Panchkula (Haryana), March 15 : Kapurthala-based Gaganjeet Bhullar’s long wait for his first professional win finally came to an end when he posted a superb seven under 65 on the final day of the PGTI Players Championship presented by Panchkula Golf Club. The 20-year-old from Kapurthala won by a mammoth margin of seven strokes as he totaled 19 under 269 for the tournament. Bhullar has now become the youngest winner on the PGTI and has also climbed from 38th position to fourth on the PGTI Order of Merit.
Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta and Vijay Kumar of Lucknow finished in tied second place with an identical total of 12 under 276. Harmeet Kahlon, another Chandigarh golfer, was fourth since his overall score read eight under 280.
Gaganjeet Bhullar (65, 73, 66, 65) registered his breakthrough win as a professional with a clinical 65 that was highlighted by eight birdies and a lone bogey. He began the day as the joint leader along with Vijay Kumar but soon raced ahead as a result of birdies on the first and third.
Bhullar never looked back after that and continued to consolidate on his brilliant start. The effect of a bogey on the fourth was negated by the birdie on the very next hole. Gaganjeet picked up the pace on the back nine, sinking birdies with ease on the 10th, 11th, 13th, 15th and 16th.
Harendra Gupta (71, 69, 68, 68) came up with a fighting 68 to post a tied second finish. He produced five birdies against a lone bogey in the final round. He was two strokes behind Vijay Kumar after the 17th but he made a spectacular birdie on the final hole by converting a 20 feet putt from the edge of the green while Vijay missed a four-footer for par. Vijay Kumar (72, 68, 64, 72), thus shared second place along with Gupta.
Vijay Kumar on the other hand, had an ordinary round after breaking the course record the previous day. In round four he made four birdies and four bogeys for a 72.
Harmeet Kahlon (71, 72, 68, 69) of Chandigarh secured fourth place since he was four strokes adrift of the joint runners-up. He totaled eight under 280.
Chandigarh golfers Sujjan Singh and Gurbaaz Mann shared fifth place at seven under 281 along with last year’s Order of Merit champion Mukesh Kumar and Bangladesh’s Mohd Siddikur Rahman.
Ashok Kumar was tied 14th at two under 286 while Gaurav Ghei totaled one over 289 to be placed tied 21st.
Mukesh Kumar continues to the lead the 2009 PGTI Order of Merit.