Pukhraj Singh Gill Shines on Opening Day as Indians Pack the Top Ranks at the Bharath Classic

Local favourite Pukhraj Singh Gill produced a career-best round on the Asian Tour stage, carding a superb six-under 66 to finish the opening day of the Bharath Classic 2025 in second place at the Kensville Golf Resort.

The inaugural US$500,000 event, jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) Tour, began with a leaderboard stacked with low scores and a strong Indian presence.

Gill, who began his round from the 10th tee, displayed aggressive intent from the outset, firing eight birdies against two bogeys. Playing with a new putter he picked up just last week from the Pro Shop at BPGC in Mumbai, he showed remarkable touch on the greens, combining sharp iron play with steady driving on a layout known for punishing even minor errors.

The 27-year-old, already a winner on the IGPL Tour earlier this season in Jamshedpur, trails leader Heemin Chang of Korea by two shots. Chang stunned the field with an eight-under-par 64 his best round on the Asian Tour despite arriving in Ahmedabad only late the previous night and having no practice round. His card featured seven birdies and a spectacular eagle on the drivable Par-4 15th, offset by just one bogey on the Par-5 14th.

Gill sits tied second at six-under alongside Korea’s Wooyoung Cho and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Poosit Supupramai, all of whom returned matching rounds of 66. The tightly bunched leaderboard reflects the high stakes entering the penultimate event of the Asian Tour season, where players are fighting to secure their cards and improve their ranking on the Order of Merit. For IGPL competitors, the top four in the season standings also earn passage into the final stage of the Asian Tour Q-School and a spot in the 2026 International Series India.

Indian golfers enjoyed a strong opening day overall. Four players Ajeetesh Sandhu, Olympian Udayan Mane, Sachin Baisoya, and amateur talent Ishaan Chawhan all carded 5-under 67s to sit in the large tied-sixth group. Indian-American Varun Chopra also shot 67, while Thailand’s Ekpharit Wu, a recent Asian Tour winner, added further weight to the crowded position.

Just behind them, Saptak Talwar, who splits his time between the HotelPlanner Tour in the US and the Indian circuit, posted a steady 3-under 69. He joined veteran Naman Dawar, Sudhir Sharma, and Gaurav Pratap Singh in the pack tied for 17th, keeping themselves well in contention heading into Round 2.

Gill, delighted with both the score and the rhythm of his game, credited the IGPL’s competitive three-round format for sharpening his aggressive style. “I played aggressively and playing on the IGPL has made me stick to my strengths,” he said. “Even when I was six-under towards the end, I kept the same mindset. That approach won me an IGPL event recently, and I want to continue in that space.”

He added that his familiarity with Kensville played a key role: “I know this course fairly well. We’ve had quite a few tournaments here. It’s a solid track, and being comfortable off the tee and on the greens made a big difference.”

The new putter also got a mention. “I got it last week in Mumbai and decided to put it in play immediately. It felt great today, even though I had a late three-putt. I’m feeling confident and ready for the next few days.”

For some of India’s in-form names, the day didn’t go as planned. Yuvraj Sandhu, a five-time winner this year, and Shaurya Bhattacharya, who has two titles, both returned even-par 72s. Aman Raj, another player with two IGPL wins this season, shot a 1-over 73.

Leader Chang, meanwhile, was pleased with his surprise start. “It’s my first time here,” said the Korean, currently 127th on the Merit list. “The greens were slower than I expected but I adapted well. My course management was good, and I’m happy with how I handled it.”

With low scores already pouring in and conditions expected to remain steady, the Bharath Classic is primed for a tight battle heading into the weekend with Indian golfers firmly in the mix.