Four Indian junior golfers are set to represent the country at two of amateur golf's most prestigious championships across Scotland starting Monday, 12 August 2024, with the Indian Golf Union (IGU) fielding a balanced squad for both the R&A Boys' Amateur Championship at Glasgow Gailes Links and the R&A Girls' Amateur Championship at Edinburgh Craigielaw.

Harjai Milkha Singh and Ishnidh Singh Virdi will carry India's hopes in the boys' draw, while Guntas Kaur Sandhu and Rashi Mishra will compete in the girls' field. The team is accompanied by managers Deepinder Singh Kullar and Saaniya Sharma.

Format and Field

Both championships follow an identical structure: the opening two rounds are played in strokeplay, after which 64 players advance to the final two matchplay rounds. A total of 144 competitors from more than 30 countries — spanning Europe, the Middle East, and the USA — are entered in each event, making both draws among the most competitive in junior golf globally.

Boys' Championship: India's Contenders

Harjai Milkha Singh, 16, arrives at Glasgow Gailes Links as the No. 1-ranked player on the IGU All India Junior Order of Merit. He finished runner-up at the APGC Junior Championship a month ago and is competing in Scotland for the first time. 'It's a typical Scottish weather out here — windy and rainy at the same time. These are the experiences which you want early in your career if you want to grow into a good professional. It's a strong field and it will be challenging to post under-par scores each day. My target will be to focus on my process and keep things simple. I would like to thank IGU for giving me this exposure,' Harjai said.

Ishnidh Singh Virdi, 17, from Bengaluru, is ranked No. 2 on the same merit list and is also making his debut at Gailes Links. 'This is my first time in Scotland. My entire preparation has been about my golf flight as the conditions over here are windy and even rains. These are tough conditions. I would like to thank the IGU for giving me this international exposure as this is Links golf and you get to play such courses very rarely,' Ishnidh said.

The R&A Boys' Amateur Championship, played since 1921, counts Sir Michael Bonallack, José María Olazábal, Sergio Garcia, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Adrián Otaegui, Tom Lewis, and David Howell among its former champions. The winner earns exemptions into The Amateur Championship and Final Qualifying for The Open.

Girls' Championship: India's Contenders

Guntas Kaur Sandhu, 16, is making her second appearance at the R&A Girls' Amateur Championship, which is being held at Edinburgh Craigielaw on Scotland's east coast. 'I am really excited to be competing in the R&A Girls Amateur. This is my second time coming for this prestigious event. The winner gets an exemption into the final qualifying of the Women's British Open. The weather is tricky here — it rains anytime and then there are strong winds so keeping the ball in play will be my biggest target. I would like to thank the IGU for sending me for events like these,' Guntas said.

Rashi Mishra, 17, is making her debut at the championship. 'This is an extremely important event. The kind of field you get to play against besides the course conditions and weather is very precious for me as it helps build confidence. IGU has supported me throughout my junior golf journey and I am grateful to them from bottom of my heart,' Rashi said.

The R&A Girls' Amateur Championship, first played in 1919, counts major champions and Solheim Cup players Anna Nordqvist, Suzann Pettersen, Azahara Munoz, and Georgia Hall among its past winners. The champion earns exemptions into the Women's Amateur Championship, the US Girls' Junior Championship, Final Qualifying for the AIG Women's Open, and by tradition, an invitation to the Augusta National Women's Amateur Championship.

What This Means for Indian Junior Golf

The IGU's decision to field players at both championships simultaneously signals a growing commitment to international exposure at the junior level. Links golf — characterised by coastal winds, firm fairways, and unpredictable weather — presents conditions rarely encountered on the Indian circuit. For all four players, the experience of competing against a field drawn from over 30 countries is as significant as the result. Notably, Harjai's runner-up finish at the APGC Junior Championship and his No. 1 ranking make him India's most credible medal contender in the boys' draw.

All four players will be watching the leaderboard closely after each strokeplay round, knowing that only 64 of the 144 starters will survive the cut to the matchplay stage.