002 and 2004. He turned professional soon after and made a huge impact on the 2005 Asian Tour, winning the Rookie of the Year title after taking the Volvo Masters of Asia title.
After finishing just three outside the 118 players who retained theirs card for The 2012 Race to Dubai, Kapur will be keen to make an impression at Kensville Golf Club next week.
Gaganjeet Bhullar
The name Gaganjeet Bhullar could not be omitted from a list of Indian players to watch this time out, not only because he is the defending champion this week but also because he continued 2011 as he started it by recording three victories on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) in just 10 appearances.
The 23 year old seems destined for bigger things, even if he did not quite enjoy the same success last year on the Asian Tour that he experienced in 2009 and 2010, when he finished sixth and 17th respectively in the Rankings.
He did, however, earn his first top ten finish on The European Tour last year when he finished tied ninth at the Czech Open.
Having overcome tough conditions at the Gujarat Kensville Challenge last year, which produced the lowest winning score to par of the 2011 season at five under, he certainly has form on his side and could be well primed for the defence of his title next week.
Chiragh Kumar
Kumar is definitely the man in form in India, after he won the PGTI Rolex Rankings in 2011, having posted a win at the BILT Open along with nine top ten finishes.
His ascent to the top was also helped by runner-up finishes at both the PGTI Players Championship presented by Chandigarh Golf Club and the PGTI Players Championship presented by the Willingdon Sports Club.
In a stellar year, the 28 year old also secured a runner-up finish at the Asian Tour’s Indian Open 2011 and was placed 21st on the Order of Merit, in the process securing a card for the 2012 Asian Tour for the first time.
Kumar showed great promise as an amateur, winning the 45th Pakistan Amateur Open Golf Championship in 2005, the 2006 Singapore Amateur Open and the 2006 Southern India Amateur Championship while also finishing runner-up at the Malaysian Amateur Open in 2006.
He was also a member of the winning Indian team at the International Team Championship in Lahore in 2005, and won a silver medal for India at the 2006 Doha Asian games before his breakthrough on the Asian professional scene came at the 2006 Indian Open, where he finished as best amateur.
Kumar’s career has been steadily building in the past few years, and it could be time for him to make his mark on the Challenge Tour next week.
Himmat Singh Rai
Rai is one of the great white hopes of Indian golf and, at just 24 years of age, experienced his breakthrough season on the Asian Tour last year, winning for the first time at the ISPS Handa Singapore Classic 2011 after six play-off holes.
The New Delhi man also earned seventh place finishes at both the Indian Open and the Panasonic Open in 2011, and posted a tied 13th place at the Barclays Singapore Open, co-sanctioned by The European Tour.
On the PGTI in 2011, he won the DLF Masters and was runner-up at the PGTI Players Championship presented by Oxford Golf & Country, with two further top ten finishes earning him a seventh place finish in the 2011 Rolex Rankings.
As an amateur, he won the East India Championship in 2005 and 2006 and the All-India Championship in 2005, and has also represented India at the Junior World Cup.
After his good finish at the Barclays Singapore Open last November in a high-quality European Tour field, he has proven that he has the pedigree to cut it amongst the golfing elite.
Rashid Khan
At the tender age of 20, Khan is causing quite a stir in Indian golf after a superb start to his professional career, finishing in fourth place in the 2011 PGTI’s Rolex Rankings and thereby winning the Emerging Player of the Year award.
The Delhi man recorded his first career win at the Surya Nepal Masters, and had eight other top ten finishes on the PGTI in his first season. His other notable performances were a tied second at the PGTI Players Championship, Tollygunge and another runner-up finish at the DLF Masters.
Before joining the professional ranks, Khan was India’s leading amateur in 2009 and 2010 and also won the silver medal in the team event at the 2010 Guagzhou Asian Games.
A lot is expected of Khan, and he brings his burgeoning talent to Kensville Golf Club this week with the hope of proving his worth amongst the Challenge Tour’s elite.
