Eleven Indian Golfers Set for Singapore Open With Major Qualification on the Line
SINGAPORE — A strong contingent of 11 Indian golfers will compete in this week’s Singapore Open at Sentosa Golf Club, with qualification spots for The Open Championship up for grabs.
The tournament, part of The International Series on the Asian Tour, offers a $2 million prize purse and will award places in this year’s Open Championship to the top two finishers not already qualified.
Leading the Indian lineup are experienced players Gaganjeet Bhullar, SSP Chawrasia, Jeev Milkha Singh, Shiv Kapur, and Karandeep Kochhar, along with former winners Ajeetesh Sandhu and Rashid Khan. The squad also includes younger players Pukhraj Singh Gill, Sachin Baisoya, Shaurya Bhattacharya, and Shubham Jaglan.
Kochhar enters the tournament in strong form, with recent top-five finishes boosting expectations for a competitive showing this week.
“This is one tournament I look forward to, especially just in terms of the golf course. I think it’s an amazing golf course and I love playing here. Hopefully, I can play well,” Kochhar said.
He praised the Sentosa course while noting the challenging conditions. “I think it’s a great track. I think it’s one of the best tracks we play all year, especially in Asia. think it’s the best course in Asia. Obviously, it’s a tough track. It’s a long golf course. It’s on the longer side for sure. But the conditions are great. I think it’s going to be a hot, hot week. It’s like we’re in an oven this week, so it’s quite warm. So I think rest and recovery will be quite vital this week. Overall, very happy; think we’ll be very happy when we come back to Sentosa. The conditions are amazing, and I’m looking forward to the rest of the week.”
The field also includes international players such as Lucas Herbert, Peter Uihlein, Caleb Surratt, and Jazz Janewattananond, along with several Asian Tour standouts.
Australian golfer Travis Smyth arrives as one of the favorites after winning the International Series Japan earlier this month, though he faces a quick turnaround following travel disruptions.
“So, I was on a 5 am flight from Mexico City, which was delayed. We landed in San Francisco, and everything was delayed. That flight ended up getting cancelled. I ended up waiting, I don’t know what, 12 hours at the airport. I was sleeping on the floor of the lounge for about five hours, and then flew here and arrived this morning, 7 am,” Smyth said.
Asked how he felt ahead of the tournament, he added, “Feel great.”
The Singapore Open was last held at Sentosa in 2022, when Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana claimed the title. (Source: IANS)
