Gaganjeet Bhullar during the Kolkata Challenge 2025 Pro-Am
A pivotal fortnight lies ahead for Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) players, with two high-stakes $300,000 HotelPlanner Tour (earlier known as the European Challenge Tour) events set to take place in India, starting with The Kolkata Challenge at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) this week, followed by the Delhi Challenge at ITC Classic Golf & Country Club in Manesar next week. These co-sanctioned events present an opportunity for players to strengthen their positions on the money list and significantly impact their position in the PGTI Rankings.
Kolkata Challenge returns to historic venue
The Kolkata Challenge, now in its second edition, is being played at RCGC, a venue steeped in history and recognised as the birthplace of golf in India. The course has previously hosted prestigious tournaments, including the Indian Open and the All-India Amateur Championship. A total of 156 players from 31 countries are competing in the tournament.
Leading the Indian contingent are seasoned professionals and Olympians Gaganjeet Bhullar and SSP Chawrasia, with the latter enjoying home-course advantage. Other notable Indian players include Rahil Gangjee, Rashid Khan, Ajeetesh Sandhu, and Om Prakash Chouhan—who has a HotelPlanner Tour title to his name—along with Manu Gandas, Olympian Udayan Mane, Yuvraj Sandhu, Chikkarangappa, and Karandeep Kochhar.
Among the international contenders, England’s Eddie Pepperell and Jamie Rutherford, Italy’s Renato Paratore, Spain’s Adri Arnaus, and American Matt Oshrine add further depth to the competition.
Thangaraja’s recent triumph adds to the mix
Sri Lanka’s N Thangaraja enters the tournament in top form after clinching the Ahmedabad Open title last week. His commanding five-shot victory at Kensville Golf & Country Club earned him INR 15 lakh and propelled him from seventh to second in the PGTI Rankings. The 43-year-old’s latest win marked his fifth PGTI title and his first since 2023, solidifying his status as one of the key players to watch in Kolkata.
Currently, Yuvraj Sandhu leads the PGTI Rankings, having won both events he has played in this season so far.
(L-R) Amandeep Johl – PGTI CEO, Winner N Thangaraja, Sampath Chari – PGTI Tournament Director, Rakesh Mehta – IndusInd Bank West-Zone Head, Shrey Sinha – Kensville G&CC rep, and Lokinder Malik – Kensville G&CC GM
PGTI NEXGEN Tour resumes
While the main circuit gears up for the HotelPlanner Tour events, PGTI’s second-tier tour has also made a return after a five-year hiatus. The PGTI NEXGEN series, featuring three events with INR 20 lakh prize purses each, kicked off this week from March 11-13 at Golden Greens Golf & Polo Club in Gurugram. Lucknow’s Rajesh Kumar Gautam, a 35-year-old Indian Army officer and PGTI rookie, registered a two-shot victory at nine-under 207 to take home ₹2,54,300 and move to the top of the PGTI NEXGEN Order of Merit.
The Kolkata and Delhi Challenge events offer a golden opportunity for domestic players to make their mark in an international playing field, while the resumption of the NEXGEN series opens doors for emerging talents looking to break through.
