Arshpreet Thind registers impressive five-shot win for maiden title

Lucknow, September 18, 2014: Arshpreet Thind (66-68-69) of Gurgaon secured his maiden title after an impressive five-shot victory at the Ansal API Feeder Tour Championship presented by The Palms Golf Club – Sushant Golf City in Lucknow. Thind posted a three-under-69 in the final round to take his total to 13-under-203 for the week.

Delhi’s Gulfam (69-65-74) finished runner-up at eight-under-208 and as a result sealed the PGTI Feeder Tour Order of Merit title for 2014. Gulfam, who had won the Feeder Tour event at Forest Hill in Punjab two weeks back, topped the Order of Merit with earnings of Rs. 2,38,830. He has now earned a full card for the 2015 PGTI season (main tour). Akshay Sharma of Chandigarh finished second on the Order of Merit with earnings of Rs. 2,24,430. Akshay claimed tied 22nd place at the Ansal API Feeder Tour Championship.

Arshpreet Thind and Gulfam, who started the day as joint leaders, began with birdies on the first hole. There was a two-shot swing in favour of Gulfam on the sixth as he birdied and Thind dropped a bogey. Gulfam’s double-bogey on the ninth brought him back to level terms with Arshpreet, however Gulfam picked up a stroke again on the 10th to go one ahead.

The 31-year-old Thind, who plays at the Classic Golf Resort in Mewat, Haryana, landed it close for a tap-in birdie on the 11th to be all square with Gulfam once again. The 48-year-old Gulfam then dropped bogeys on the 12th and 16th and his second double-bogey of the day on the 15th to give Thind a comfortable four-stroke advantage. The brawny Thind, who has one of the strongest handshakes on the tour, finally ensured victory after driving the green on the par-4 17th to make birdie.

Thind said, “I was very consistent through the week having dropped just two bogeys in three rounds. I capitalized well on the good start on day one and kept the momentum going till the end. I made 16 greens in regulation today and therefore gave myself a lot of birdie opportunities. I drove the green on two par-4s today, the eighth and 17th. I also found two par-5 greens in two shots. I was playing in the leader group for the first time and I’m delighted that I played really well in such a pressure situation.

“This win would help me raise my game and improve my performances on the main tour. I dedicate this victory to my late grandmother who passed away a few weeks back,” added Thind.

Gulfam, the Feeder Tour Order of Merit champion, said, “It’s been a very satisfying Feeder Tour season. I’ve done well in all aspects of the game. I’m very pleased to achieve my goal of winning the Order of Merit and earning exemption on the PGTI for 2015.”

Pranav Kaul of Gurgaon fired a 69 in the final round to end up in third place at five-under-211.

Sheeraz Kalra of Lucknow was the best-placed among the local professionals. He finished tied fourth at four-under-212 along with Chandigarh’s Randhir Singh Ghotra.

Photo caption: Arshpreet Thind receives the winner's cheque from (L to R) Mr. Abhishek Sinha, AGM - Ansal Group, Mr. Sheeraz Kalra, GM - The Palms Golf & Country Club and Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, Director, PGT

Release and photo: PGTI

Gulfam, Arshpreet in joint lead after round two

Lucknow, September 17, 2014: Delhi’s Gulfam and Gurgaon-based Arshpreet Thind were the joint round two leaders at the Ansal API Feeder Tour Championship presented by The Palms Golf Club – Sushant Golf City. The two golfers ended round two with identical scores of 10-under-134 as Gulfam carded a sparkling seven-under-65 while Thind returned a solid four-under-68 on Wednesday. Bhanu Pratap Singh of Delhi is four shots off the lead in third place.

Gulfam (69-65), who was overnight tied fifth, came out firing on all cylinders on Wednesday as he shot down birdies on the first, fifth and seventh after landing it within a couple of feet of the flag on all three occasions. The 48-year-old seasoned professional then sank his longest putt of the day, a 20-footer, on the 11th to move to four-under for the day. Gulfam’s excellent hitting set up a couple of more tap-in birdies for him on the 12th and14th. The professional from the Delhi Golf Club, currently placed second on the Feeder Tour Order of Merit, drove the par-4 17th green to pocket his last birdie of the day.

“I shot one of the best scores of my professional career today. I kept landing it close to the pin and putted much better on the back nine as compared to round one. The win at Forest Hill two weeks back has really lifted my confidence. I’ll need to repeat this effort in the last round to give myself a good chance. My goal is to finish on top of the Order of Merit in order to earn the exemption on the PGTI next year,” said Gulfam, elder brother of 2012 Rolex Rankings champion Shamim Khan.

Arshpreet Thind (66-68), the overnight joint leader, followed up his brilliant opening round of 66 with a steady 68. The strapping six-footer dropped a bogey on the second but rallied with birdies on the fifth, sixth, seventh, 10th and 11ththanks to his good hitting form.

 “I’ve been hitting it well this week. I had 17 greens in regulation today and set up a lot of birdie opportunities by landing my shots within six feet of the pin. I also found two of the par-5 greens in two shots. I don’t want to think too far ahead and just want to continue playing like I’ve done on the first two days in order to set myself up nicely for the final day,” said Thind, looking for his maiden title.

Bhanu Pratap Singh (66-72), the overnight joint leader, slipped to third place after an even-par-72 in round two. His total reads six-under-138.

Lucknow’s Sheeraz Kalra was the highest-placed golfer from the host city. He ended day two in tied fourth at five-under-139 along with former Feeder Tour Order of Merit champion Maniram Sharma of Karnal. Kalra had the distinction of firing two eagles in his second round of 68.

Feeder Tour Order of Merit leader Akshay Sharma of Chandigarh is placed tied seventh at three-under-141.

The cut was declared at two-over-146. Thirty-six professionals made the cut.

Press release

Flawless rounds of 66 place Arshpreet Thind and Bhanu Pratap Singh on top

 Arshpreet Thind 

Bhanu Pratap Singh 

Lucknow, September 16, 2014: Gurgaon-based Arshpreet Thind and Delhi’s Bhanu Pratap Singh produced flawless rounds of six-under-66 to set the pace in the opening round of the Ansal API Feeder Tour Championship presented by The Palms Golf Club – Sushant Golf City. Indore’s Aditya Singh Chauhan and Delhi golfer Amarjeet Baisoya were two shots off the lead in tied third place.

The burly Arshpreet Thind had a solid start to the final event of the 2014 Feeder Tour season as he picked up two strokes on the first three holes. The 31-year-old, currently ranked 36th on the Feeder Tour Order of Merit, added another birdie on the seventh and came up with a hat-trick of birdies on the 15th, 16thand 17th to end up with a bogey-free 66.

Thind said, “I hit it close all day and didn’t leave myself anything longer than 10 feet on the greens. I capitalized well on the par-5s, making birdies on three out of four par-5s. I’m quite happy with the effort as I hadn’t played for about two months during the middle of the year due to personal reasons. I was therefore a little rusty and short of practice. This round has set me up well for the remaining two days.”

Bhanu Pratap Singh also posted a bogey-free 66. Some great hitting saw him land birdies on the first, seventh and eighth. He drove the green on the 11th and 17th, both par-4s, and reaped the reward with birdies. The 23-year-old’s longest putt of the day was the birdie conversion from 12 feet on the 12th.

“I was good off the tee today. I created quite a few eagle opportunities, however had to be content with birdies on all those occasions. My eagle putt lipped out on the 11th. I’ve played well in the last three Feeder Tour events as my putting has improved with each passing event. It’s great to start with such a low score. I’ll look to repeat this performance in the next two rounds,” said Bhanu, currently placed 26th in the Feeder Tour.

Amarjeet Baisoya produced four birdies and shared third place with Aditya Singh Chauhan who made five birdies and a bogey on day one.

Delhi golfers Karan Vasudeva and Gulfam occupied joint fifth at three-under-69.

Among the professionals from Lucknow, Sanjeev Kumar, Sheeraz Kalra and Rishi, were the highest placed at tied 12th. The Lucknow trio returned scores of one-under-71 along with four other players.

Akshay Sharma of Chandigarh, the Feeder Tour Order of Merit leader, was in tied 19th place at even-par-72.

Press release

Shivendra Singh Sisodia wins maiden title after roller-coaster round

Lucknow, September 11, 2014: Shivendra Singh Sisodia of Delhi bagged his maiden title after a roller-coaster final round at the PGTI Feeder Tour event at Lucknow Golf Club on Thursday. Sisodia came home the winner with an even-par-70 in round three that took his total score to six-under-204. Lucknow’s Sanjeev Kumar finished as the runner-up at his home course with a four-under-206 total.

Shivendra Singh Sisodia (67-67-70), who enjoyed a three-shot lead going into the final round, made a birdie on the third and a bogey on the sixth before seizing the initiative with a fantastic hole-in-one on the eighth. He followed that up with a birdie on the ninth to take control of the match. Just when Shivendra seemed to be coasting to a comfortable victory, the 25-year-old had a disastrous 10th hole that changed the equations.

Sisodia first hit it out of bounds on the 10th then found the trees and the bunker and finally hit it over the green to drop a demoralizing quadruple bogey. It just got worse for him with another poor bunker shot on the 12th that led to a bogey. After 14 holes Shivendra and Lucknow’s Manoj Kumar were on level terms. However, Shivendra displayed nerves of steel to land the ball within five feet on the 15th and 16th to garner two crucial birdies and regain the sole lead. The golfer from the Aravalli Golf Club, Faridabad, sealed the title after Manoj hit it out of bounds on the 18th and fell out of the race with a triple bogey.

Sisodia said, “I’m delighted with my strong comeback. I almost squandered my opportunity after a disastrous start to the back-nine. I’m quite pleased that I managed to pull it back with some brilliant wedge shots despite being under tremendous pressure. The 15th and 16th holes were the turning point of the day. The hole-in-one was a perfect half 3-wood shot that bounced once and rolled in. I couldn’t believe my luck when I saw it go in as I was doubtful about my club selection on that hole.

“This is only my second season as a professional and therefore the win is a huge morale-booster. It has lifted me from 26th position to fifth place in the Feeder Tour Order of Merit. I would like to thank Mr. Yash Chaturvedi, a member of TERI Golf Club in Gurgaon, who has been a great source of support.”

It turned out to be a good week for the Lucknow golfers as three of them Sanjeev Kumar (four-under-206), Sanjay Kumar (three-under-207) and Manoj Kumar (two-under-208), finished second, third and fourth respectively.

Runner-up Sanjeev Kumar, who shot scores of 69, 69 and 68, climbed from eighth to third place on the Feeder Tour Order of Merit.

Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma and Gulfam of Delhi shared fifth place at one-under-209.

Akshay continues to lead the Order of Merit with earnings of Rs. 2,15,280 with one event remaining in the season. Gulfam is placed second in the merit list with earnings of Rs. 1,74,540.

Lucknow’s Vijay Kumar took a share of 29th place at 11-over-221.

Photo and release: PGTI

Shivendra Singh Sisodia fires three-under-67 for round one lead

Lucknow, September 9, 2014: Shivendra Singh Sisodia of Delhi fired a three-under-67 to take the opening round lead at the PGTI Feeder Tour event being played at the Lucknow Golf Club. Lucknow’s Manoj Kumar was a shot off the lead in second place.

Shivendra Singh Sisodia’s 67 featured six birdies and three bogeys. The 25-year-old Shivendra had the ideal start to the tournament as he chipped-in from the bunker for birdie on the first hole. He then found the green on the par-5 third in two shots to add another birdie to his card. The professional from the Aravalli Golf Club in Faridabad dropped a stroke on the fifth but cam back strongly by landing it close for birdies on the sixth and ninth. Two good chip-putts earned Sisodia two more strokes on the back-nine. He also conceded two bogeys on the back stretch.

Sisodia said, “My hitting and approach shots were excellent in round one, however, my putting left a lot to be desired. I missed some short putts. Nonetheless, it’s a brilliant start to the tournament. I just want to keep driving well and continue to make good up and downs like I did today.”

Manoj Kumar kept local hopes alive with his round of 68 that included four birdies and two bogeys.

Lucknow golfers Bhoop Singh and Sanjeev Kumar were a further shot back in tied third place along with Feeder Tour Order of Merit leader Akshay Sharma of Chandigarh and Patna’s Md Islam.

Defending champion Sanjay Kumar of Lucknow was placed tied 16^th after a round of two-over-72. Vijay Kumar, another Lucknow golfer, was tied 29^th at five-over-75.

Delhi’s Gaurav Verma, who carded a 78 to be tied 44^th, made a hole-in-one on the fourth hole.

PGTI Press release

Arshdeep Tiwana emerges round two leader at Karnal

Arshdeep Tiwana 

Karnal, Haryana, June 25, 2014: Arshdeep Tiwana of the Golden Greens Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon, took the sole second round lead at the PGTI Feeder Tour event at the Madhuban Meadows Golf Course in Karnal. Tiwana shot a two-under-66 at the par-68 course to end up with a two-day total of seven-under-129. Delhi’s Suleman Ali, Pradeep Kumar of Noida and Pune’s Dinesh Raghuvanshi are all in tied second place at six-under-130.

The cut was declared at three-over-139. Forty-six professionals made the cut.

Arshdeep Tiwana (63-66), the overnight joint leader, grabbed the sole lead on day two after firing a 66 that included seven birdies and five bogeys. Tiwana was off to a slow start as he dropped four bogeys and made a lone birdie on the front-nine. Arshdeep turned it around with a brilliant back-nine. He birdied the 12th and 13th before losing a shot with a bogey on the 14th. The 25-year-old Gurgaon-based professional closed the round in style with birdies on the last four holes.  

“I wasn’t at my best on the front-nine as I dropped far too many shots. But the back-nine was a different story altogether. I sank a 15-footer to pick up a stroke on the 13th and drove it really well on the last four holes to set up comfortable chip-putt birdies. My caddie egged me on to play better on the back-nine and that helped my cause. I’ve set myself up nicely for the last round and would look to capitalize on each opportunity that comes my way,” said Tiwana, a former winner on the Feeder Tour.

Suleman Ali leapfrogged from overnight tied 22nd to tied second place after returning the tournament’s joint best score of six-under-62. His round featured seven birdies and a bogey. Dinesh Raghuvanshi, the overnight joint leader, and Pradeep Kumar also joined Suleman in tied second. Raghuvanshi shot a 67 on day two while Pradeep fired a 65 to rise from overnight seventh to joint second.

Raju Singh of Noida, Ravi of Chandimandir, Haryana and Kolkata’s Samaresh Sardar are in tied fifth at five-under-131.

Aditya Bhandarkar of Pune, who also fired the tournament’s joint best score of six-under-62 on Wednesday, is a further shot back in eighth place. Bhandarkar made an eagle, seven birdies and three bogeys in round two.

Karnal golfer Maniram Sharma (five-over-141) missed the cut.

Akshay Sharma’s timely eagle helps him clinch a playoff victory against Rahul Bajaj in Jaipur

Jaipur, June 20, 2014: Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma landed his first ever title in scintillating fashion at the PGTI Feeder Tour event played at the Rambagh Golf Club in Jaipur. The 23-year-old produced a well-timed eagle to beat Rahul Bajaj of Noida on the second playoff hole.

Akshay Sharma (70-69-67) and Rahul Bajaj (67-73-66) went into the playoff having ended the regulation 54 holes with the joint best tournament totals of four-under-206.

Sharma, who was overnight tied fifth, began the day with four pars before picking up birdies on the fifth and eighth thanks to some good drives. He then hit a rough patch as he bogeyed the ninth and 10th. The Chandigarh lad came back strongly by converting a crucial 35-footer for birdie on the 16th and following that up with two brilliant drives to set up birdies on the 17th and 18th as well.

Akshay’s inspiring hat-trick of birdies on the last three holes helped him end up with a three-under-67 for the day that resulted in a playoff between him and Rahul Bajaj. The two players made pars on the first playoff hole, before Sharma finally sealed the title with a 20-feet eagle conversion on the second playoff hole.  

Akshay, who finished fourth on the Feeder Tour Order of Merit last year, said, “It’s an unbelievable feeling to win my first title and that too with an eagle in the playoff. It’s a dream finish for me. I’ve come close on a few occasions in the past but finally getting a win under my belt is a big confidence-booster for me. I drove the ball really well today to set up quite a few birdies. My putting was also much better than the first two days. I just got on a roll after the long birdie putt on the 16th.

“Interestingly, I had finished runner-up to Rahul Bajaj on the Feeder Tour at this very venue two years back after having lead by three strokes at the turn on the final day.

“I would like to thank my coach Mr. Jesse Grewal for his guidance and the Chandigarh Golf Club for providing me with a new golf set recently. I would also like to thank my fellow professionals and seniors on the tour Ajeetesh Sandhu, Sujjan Singh, Gurbaaz Mann and Shamim Khan who have all helped and supported me from the time I turned professional,” said Sharma, who has now taken the lead in the Feeder Tour Order of Merit for 2014.

Rahul Bajaj, a winner at the Feeder Tour event in Jaipur in 2012, posted his best score of the week, a four-under-66, in round three. Bajaj, who was overnight tied eighth, emerged as a strong contender with four birdies and a bogey on the front-nine but could not drive home the advantage as he added just one more birdie on the back-nine.

Rajesh Kumar Rawat of Lucknow finished third at three-under-207 while local favourite Vishal Singh was a further shot behind in tied fourth along with Manoj Kumar, another Lucknow golfer.

Chandigarh’s K Raghav Bhandari signed the best card of the week, a five-under-65, to secure sixth place at one-under-209.

Photo caption: Akshay Sharma receives the winner's cheque and trophy from (right to left) Giriraj Singh, Captain, Rambagh Golf Club, Uttam Singh Mundy, Director, PGTI and Sampath Chari, Tournament Director, PGTI.

PGTI Press release and photos 

Arjun Singh Chaudhri wins 2013 PGTI Feeder Tour Order of Merit

Harendra Gupta

Lucknow, October 17, 2013: Harendra Gupta of Chandigarh prevailed over Lucknow’s Manoj Kumar in a playoff to win the inaugural Ansal API Feeder Tour Championship presented by The Palms Golf Club – Sushant Golf City. Harendra triumphed on the second playoff hole after he and Manoj ended the regulation 54 holes with identical totals of 14-under-202.

Arjun Singh Chaudhri of Noida, won the PGTI Feeder Tour Order of Merit title for 2013. Chaudhari, who finished tied 17th at The Palms Golf Club this week, topped the Order of Merit with earnings of Rs. 2,09,330. He has now earned a full card for the 2014 PGTI season (main tour). Honey Baisoya of Delhi finished second on the Order of Merit with earnings of Rs. 1,40,190. Baisoya secured tied 15th place in Lucknow.

Harendra Gupta (68-62-72), who ended round two in second place, after shooting a course record score of 62, came up with a steady even-par-72 in the final round. Gupta began with a good chip-putt for birdie on the first. A wrong club-selection on the fifth tee led to a bogey for Harendra. He capitalized on the sixth and 15th, both par-5s to pick up two more strokes. The 29-year-old, who was playing with fellow professional Vijay Kumar’s putter, having forgotten his own back in Chandigarh, sank a 12-footer on the 15th. Gupta’s second shot landed out of bounds on the 16th and resulted in a double-bogey.

Both Harendra and Manoj made pars on the first playoff hole. Gupta sealed it with a par on the second playoff hole after Manoj hit his tee shot out of bounds.  

“I played some solid golf through the week. I putted well despite using someone else’s putter. I was aggressive in the final round and even though that strategy didn’t really pay off for me, I ended up making some good chip-putts for birdies. I stuck to the basics in the playoff and that helped me bag the title. This win has lifted my spirits as I head into some important events in the coming weeks,” said Gupta, who bagged his seventh professional title on Thursday.

Manoj Kumar (65-68-69) made five birdies and two bogeys in his final round of three-under-69. Manoj’s runner-up finish on Thursday helped him secure third place on the Feeder Tour Order of Merit.

Lucknow’s Bhoop Singh, the overnight leader, slipped to tied third place after firing a 76 in the final round. Rajesh Kumar Rawat, another Lucknow golfer, carded a 66 in round three to share third place along with Bhoop Singh at 12-under-204.

Gurgaon golfer Shubhankar Sharma shot the day’s best score of 65 to end up in fifth position at 11-under-205.

Arjun Singh Chaudhri, the Feeder Tour Order of Merit champion, said, “It’s a great feeling to win the Order of Merit. All the hard work put in by me this season has paid off. My game’s looking good as my short-game and putting has been very consistent this year. I’ll now be in a lot more relaxed frame of mind while playing on the main tour. I’d like to carry this form into the big events coming up on the PGTI in the next two months.”

Chaudhari, who had also won the Feeder Tour Order of Merit back in 2011, posted two wins during the 2013 Feeder Tour season.

Press release

Bhoop Singh stays on top with a brilliant 65

 Bhoop Singh 

Lucknow, October 16, 2013: Lucknow’s Bhoop Singh returned a brilliant seven-under-65 to continue in the lead in round two of the Ansal API Feeder Tour Championship presented by The Palms Golf Club – Sushant Golf City. Singh’s total now reads 16-under-128. Harendra Gupta of Chandigarh set a new course record thanks to a blistering 10-under-62 to end the day in second position, two strokes behind the leader.

Bhoop Singh (63-65), the overnight leader, maintained his two-shot lead with a bogey-free 65 on Wednesday. The 42-year-old displayed some great iron-play to land his tee shots within seven feet to set up birdie putts on the third, fifth and 14th, all par-3s. Singh also landed his chips within range for easy tap-in birdies on the sixth, 10th and 15th. He converted an eight-footer for birdie on the ninth.

“I hit it extremely close today just like round one. My iron-play was outstanding and I didn’t miss any putts. I hit some excellent tee shots on the par-3s and chipped well from the edge of the greens on the par-5s. I’ll look to play in the same manner going into the final round,” said Bhoop Singh, who is yet to win a professional event.

Harendra Gupta (68-62) fired an awesome 10-under-62 to break the course record of 63 set by Bhoop Singh in round one on Tuesday. Gupta thus climbed from overnight tied eighth to second place with a total of 14-under-130. His round featured an eagle and eight birdies. Harendra made a 20-feet eagle putt on the par-5 15th. He also found the green on three other par-5s in two shots. Gupta landed it within four feet for birdies on the third and ninth and sank an 18-feet birdie putt on the 11th.  

Harendra, a multiple winner on the PGTI, said, “I capitalized well on the par-5s today where I had an eagle and four birdies. It was a good putting day for me even though I was playing with Vijay Kumar’s putter after having forgotten mine at home. This is the first time ever that I’m playing an event in Lucknow and I look forward to ending the week on a high.”

Sandeep Syal (67-66) of Chennai occupies tied third place at 11-under-133. His bogey-free 66 in round two featured five birdies on the trot from the 12th through the 16th.

Manoj Kumar (65-68) of Lucknow joined Syal in tied third. Manoj’s round of 68 included an eagle on the 15th, five birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey.

Lucknow’s Sheeraz Kalra is placed fifth at 10-under-134.

Arjun Singh Chaudhri of Noida and Delhi’s Honey Baisoya, currently placed first and second on the PGTI Feeder Tour Order of Merit, are in tied 11th place at six-under-138.

The cut was declared at even-par-144. Thirty-six professionals made the cut.

Bhoop Singh’s phenomenal nine-under-63 gives him the round one lead

Bhoop Singh 

Lucknow, October 15, 2013: Lucknow’s Bhoop Singh fired a phenomenal nine-under-63 to take the lead in the opening round of the Ansal API Feeder Tour Championship presented by The Palms Golf Club – Sushant Golf City. Two other Lucknow-based professionals Sheeraz Kalra and Manoj Kumar posted scores of seven-under-65 to be placed joint second.

Bhoop Singh, who hails from the Lucknow Golf Club, shot an outstanding 63 featuring eleven birdies against two bogeys, in PGTI’s inaugural tournament at The Palms Golf Club. Singh landed it within five feet of the flag for birdie on four occasions. The 42-year-old also made four birdie conversions from a range of eight to 10 feet besides three good chip-putts for birdies. Singh had a run of four straight birdies from the 12th to the 15th.

Singh said, “I’m delighted to have posted a nine-under in my first ever round at The Palms Golf Club. I made all putts today and chipped well. I also hit it extremely close on a few occasions. I now need to capitalize on this dream start in order to stay in contention till the end. I’ve not had a good season so far and I’d like to change that with a good finish here.”

Sheeraz Kalra and Manoj Kumar, both playing at their home course, shot scores of 65 to be tied second.

Sheeraz made an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys in his round. Kalra sank a mammoth 60-feet eagle putt on the sixth and also converted two birdie putts from a range of 15 to 20 feet.

Manoj’s round also included an eagle, seven birdies and two bogeys. He sank a 20-footer for eagle on the sixth and had a brilliant run of four straight birdies from the 12th to the 15th.

K Raghav Bhandari of Chandigarh and Gurgaon’s Shubhankar Sharma are in tied fourth place at six-under-66.

S Muthu of Coimbatore made a hole-in-one on the 14th during his round of two-over-74. He is currently in tied 52nd place.

Press release

Rookie Angad Cheema bags maiden professional title

Jaipur, May 30, 2013: Rookie Angad Cheema of Panchkula won the second leg of the 2013 PGTI Feeder Tour at the Rambagh Golf Club in Jaipur on Thursday after he fired an even-par-70 in the third and final round. Cheema totaled five-under-205 for the tournament to bag his maiden professional title. Dehradun’s Richard Stephen Hilton was the runner-up as he finished one stroke behind the winner.

Angad Cheema (69-66-70), who was overnight second, had an ordinary start to the day. He bogeyed the first and third holes after a couple of poor shots. The 23-year-old Cheema picked up his first birdie of the day with an eight feet putt on the eighth. However, he stumbled with another bogey on the ninth.

Angad then produced a far better back-nine as he birdied the 10th and 15th and made a good par to win on the 18th. Cheema, a winner of three events on the amateur circuit, landed his approach shots within five feet and two feet for birdies on the 10th and 15th respectively.

Cheema said, “The turning point for me was the birdie on the 15th as that gave me a two shot lead. I also made a good chip-putt for par to win on the 18th. My putting was much better as compared to last week’s event in Faridabad where I missed the cut. After the poor performance in Faridabad, I came to Jaipur just to prove to myself that I can play much better golf. I wanted to get in the right frame of mind before the season’s bigger events.

“I knew I would do well at the Rambagh Golf Club as I had won a team event at this venue during my amateur days. It’s great to win my first title within five months of turning professional. This victory is of huge significance to me.”

Angad Cheema is now placed second on the PGTI Feeder Tour Order of Merit behind Arjun Singh Chaudhri who won the first leg of the season at Faridabad last week.

Richard Stephen Hilton (68-69-69) was the runner-up with a four-under-206 total. The 25-year-old Richard made four birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey in his final round of one-under-69. Hilton, playing in his second season as a professional, posted the best ever result of his professional career after he finished second at Jaipur.

Overnight leader Honey Baisoya of Delhi secured tied third place along with Amardeep Rawat of Lucknow at three-under-207. Baisoya shot a three-over-73 in the final round.

Vishal Singh of Jaipur and Chandigarh’s Roop Singh were in tied fifth place at one-under-209.

Photo caption: Angad Cheema (3rd from left) receives the winner's cheque from Mr. Vikram Singh, Captain, Rambagh Golf Club (extreme left), Mr. Yogendra S Shekhawat, Hony. Secretary, Rambagh Golf Club (2nd from left) and Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, Director, PGTI (extreme right).

Honey Baisoya stays ahead in round two

Honey Baisoya 

Jaipur, May 29, 2013: Honey Baisoya of Delhi fired a two-under-68 to stay in the lead in round two of the PGTI Feeder Tour event being played at the Rambagh Golf Club in Jaipur. Baisoya now has a total of six-under-134. Angad Cheema of Panchkula is one stroke behind the leader in second place.

The cut was declared at six-over-146. Thirty-eight professionals made the cut for the third and final round scheduled to be played on Thursday, May 30.

Honey Baisoya (66-68), the overnight joint leader, started from the 10th and bagged his first birdie of the day with a magnificent chip-in on the 12th. Honey then dropped bogeys on the 13th and 14th. He came roaring back on the par-5 17th where he found the green in two. Baisoya’s eagle putt lipped out on the 17th but he still salvaged a birdie there.

The young rookie picked up shots on the 18th and first as well to make it three birdies in a row. He sank a 15-footer on the first. A bogey on the fourth and a birdie from seven feet on the seventh meant Baisoya ended his day with a score of 68.  

Baisoya said, “I’ve been consistent on the first two days and earned the reward for it. I had a better finish today as compared to yesterday as I made good pars on the last two holes. I hit it well today to set up some birdie opportunities. My chipping was great today and I sank a few crucial putts. I’ll look to keep the intensity going in the final round.”

Angad Cheema (69-66) is placed second at five-under-135. Cheema, also a rookie on the PGTI like Baisoya, posted the joint best score of the day. His four-under-66 on Wednesday included two eagles, three birdies and three bogeys. He chipped-in for eagle from 30 yards on the seventh.

Balwinder Singh Mattu’s 66 was the day’s best score along with Angad Cheema’s round. The Jalandhar-based Mattu currently shares third position with Richard Stephen Hilton of Dehradun at three-under-137.

Vishal Singh is currently the highest-placed among the professionals from Jaipur. Vishal is in tied 10th with a total score of even-par-140 at the end of round two.

Akshay Sharma of Chandigarh was the other golfer besides Angad Cheema who made two eagles in the second round. Akshay ended the day with successive eagles on the 17th and 18th after making two birdies, five bogeys and a double-bogey earlier in his round. His score of one-over-71 on Wednesday placed him in tied 17th at two-over-142.

Press release

Ashbeer Saini, Honey Baisoya shine on Day 1

 Ashbeer Saini 

Honey Baisoya

Jaipur, May 28, 2013: Ashbeer Saini of Kapurthala and Delhi’s Honey Baisoya, both playing in their first season on the PGTI, shot scores of four-under-66 to be the joint leaders in the first round at the PGTI Feeder Tour event being played at the Rambagh Golf Club in Jaipur. Dipankar Kaushal of Noida was in third place having posted a three-under-67.

While Ashbeer Saini fired a bogey-free 66, Honey Baisoya’s round featured six birdies and two bogeys.

Saini said, “I was in brilliant putting form today as I sank birdie putts from 20 and 15 feet on the 10th and third respectively. I also created some birdie opportunities with my hitting. I almost drove the par-4 green on the seventh and found the green in two on the par-5 eighth for successive birdies. I’ve gained some good experience this year and the runner-up finish in my first event lifted my confidence.”

Baisoya, who played alongside Ashbeer on the amateur circuit till last year, said: “The top-10 finish in Nepal couple of weeks back has helped me raise my game. My putter was hot on the front-nine today as I sank birdie putts from 10 feet on the first and fifth. I also hit it really well. I landed my tee shot within five feet for birdie on the fourth. I narrowly missed out on eagle opportunities on the 12th and 18th where I eventually bagged birdies. My approach shot from 150 yards landed within one inch of the pin on the 12th while my eagle putt from 15 feet lipped out on the 18th.”

Dipankar Kaushal is one stroke off the lead in third place. His round featured an eagle on the 18th, four birdies and three bogeys.

Jaipur’s Vishal Singh is in tied fourth along with Gurgaon’s Arshpreet Thind and Richard Stephen Hilton of Dehradun at two-under-68.

Arjun Singh Chaudhri registers emphatic five-stroke win

Left to Right - Arjun Singh Chaudhri receives the winner's cheque from  Naveen Sood (Chairman, Vee Gee Group of Industries), Dr. Ashok Bhatia, Mr. Sukhdev Singh (MD, Hind Hydraulics) and Mr. R K Gupta (Director - HR, MGT).

Faridabad, May 23, 2013: Noida’s Arjun Singh Chaudhri claimed his second professional title with an emphatic five-stroke victory at the Aravalli Golf Club in Faridabad on Thursday. Chaudhri shot a one-under-71 in the third and final round to total eight-under-208 at the inaugural event of the 2013 PGTI Feeder Tour season. Faridabad’s Abhinav Lohan fired an even-par-72 to finish second at three-under-213.

The 33-year-old Arjun Singh Chaudhri (69-68-71), who enjoyed an overnight four-shot lead, had a poor start to the day as he made triple-bogey on the par-5 second after finding the bushes and taking a penalty drop. He birdied the third but dropped a bogey again on the fourth. Arjun then took control once again with five birdies against a lone bogey over the last 12 holes. He landed his tee shot within four feet for birdie on the 13th and converted an 18-feet putt for his final birdie of the day on the 17th.

Chaudhri said, “I had narrowly missed out on making the top-60 on the PGTI last year that would’ve earned me an exemption. This win is therefore a huge morale-booster for me. I drove well, hit the irons to perfection and made most of the putts through the week. I gave myself plenty of opportunities today by landing my shots around the green on as many as five occasions. I had a poor start to the day but the turnaround came for me with the 10 feet birdie putt on the seventh.”

Local favourite Abhinav Lohan (68-73-72) was the runner-up with a total of three-under-213. Lohan’s final round of 72 featured four birdies and four bogeys.

Wasim Khan (69-72-76) of Delhi secured third place with a one-over-217 total.

Press release

Arjun Singh Chaudhri establishes four-shot lead in round two

Arjun Singh Chaudhri 

Faridabad, May 22, 2013: Arjun Singh Chaudhri of Noida took a four-shot lead in round two of the PGTI Feeder Tour event being played at the Aravalli Golf Club in Faridabad. Chaudhri carded a four-under-68 on Wednesday that took his total to seven-under-137. Abhinav Lohan of Faridabad and the Delhi duo of Kapil Kumar and Wasim Khan are in tied second at three-under-141.

The cut was declared at 11-over-155. Thirty-nine professionals made the cut.

Arjun Singh Chaudhri (69-68), who was overnight tied third, made his way to the top of the leaderboard after a solid round of 68 that featured an eagle, seven birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. Arjun, the PGTI Feeder Tour Order of Merit champion in 2011, missed a hole-in-one by a whisker on the sixth and drove the green on the par-4 seventh to set up a birdie. He drove the green again on the par-4 16th and produced a 25-feet putt to bag an eagle on that hole.

Chaudhri said, “My hitting was top-class and I converted most putts. I enjoyed a great start as I was five-under after seven holes. I then made a few errors in the middle of the round but came back well towards the end with eagle-birdie on the 16th and 17th. There are a lot of birdie opportunities on this course if one keeps it in play. I’ll need to be patient in order to finish well in the final round.”

Local lad Abhinav Lohan (68-73) occupies tied second place along with round one leader Kapil Kumar (67-74) and Wasim Khan (69-72) at three-under-141.

Akshay Sharma of Delhi and Amardeep Rawat of Lucknow are in tied fifth place at two-over-146.

Kapil Kumar takes the round one lead with a 67

Kapil Kumar 

Faridabad, May 21, 2013: Kapil Kumar of Delhi shot a five-under-67 to take the round one lead in the PGTI Feeder Tour event being played at the Aravalli Golf Club in Faridabad, Haryana. Abhinav Lohan of Faridabad is one shot behind the leader in second place.

Kapil Kumar got going on the par-5 third hole as he landed the ball in two shots on the green. Even though Kapil missed a 10-footer for eagle, he salvaged a birdie on the third. The 20-year-old then drove the green on the par-4 ninth to add another birdie to his card. Kumar set up another 10-feet eagle putt on the 12th thanks to some excellent driving. However, he managed to pick up a birdie on the 12th. A couple of good chip shots earned him birdies on the 16th and 18th.

“I’ve been in good form with the driver over the last few events. I drove the ball really well today and therefore set up a couple of eagle putts from 10 feet. I’m carrying forward the confidence after posting two top-20s this season,” said Kapil.

Local lad Abhinav Lohan is in second place. His round of four-under-68 included six birdies and two bogeys.

Delhi’s Wasim Khan and Arjun Singh Chaudhri of Noida are in tied third with matching scores of three-under-69.

Press release