Angad Cheema earns direct entry to DPWT Final Stage through PGTI ranking, marking him as the third Indian in contention
Three Indian golfers are set to compete in the final stage of the European Tour (DPWT) Qualifying Event, starting tomorrow, with a spotlight on Angad Cheema, who entered through his PGTI rankings. Cheema, who plays regularly on India’s domestic circuit, secured his spot in the final stage of the DPWT Qualifying Event based on his standing in the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) Rankings. His qualification underscores the importance of India’s domestic golf structure in creating opportunities for players to compete on the global stage.
Alongside Cheema, two more Indian players are in the fray—Rayhan Thomas and Saptak Talwar. Unlike Cheema, both Thomas and Talwar have spent most of their careers overseas. Dubai-born-and-bred Indian national Rayhan Thomas, who has played US college golf at the famed Oklahoma State University, qualified after impressive rounds of 69, 67, 68, and 67, finishing at T9 with a score of 13-under-par at the Girona, Spain, venue. Saptak Talwar, originally from Delhi but playing overseas for several years, made his mark in Huelva, Spain, with a remarkable 8-under 64 in his third round, finishing T10 to advance to the final stage.
First Indian golfer to earn playing rights on PGA Tour Canada in 2021, Saptak Talwar is on the hunt to secure his card on the European Tour
Notably, Cheema’s entry in the Final Stage this year sets him apart as the only Indian qualifier to emerge directly from the country’s domestic circuit. While several Indian female golfers participate in the Ladies European Tour qualifiers each year, Cheema remains the sole representative from the PGTI, underscoring the need for further development of Indian male golfers on the world stage.
Thomas, Talwar, and Cheema are in Tarragona, Spain, this week where the final stage of qualifying will be held from November 8-13. Here, they will compete in a field of 156 players for the top 20 spots that grant full playing privileges on the DP World Tour.
We, at India Golf Weekly, wish them the very best as we would love to see another Indian playing full time in Europe, where only Shubhankar Sharma has been bravely flying the Indian flag solo for the past few years.
Rayhan Thomas will look to carry his good form into the Final Stage at Infinitum Golf in Tarragona, Spain