Ajeetesh Sandhu (3rd from left) receives the trophy from Mr. Shivdutt Das – Executive Director, Vishwa Samudra Holdings; The other dignitaries seen in the picture are (L – R) Mr. Vikram Seth, Captain, DGC, Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy – CEO, PGTI, Mr. Amandeep Johl – CEO-Designate, PGTI, and Col. Mohit Nasa – Chairman, Golf Operations, DGC
Asian Tour winner Ajeetesh Sandhu of Chandigarh made a much-awaited return to the winner’s circle with a commanding five-shot victory at the Vishwa Samudra Open 2024 presented by Kapil Dev, with a prize purse of INR 2 crore, held at the iconic Delhi Golf Club (DGC). Sandhu produced a steady one-under-par 71 in the final round to clinch his first professional title in five years.
The 36-year-old Chandigarh-based golfer finished with a total score of 12-under-par to take home the winner’s cheque of INR 30 lakh and register the seventh professional title of his career, marking his maiden triumph at the celebrated DGC.
Despite tricky pin positions, Sandhu kept his card clean with pars on the other 17 holes, backed by critical par saves on the 9th and 13th, where he showcased his short-game finesse. Reflecting on his round, Sandhu said, “I was not expecting it to be so windy today, so my gameplan changed throughout. Once you’re leading here at DGC, you have to put your head down and grind it out. I felt good after my par save on the 13th, which opened up birdie chances for me.”
Sandhu was supported throughout the round by his wife, 2018 Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour (HWPGT) Rankings topper and Sunshine Tour winner – Tvesa Malik. Sandhu’s first-ever win at DGC holds special significance; Sharing his thoughts, he remarked, “It’s very special to win here at DGC. I’ve seen the greats of Indian golf win here, and I always wanted to add my name to that list. It’s one of my favorite courses.”
The win also comes as a morale boost for Sandhu, who admitted to a challenging season on the international circuit. He credited his family for their unwavering support during tough times, emphasising the emotional significance of this victory.
Bangladesh’s Jamal Hossain (67-73-67-74) finished second at seven-under-par, earning INR 20 Lakh. Meanwhile, Yuvraj Sandhu of Chandigarh delivered four consecutive sub-par rounds to claim third place at five-under-par. Rashid Khan and M Dharma finished tied for fourth at four-under-par, and veteran SSP Chawrasia took sixth place with a score of one-under-par.
Sandhu is in Hua Hin, Thailand, this week for the Final Stage of the 2025 Asian Tour Qualifying Tournament being held at the Lake View Resort and Golf Club (A & B and A & C Courses) from December 17-21, where he will look to retain his playing rights for the coming season.
13 Indians are playing in the final stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying Tournament:
Dhruv Sheoran, Syed Saqib Ahmed, Arjun Sharma, Aryan Roopa Anand, Anshul Kabthiyal, Pukhraj Singh Gill, Rashid Khan, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Khalin Joshi, Aman Raj, Chikkarangappa S., Karandeep Kochhar, and Honey Baisoya.
