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Gaganjeet Bhullar leads India's challenge at DGC Open
At 13th, the highest-ranked Indian on the Asian Tour Order of Merit says the relaid course is playing better
These are good times for Gaganjeet Bhullar. A little over two weeks back, he secured a fifth-place finish at International Series Thailand in Bangkok, where he shot eight-under 64. On Wednesday, the 33-year-old played nine holes with the legendary Gary Player at the Delhi Golf Club, and termed the experience as a “great honour.” Come Thursday, the highest-ranked Indian on the Asian Tour—he is 13th in the Order of Merit—will lead India's charge at the inaugural DGC Open here.
The $500,000 event featuring 132 pros and six amateurs, is the fourth competition on Asian Tour’s 2022 calendar, and the first international tourney on Indian soil since the pandemic began. DGC underwent a much-needed redesign by Player in 2019 and hosted the TATA Steel PGTI MP Cup last October.
As much as the Asian Tour-sanctioned event is about elite golfers vying for the $90,000 winner's purse, the buzz on the tournament eve was about the relaid course. DGC’s traditionally narrow fairways, flanked by bushes on either side, have always put a significant premium on tee-off. The redone course boasts of strategic undulations and faster, firmer MiniVerde hybrid grass, making the short game, particularly putting, critical.
Bhullar, the most successful Indian player on Asian Tour with nine wins, said he is ready for the challenge. “The entire course has a new feel to it, even though the layout itself is pretty much the same. They have added and subtracted a few bunkers, but around the greens, it is a totally new course. I think that was the need of the hour.”
“A lot of holes are playing better now, like par 3 No. 7. Green No. 4 is very receptive; you can actually go and attack the flag. Green 15 is much better now. Overall, the course has improved a lot. Even the relaying of bunkers is done keeping in mind the needs and capabilities of the modern golfer,” Bhullar said.
Also in action will be 25-year-old Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, the winner of last week’s PGTI Players Championship in Kolkata. Viraj Madappa, 24, who finished second by one shot to Yuvraj, will hope to give another good account of his growing prowess. Other young stars to watch out for include PGTI Order of Merit leader Kshitij Naveed Kaul, who won the Chattogram Open two weeks ago, Karandeep Kochhar, and Chikkarangappa S.
