Ahmedabad, Nov 27 (NationPress) Pukhraj Singh Gill shone as the local favorite by delivering his best round ever on the Asian Tour, finishing with a spectacular 6-under 66 on the inaugural day of the Bharath Classic 2025 held at Kensville Golf Resort.

Equipped with a new putter purchased from the Pro shop at BPGC in Mumbai, where he competed last week, Gill started from the tenth tee, securing an impressive eight birdies while facing just two bogeys on the challenging Kensville course.

Currently, Gill sits in second place, trailing Korean Heemin Chang by two strokes, who took the lead on the first day.

Chang, who arrived late and didn’t get a chance to practice on the course, managed an impressive eight-under-par 64, featuring an eagle on the Par-4 15th hole. His round included seven birdies and an eagle, with only one bogey on the Par-5 14th.

Tied for second with Gill are Korean Wooyoung Cho and Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond and Poosit Supupramai, all of whom shot 66.

Indian players had a strong showing, with three others—Ajeetesh Sandhu, Olympian Udayan Mane, and Sachin Baisoya, along with amateur Ishaan Chawhan—all carding 5-under 67 to tie for sixth place. Indian-American Varun Chopra also recorded a 67, resulting in eight players being tied for sixth, including recent Asian Tour winner, Ekpharit Wu of Thailand.

Saptak Talwar, who splits his time between the HotelPlanner Tour and the Indian Tour, shot 3-under 69, joining veterans Naman Dawar, Sudhir Sharma, and Gaurav Pratap Singh in a large group tied for 17th.

This week’s inaugural US$500,000 Bharath Classic is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL). The IGPL has three more events lined up for its 2025 calendar, while this tournament marks the penultimate event of the Asian Tour season.

It’s a crucial week for those looking to improve their standings on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit to secure playing privileges for the next year. The top four players on the IGPL will earn spots in the final stage of the Asian Tour Q-School and a position in the 2026 International Series India.

Gill expressed his excitement about his performance, stating, “I played aggressively. Competing in the IGPL, which has three rounds, has allowed me to leverage my strengths.”

He noted, “In my first round, I struck the ball well and utilized the driver effectively. Even when I was at 6-under, I maintained an aggressive approach, a mindset that led to my recent win on the IGPL Tour.”

While a victory is his target, he also aims to perform well in the IGPL to secure a place in the Asian Tour Q-School if he doesn’t win this week. “I have performed well on the ADT and am eager to reach the Asian Tour,” he added.

Gill remarked, “It was a fantastic first day. I’m familiar with this course due to several tournaments held here. It’s a great track, which certainly contributed to my performance. I felt solid off the tee and fantastic on the greens.”

“I was eagerly anticipating this week, as the Asian Tour returns to India after quite a while, and to have it at Kensville is truly remarkable.”

Regarding his putting, he shared, “I acquired a new putter last week in Mumbai, and it yielded excellent results here, despite a late three-putt. I feel confident and am ready to compete.”

However, it was a disappointing day for two in-form players, Yuvraj Sandhu, who has five wins this year, and Shaurya Bhattacharya, with two wins this year, as both recorded even par 72. Aman Raj, also a two-time IGPL winner, finished with 1-over 73.

Korean Heemin Chang commented, “It’s a good outcome for my first time here. The greens were slower than anticipated, but I adapted well and managed the course effectively.”