Veer Ahlawat is currently the only Indian player ranked in top-100 on the Asian Tour
The decline of Indian men at the Asian Tour pro level continues, as none of the four Indian players made the cut at the US$ 1 million Shinhan Donghae Open last week, where the cut was set at 3-under par. This highlights the rising standard of professional golf in other countries. Among the Indians was 2016 Shinhan Donghae winner Gaganjeet Bhullar, who finished 5-over par after 36 holes. Chandigarh’s rising talent, Karandeep Kochhar, a multiple winner on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), finished at 3-over par, while Bangalore’s Chikkarangappa S, who holds 16 PGTI titles, also ended at 5-over.
Rashid Khan, a former PGTI No. 1 with two Asian Tour titles to his name, struggled and finished at 8-over par.
What about recent performances? In 2023, only Veer Ahlawat, the current leader in the PGTI rankings, made the cut but finished 80th. Two other Indians that week, Ajeetesh Sandhu and Viraj Madappa, missed the cut.
In 2022, five Indian pros participated, with two making the cut: Ajeetesh Sandhu, who finished 38th, and Shiv Kapur, who finished 66th. That year, S.S.P. Chawrasia, Bhullar, and Madappa failed to make the cut.
While the domestic PGTI Tour has seen a significant increase in prize money in 2023 and 2024, largely due to Tata Steel’s CSR program and a one-time grant from the PGA and European Tours, this doesn’t seem to be helping Indian pros compete internationally.
Currently, it is unclear if any national body is seriously examining the reasons for this decline and how to reverse the trend. The PGTI seems focused solely on the domestic circuit and, since 2023, has severed its 40-year cooperative tie-up with the Asian Tour. The Indian Golf Union (IGU) is focused on junior and amateur golf.
The two bodies’ paths only cross during the Asian Games and Olympics. It is unclear whether they meet or communicate formally at any other time or if they feel the need to collaborate and devise a joint strategy.
Photo – PGTI