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Chahal, Raghuvanshi, Santosh Kumar Share Lead at PGTI NexGen 2026 Opener

Aditya Raj Singh Chahal, Vipin Raghuvanshi, and Santosh Kumar are tied for the lead after the first round of the PGTI NexGen 2026 season-opener in Faridabad. They each carded a three-under-par 69 at the Aravalli Golf Club. Four other golfers, including Ramesh Kumar and Divesh Rana, sit just one stroke off the pace in a tie for fourth. The NexGen Tour aims to develop Indian golf talent and expand the sport's reach, with this season featuring an increased prize purse.

Key Points: PGTI NexGen 2026 Day 1: Trio Tied for Lead

  • Trio shoots 3-under 69
  • Four players one shot behind in tied fourth
  • Season features increased prize purse of INR 25 lakh
  • Winner of Order of Merit earns 2027 main tour exemption
2 min read

PGTI NexGen 2026: Chahal, Raghuvanshi, Santosh Kumar in joint three-way lead on Day One

Aditya Raj Singh Chahal, Vipin Raghuvanshi, and Santosh Kumar shot 69 to share the Round 1 lead at the PGTI NexGen Tour's season-opener in Faridabad.

"The NexGen Tour was launched... with the objective of providing equal playing opportunities to all professional golfers of India. - PGTI"

Faridabad, Feb 24

Aditya Raj Singh Chahal, Vipin Raghuvanshi, and Santosh Kumar were in a joint three-way lead after Round One of the PGTI NexGen 2026, being played at the Aravalli Golf Club in Faridabad on Tuesday.

The three players shot scores of three-under 69 to hold the joint lead at the PGTI NexGen season-opener on Tuesday. The quartet of Ramesh Kumar, Divesh Rana, Lakshya Nagar, and Pranav Kaul was one shot off the lead in tied fourth position.

Aditya Raj Singh Chahal scored an eagle, four birdies, and three bogeys while Vipin Raghuvanshi made an eagle, two birdies, and a bogey. Santosh Kumar drained an eagle, three birdies, and two bogeys at the INR 25 lakh event.

The 54-hole event features a field of 72. The top 35 players and ties will make the cut at the end of Round Two on Wednesday.

The NexGen Tour was launched by the PGTI last year with the objective of providing equal playing opportunities to all professional golfers of India and to increase the bench strength in Indian golf, which in turn increases competition and the level of golf. The NexGen also aims to take professional golf to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities in India, thus expanding the reach of the sport within the country.

The 2026 PGTI Qualifying School participants are eligible to play on the NexGen Tour in 2026. The winner of this year's NexGen Order of Merit will earn an exemption on the main tour (DP World PGTI) for the 2027 season.

The NexGen 2026 season got underway with the first event at the Aravalli Golf Club in Faridabad. The field in the season-opener will feature a total of 72 players.

The second event of the season will be the DP World PGTI NexGen Phillaur Open 2026, which will be played from March 3-5 at the Ranjitgarh Golf Club in Phillaur. The next three NexGen events of the season will be played at Lucknow Golf Club (March 10-12), Golden Greens Golf & Country Club, Gurugram (March 17-19), and Patna Golf Club (March 24-26).

The prize purse for each NexGen event has been increased from INR 20 lakh to INR 25 lakh this season.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
What a tight leaderboard! Chahal, Raghuvanshi, and Santosh Kumar all with eagles on day one. Shows the competitive spirit. Hope they keep this momentum going. The increased prize money is a good incentive too.
R
Rahul R
I appreciate the initiative, but I hope the PGTI ensures the courses in these tier 2/3 cities are maintained to a proper standard. The quality of the competition depends on the quality of the venue. Just a thought.
A
Aman W
Faridabad to Phillaur to Patna! Finally, golf is moving beyond the metros. My cousin in Lucknow is already excited to watch the event there. More power to the NexGen tour!
S
Sarah B
Interesting read. The structure sounds similar to developmental tours elsewhere. The carrot of a main tour exemption for the Order of Merit winner is a huge motivator. Best of luck to all 72 players!
L
Lakshmi X
Good to see young talents getting a platform. Hope we find the next Shubhankar Sharma or Anirban Lahiri from this pool. The future looks bright for Indian golf! 🏌️‍♂️

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