Kshitij Naveed Kaul rings in fourth career win with The Poona Club Open, at the Poona Club Golf Course in Pune
Delhi’s Kshitij Naveed Kaul sealed a wire-to-wire victory at The Poona Club Open, carding a final-round 67 to finish at 20-under-par to win by a single stroke. The 23-year-old led from the first round and capped off his victory with a clutch birdie on the 18th hole, narrowly evading a resilient charge from Chandigarh’s Karandeep Kochhar, who closed in with an impressive 65 to finish at 19-under-par. This win comes after two years for Kaul and marks his fourth professional title and his second at the Poona Club Golf Course—a venue where he’s experienced success since his junior days.
The dramatic finish came on the 18th hole, where Kshitij’s drive landed in the jungle, leaving him a daunting 250-yard approach. Rising to the occasion, he hit a brilliant third shot to within seven feet of the pin, showing remarkable composure as he drained the decisive putt to secure the title. Reflecting on his win, he remarked, “The third shot on the 18th was special and turned out to be decisive. The Poona Club Golf Course continues to be a lucky venue for me.”
Kaul’s win brought him a ₹15 lakh prize and catapulted him 31 spots to the 18th spot in the TATA Steel PGTI Rankings. Fellow Delhi golfers Veer Ahlawat, Rashid Khan, and Dhruv Sheoran tied for third at 15-under-par, which had Ahlawat extending his lead in the rankings. Sheoran and local-lad Udayan Mane also delivered standout performances, each matching the course record with rounds of 63 on the final day.
Kshitij credited his coach, Jesse Grewal—who also served as the National Team coach at this year’s Olympics—for helping him regain his form, adding, “This win has come after quite a while for me.”