Trailing by two shots at the start of the final round, Delhi’s Shaurya Bhattacharya delivered a breathtaking comeback to edge out pre-tournament favourite Yuvraj Sandhu in a playoff at The Poona Club Open 2025, a ₹1 crore event at the Poona Club Golf Course.
Bhattacharya carded a flawless seven-under 64, the day’s best, to match Sandhu at 21-under 263, after rounds of 69-63-67-64. The 22-year-old sealed the title with a clutch birdie on the playoff hole, while Sandhu could manage only a par.
The win was Bhattacharya’s second of the season and third overall, earning him ₹15 lakh and consolidating his fourth position on the PGTI Order of Merit with season earnings of ₹83,02,392. Despite finishing as runner-up, Sandhu extended his lead at the top of the merit list, taking home ₹10 lakh and raising his season earnings to ₹98,67,200.
Veer Ahlawat and Shivendra Singh Sisodia shared third place at 12-under 272, while Pune’s Rohan Dhole Patil was the best-placed local professional at six-under 278, finishing 14th.
The turning point came on the back nine, when Bhattacharya drained a 12-footer for birdie on the eighth hole and added five more birdies in the next six holes, including a 25-footer on the 11th. Sandhu, who had built a five-shot lead early, faltered on the 18th with a poor tee shot and missed a short putt, allowing Bhattacharya to force a playoff.
{{/usCountry}}The turning point came on the back nine, when Bhattacharya drained a 12-footer for birdie on the eighth hole and added five more birdies in the next six holes, including a 25-footer on the 11th. Sandhu, who had built a five-shot lead early, faltered on the 18th with a poor tee shot and missed a short putt, allowing Bhattacharya to force a playoff.
{{/usCountry}}“It was a thrilling day of golf. Crucial putts, especially the par save on 16 and birdie on 18, made the difference. The 25-footer on 11 was the game-changer,” Bhattacharya said.
The Poona Club Open 2025 was supported by title sponsors Vencobb and NECC, with Ventive, SKS Fasteners, Elica, Marvel Realtors, Shubbaan Investments, DFMC, Automech, and Kinetic as partners. Novotel Pune Nagar Road was the Associate Partner. PGTI continues to promote professional golf in India with support from its Tour Partners, Rolex, Amul, IndusInd Bank, Victorious Choice, Campa, Amrutanjan Electro Plus, Golf Plus Monthly, and Golf Design India.