Mohd Azhar wins maiden PGTI title at Kolar Open with 9-under 279
Synopsis
Mohd Azhar turned a two-shot deficit into a two-shot victory at the Kolar Open, holing a 30-foot birdie on the 12th and watching overnight leader Shaurya Bhattacharya double-bogey the last two holes. The Hyderabad golfer's maiden PGTI title couldn't have come at a better time — the tour heads to his home city next.
Key Takeaways
Mohd Azhar claimed his maiden professional title at the ₹1 crore Kolar Open on 21 August at Zion Hills Golf County, Bengaluru .
He finished at nine-under 279 , winning by two shots and collecting a cheque of ₹15 lakh .
Angad Cheema and Shaurya Bhattacharya shared second at seven-under 281 ; Bhattacharya's challenge ended with consecutive double bogeys on holes 17 and 18 .
The victory moved Azhar seven places up to 10th in the 2026 DP World PGTI Order of Merit , with season earnings of ₹35,14,675 .
Saptak Talwar leads the Order of Merit with season earnings of ₹86,33,234 after finishing 10th at the event.
Mohd Azhar carded a final-round one-under 71 on 21 August to clinch his first professional title at the second edition of the ₹1 crore Kolar Open, held at Zion Hills Golf County on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The 27-year-old Hyderabad golfer finished at nine-under 279, securing victory by two shots and collecting a winner's cheque of ₹15 lakh.
How Azhar Sealed the Title
Starting the final round two shots behind overnight leader Shaurya Bhattacharya, Azhar stayed composed through testing wind and rain. He picked up birdies on the par-five second with a two-putt and on the fourth with a close approach, before holing a clutch putt from around 30 to 35 feet on the 12th — a moment he later described as one of the highlights of his round.
'Today was very good and I'm extremely happy with the way I played,' Azhar said. 'The conditions were difficult with the wind and rain, but I stayed patient and focused on finding greens in regulation.'
On the back nine, he played conservatively, targeting pars when birdie opportunities were absent. 'I created several birdie opportunities and managed to convert enough of them,' he added. 'On the back nine, I tried to play solidly and make pars whenever a birdie opportunity was not available.'
Bhattacharya's Late Collapse
Delhi's Shaurya Bhattacharya (68-67-71-75), a three-time winner on the tour, had appeared set for the title after holding a two-shot lead entering the final round. However, consecutive double bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes proved fatal to his challenge, leaving him two shots adrift at seven-under 281. Notably, Bhattacharya had also finished runner-up at the inaugural Kolar Open last year, two shots behind Kshitij Naveed Kaul — making this a second near-miss at Zion Hills.
Leaderboard and Key Finishers
Chandigarh's Angad Cheema (73-68-67-73), a four-time tour winner, shared second place with Bhattacharya at seven-under 281. It was Cheema's second runner-up finish of the season, having also tied second at the Boulders Classic in April. Gurugram's Veer Ahlawat (71-71-69-71), the 2024 DP World PGTI Rankings champion, finished alone in fourth at six-under 282. Defending champion Kshitij Naveed Kaul of Delhi and Badal Hossain shared fifth at five-under 283.
Current DP World PGTI Order of Merit leader Saptak Talwar (72-71-70-74), who spent the summer competing on the HotelPlanner Tour, finished 10th at one-under 287, earning ₹2 lakh and taking his season's tally to ₹86,33,234.
Order of Merit Impact
The victory lifted Azhar seven places — from 17th to 10th — in the 2026 DP World PGTI Order of Merit, pushing his season's earnings to ₹35,14,675. His previous best on tour was a tied-second finish at the Boulders Classic in April, making this a significant breakthrough. The win arrives at a timely moment: the tour is set to travel to Azhar's hometown of Hyderabad in the coming weeks. 'This win gives me a lot of confidence for the upcoming events,' he said. 'I'm particularly excited about returning to Hyderabad, where both the Hyderabad Golf Association and Vooty Golf County feel like home courses to me.'
Point of View
At the same venue where he finished runner-up last year, raise questions about closing-round temperament under pressure. For Indian golf, the more meaningful subplot is Saptak Talwar's Order of Merit lead — his summer on the HotelPlanner Tour has clearly sharpened his game, and he remains the one to beat for the season title.
NationPress
21 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who won the 2026 Kolar Open golf tournament?
Mohd Azhar of Hyderabad won the 2026 Kolar Open, finishing at nine-under 279 at Zion Hills Golf County, Bengaluru. It was his maiden title on the DP World PGTI tour, secured by a two-shot margin.
What was Mohd Azhar's prize money at the Kolar Open?
Azhar collected a winner's cheque of ₹15 lakh from the ₹1 crore total purse. The victory also pushed his 2026 season earnings on the DP World PGTI to ₹35,14,675.
Why did Shaurya Bhattacharya lose the Kolar Open despite leading?
Bhattacharya entered the final round with a two-shot lead but made consecutive double bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes, ultimately finishing two shots behind Azhar at seven-under 281. It was his second runner-up finish at Zion Hills in as many editions.
Where does Mohd Azhar stand in the DP World PGTI Order of Merit after the Kolar Open?
Azhar climbed seven places to 10th in the 2026 DP World PGTI Order of Merit following his Kolar Open victory. Saptak Talwar continues to lead the rankings with season earnings of ₹86,33,234.
What is the Kolar Open and where is it held?
The Kolar Open is a DP World PGTI Tour event with a prize purse of ₹1 crore, held at Zion Hills Golf County on the outskirts of Bengaluru, Karnataka. The 2026 edition was the second instalment of the tournament.
