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Bhullar confident of turning ordinary season around
Bhullar registered his best finish of the season in International Series Morocco earlier this month (T14) where he carded four under
New Delhi: Gaganjeet Bhullar is in familiar territory. The 37-year-old is off to a typically slow start — he has made the cut in each of his six outings but is yet to make a top-10 this year — but if history is an indicator, there may be better days ahead.
Ten of Bhullar’s 11 Asian Tour titles have come in the second half of the season (post July), and in his most recent appearance at the International Series in Rabat (July 3-6), his game showed signs of coming together.
After opening his season at the International Series (IS) in Gurugram earlier this year where he ended T24, Bhullar’s form dipped in the two IS events that followed. He was T63 in IS Macau and T39 in IS Japan. In between, there was a T17 at the Hero Indian Open in Gurugram and a T54 at the Maekyung Open Golf Championship in South Korea before he registered his best finish of the season in IS Morocco earlier this month (T14) where he carded four under.
“I can sense my game falling into place. My driving accuracy and Greens in Regulation (GIR) are definitely improving. The next step is to remain patient and keep doing the good work, and the results will improve too,” Bhullar said.
“In terms of technique, I don’t think I am doing much wrong. I can’t find a fault with my swing. I am driving 295 yards on an average which gives me confidence on par 4s and par 5s. What I have realised with my game is one or two things happen and that just leads into a few good solid rounds. And that is what I’m expecting.”
Bhullar’s trust in his technique emanates from the work he has put in in recent years. Three years back, he noticed a drop in his swing speed, and so Bhullar hit the gym, shed some weight, gained some muscle and reclaimed his speed.
“Other than that, I think it’s all mental,” he emphasised. And mentally, Bhullar is as strong as they come. Among the earliest Indian pros to consult a sports psychologist — he has been seeing one for over 15 years now — Bhullar is a firm believer in the power of the subconscious mind and he hopes his positive attitude will help.
“I personally give a lot of importance to psychology. I like to dig deep into my subconscious mind. If you’re in a good frame of mind you can definitely produce good scores and end up winning. Consciously you’re swinging but it all depends on how your muscle memory has developed over the period of years. That is all the power of the subconscious,” said the golfer who will next tee off at the Indonesia Open in August end.
While Asian Tour is where Bhullar is currently challenging himself on, his immediate inclination has shifted to team events. Part of the 2006 Asian Games silver medal winning Indian team, he competed at last year’s Paris Olympics for a T45 result and is already looking forward to LA 2028.
“Being at the Olympics is an exceptional feeling and all my focus right now is to represent India at the 2028 Games. When I go to the golf course, when I go to the gym, whatever I’m doing with golf, Olympics is subconsciously the top priority on my mind,” he said.
Into his 19th season as a professional, Bhullar looks back at his career with a quiet satisfaction. “I am blessed with a great memory; I don’t know whether that’s good or bad,” he chuckled. “I remember the yardages of all the competitions that I have won. I remember all my 11 Asian Tour wins as well as all those weeks where I was so close of winning.”
Among the “100-odd weeks” of his career that he distinctly remembers, there are certain moments that stand out. Like the chip-in in Fiji that won him his only European Tour victory in 2018, or the runner-up finish in Avantha Masters (2013), or the Venetian Macau Open win (2012). But for the golfer who is also an avid angel investor, there are no profits or losses in the larger scheme of things.
“Winning, losing, being right there and yet not win a tournament. And being nowhere in the top 10 and still winning a tournament. I cherish them all,” he said.
