Manu Gandas is hoping to move a step closer to a return to the DP World Tour when he tees it up in the Kolkata Challenge at Royal Calcutta Golf Club this week, the second of back-to-back Challenge Tour events co-sanctioned with the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).
Gandas, from India, currently leads the PGTI Order of Merit after a brilliant start to the year which has seen him record one win and one other top ten finish in four starts.
The 28-year-old finds himself in a position he’s been in before having finished top of the PGTI Order of Merit in 2022 which earned him full playing rights on the DP World Tour.
Gandas is back on the PGTI for the 2024 season after missing out on retaining his card last year, but hopes a positive week can boost his chances of a quick return.
“The goal of getting back to the DP World Tour is definitely there,” he said. “I realise though that it’s a long road, and there’s a lot of months to go to the end of the season.
“All I can do right now is think about the week ahead and just do what I can. My game overall is starting to come back and hopefully by the end of this week I have something good to shout about.”
Gandas impressed the last time he teed it up at Royal Calcutta, coming out on top in the SSP Chawrasia Invitational 2022 presented by TAKE, a result that consolidated his position at the top of the Order of Merit.
“I always look forward to playing here,” he added. “That was probably the win that sealed my card for the DP World Tour, and of course, at that time I was playing well.
“If you’re good off the tee, you’re sorted on this course. You need good putting and a good short game, but that goes for any course. If you’re good off the tee though, you will give yourself a chance.
“It will be a good test as it always is playing against some of the best in Europe. The guys who are playing on the Challenge Tour, some of them have been on the DP World Tour for many years as well. If you’re competing against them, you’re pretty much competing against any of the best in the world.”
Gandas joins a strong field in Kolkata that includes PGA Tour winner Arjun Atwal, four-time DP World Tour winner SSP Chawrasia, and Road to Mallorca Number One John Parry.
Play gets under way on Thursday at 6:05am local time with Gandas teeing off alongside Parry and Om Prakash Chouhan from India at 11:50am.
