Golf: Bhullar, at tied-31st, is the leading Indian in Morocco
Rabat, June 15
Experienced golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar emerged as the best-performing Indian at the International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco, closing with a final-round 1-over 73 to finish tied 31st at the US$2 million Asian Tour event.
Bhullar, one of India's most decorated professionals with 11 Asian Tour victories and four AM Green IGPL wins, put together rounds of 70, 74, 68, and 73 for a four-day total of 6-under-par. Despite not being able to mount a challenge for the title over the weekend, the experienced golfer was the highest-placed Indian in a field that included several of the Tour's leading names.
The final round proved challenging for the Indian contingent. Karandeep Kochhar, another winner on the AM Green Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), struggled to a closing 78 and slipped to tied 61st. Ajeetesh Sandhu also found conditions difficult and carded a 77 to finish alongside Kochhar in tied 61st position.
The week, however, highlighted the difficulty of the Moroccan layout, with seven other Indian players failing to make the cut after the opening two rounds. Bhullar's consistency over four days ensured that India remained represented in the upper half of the leaderboard, even as several compatriots exited early.
The tournament produced a memorable winner in Hong Kong's Taichi Kho. The 25-year-old secured his first International Series title and second Asian Tour victory after a composed final-round performance. Kho (68) finished at 19-under-par, edging out former Masters champion Bubba Watson (70) in a tense finish. Bubba Watson's last win came in 2018.
Kho's victory carried additional significance as it boosted him to second place in the Asian Tour Order of Merit standings and third in The International Series Rankings. The win also helped him recover from the disappointment of losing in a playoff on the Japan Golf Tour the previous week.
For India, the tournament offered a mixed outcome. Bhullar's top-31 finish demonstrated his ability to remain competitive on demanding international layouts, while Kochhar and Sandhu will look to rebound quickly in upcoming events. With a busy stretch of tournaments ahead on the Asian Tour calendar, the Indian contingent will hope to convert promising performances into stronger finishes in the weeks to come.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Achha performance hai, but honestly, I expected more from our Indian golfers. 7 players out of 10 missing the cut? That's concerning. Bhullar ek experienced player hai, but Kochhar aur Sandhu ko zyada achi tarah prepare karna chahiye. International Series ka pressure hai, but agar humein global level pe compete karna hai toh consistency laani padegi.
Waah! Taichi Kho ne toh kamaal kar diya! 19-under par aur Bubba Watson ko beat karna - that's incredible golf! 👏 Lekin Indian players ke liye, humein aur patient rehna hoga. Bhullar ne dikhaya ki consistency se kya hota hai. Hopefully, aane wale tournaments mein hamare youngsters bhi aisa karein.
I think the real issue is that our players don't get enough exposure on such demanding courses. Morocco ka layout tez hai, and that's where experience matters. Bhullar ne theek kiya, but Kochhar and Sandhu ko ghabrana nahi chahiye - they'll learn from this. Kho ka example dekh lo, Japan mein playoff haarne ke baad bhi wapas aaya - that's the mindset we need!
Seriously, Indian golf mein improvement ki bahut need hai. 4 din mein consistent score nahi laa paate - that's a problem. Bhullar ne toh top-31 finish kiya is great, but humein top-10 ya tournament winner chahiye. Bubba Watson 2018 se pehle nahi jeeta tha aur aaj bhi runner-up - shows how tough it is. Chalo, better luck next time for our boys! ✨
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