NCR Cup Jr Golf: Chaitanya Pandey, Anushka Gupta sweep overall titles
New Delhi, June 12
A phenomenal week of competitive golf concluded at the iconic Delhi Golf Club on Friday as the final round of the 24th NCR Cup Junior Golf Tournament, which attracted participation from across India, drew to a thrilling close.
The event saw participation of golfers representing Delhi NCR, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, along with an international participant from Dubai.
The prestigious three-day event - affiliated with the Indian Golf Union (IGU) and offering crucial World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) points - saw the marquee Category A and B divisions complete their gruelling 54-hole test on the historic Lodhi Course, while Categories C, D, and E wrapped up their high-stakes final rounds on the technical, 9-hole Peacock Course.
The tournament concluded with a grand prize ceremony where division winners were awarded premium prize vouchers worth Rs. 20,000 each, capping off an incredibly successful edition that hosted over 160 of India's finest junior talents.
In Boys' Category A, 15-18 years, overnight leader Anas Khan cruised to an emphatic victory. Despite a demanding final round where he shot a 6-over par, the massive advantage he built over the first two days -- headlined by an opening-round hole-in-one -- allowed him to claim the title by a staggering 13 strokes. Anas Khan also received a prize of Rs. 10,000 for his hole-in-one on Day 1.
Behind him, a thrilling four-way logjam emerged for the runner-up spot between Siddhaan Chhibber, Devvrat Singh Rajawat, Anshh Dubey, and Ayaan Dubey. Ultimately, it was Siddhaan Chhibber who snatched second place honours by virtue of a superior countback score on the back nine.
In Girls' Category A, local favourite Ayesha Gupta put on a spectacular masterclass in consistency. Firing rock-solid rounds of 77, 75, and 75, Gupta comfortably secured the championship trophy ahead of Apeksha Grace David, who put up a spirited fight to finish second.
Pandey dominates Category B
The Boys' Category B, 13-14 years, belonged entirely to Chaitanya Pandey. Delivering a brilliant performance under extreme pressure, Pandey dominated his field with a winning margin of eight strokes, posting a remarkably consistent scorecard of 72, 74, and 74. Sakshit Purendre and first-round leader Aditya Misra finished tied for the second position at 12-over par for the three days.
In a spectacular achievement, Pandey's clinical performance also earned him the coveted Overall Combined Prize for Category A & B Boys. On the girls' side, Anushka Gupta played superbly strategic golf to capture the Overall Combined Category A & B Girls crown.
Peacock Course: Sub-Juniors Deliver Dramatic, Down-to-the-Wire Finishes The final round for the younger categories on the Peacock Course saw leaderboards flip and ties broken by razor-thin margins.
Alvi tops Category C, 11-12 years
Boys' section: In an incredibly tight battle, Shan Alvi mounted a brilliant charge to win by a lone stroke, shooting matching rounds of 3-over par on both days to finish 6-over total. Overnight leader Mohd. Rehan, who shot 2-over on Day 1 and 5-over on Day 2, finished a close second, with Avviraaj Kalia securing a hard-earned third place.
Girls section: Aaradhya Rawat showed incredible composure under pressure to claim the title by a single shot, finishing 9-over par across the two days. She held off Unnati Singh, who took second at 10-over par, followed by Chandigarh's Arushi Sharma in third.
Category D, 9-10 Years
Boys: Priyansh Jain was unstoppable, firing brilliant level-par rounds on both days to storm to an 8-stroke victory. A tense tie for second between Shan Mohd. And Jamraudh Singh Sidhu was decided by a dramatic countback, with Shan Mohd. clinching the runner-up spot due to a lower score on the final six holes.
Girls: Naaysha S. Sinha stole the show on Friday, firing a sensational 2-under par round to finish 1-over total and win by four strokes. Opening-day co-leader Aarya Ganguly took a solid second place at 5-over par. A tie for third between Juno Kalyani and Suhani Chandra went in favour of Kalyani, who carded a better final-day score.
Category E, Under 9 Years
Boys: Viraj Krishan Chaudhri scripted the comeback of the day, lighting up the Peacock Course with a brilliant 2-under par final round to claim the championship at 2-over total. Overnight leader Jordan Savio George dropped into a three-way tie for second alongside Naksh Malhotra and Keeon Aggarwal; a final-day countback placed Malhotra in second and Aggarwal in third.
Girls: Manasvi Rathor proved to be the epitome of consistency, shooting level-par rounds on both days to clear the field by a massive six strokes. Devyani Dhull finished securely in second place at 6-over par overall, followed by Aadya Dayal in third at 10-over par for the tournament.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Lovely to see such widespread participation from across India—Delhi, Punjab, J&K, Rajasthan, UP, Bengal, Maharashtra, MP, and even an international entrant from Dubai. Golf is truly growing in the country. But I'd love to see more grassroots support for junior golfers outside major cities. The talent is there, but access to quality coaching and courses is still limited in smaller towns.
Amazing to see Ayesha Gupta's consistency in Girls' Category A—77, 75, 75 is rock-solid! And the countback drama between Siddhaan Chhibber and the others for second place in Boys' A must have been nerve-wracking. Hats off to Anas Khan for his hole-in-one on Day 1 and his massive 13-stroke victory. These kids are just incredible! 🔥
Great to see the IGU and WAGR affiliation—these points are crucial for juniors eyeing college scholarships abroad or professional careers. But honestly, the prize money of Rs 20,000 seems a bit meagre for a tournament of this scale. Parents spend lakhs on equipment and coaching. Would be nice to see corporate sponsors step up to offer larger rewards. Still, proud of all the winners! 👏
As someone who's watched junior golf in the US, it's inspiring to see India's talent pipeline growing. Naaysha S. Sinha firing a 2-under par round at Category D is sensational for a 9-10 year old! And Viraj Krishan Chaudhri's comeback in Category E—2-under final round—wow. These kids have bright futures ahead. Keep it up, India! 🌟
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