Gaganjeet Bhullar's Redemption: Hunting Glory Amid LIV Golf Stars in Manila

The 11-time Asian Tour champion was in a three-way tie for the lead along with Zimbabwe’s Scott Vincent and Wade Ormsby of Australia going into the final round of the Jakarta International Championship, the fifth of nine elevated Asian Tour events that form a pathway onto LIV Golf through a season-long rankings race.

Bhullar ultimately fell away to T19 after a four-over final round, while Ormsby, the 2023 International Series Thailand champion, edged out International Series Morocco winner Vincent to deny the Zimbabwean a second successive tournament victory on the series.

The result put Vincent on top of the rankings and in pole position for that LIV Golf spot next season, while Ormsby, a two-time Hong Kong Open champion, moved up to third. Bhullar, who sits back in 35th, needs a good result or two as the series heads for a thrilling conclusion with plenty of points at stake in a helter-skelter four tournaments in five weeks.

“It has been a really good year. I have been striking the ball well and staying consistent. In Jakarta, I led for most of the tournament, but Wade played brilliantly over the final stretch. I’ve been working hard on my mental game - focusing, visualising, meditating - and I feel both mentally and physically in a great place,” he said.

With a stacked field including former world No.1 Dustin Johnson and fellow major champions Patrick Reed, Charl Schwartzel, and Louis Oosthuizen, as well as another 11 LIV Golf stars, Bhullar won’t have it easy.

“The approach is always the same - 72 holes, make more birdies, fewer bogeys. But it’s fantastic to see such a strong field. Having these superstars here supports what the International Series has been striving for, and it’s great for the growth of golf in Asia,” he said.

Other Indian golfers in the star-studded field this week include highly rated Rayhan Thomas, SSP Chawrasia, Ajeetesh Sandhu, and Karandeep Khochhar.

- IANS