Ahmedabad, Nov 30 (NationPress) Poosit Supupramai from Thailand emerged as the champion of the inaugural $500,000 Bharath Classic Gujarat, finishing just one stroke ahead of the tenacious Korean Woo-young Cho at Kensville Golf Resort near Ahmedabad on Sunday. Poosit (69) made a crucial birdie on the 18th hole, securing his lead over Wooyoung Cho (65), while Sachin Baisoya showcased his skills with a stunning 10-under 62. His remarkable performance included two impressive birdie streaks—one featuring six consecutive birdies and another with four in a row.

With his outstanding final round, Baisoya tied for third place, marking him as the top Indian finisher at this event co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL). Poosit’s final score of 18-under par 270 not only earned him his first Asian Tour victory but also secured him an Asian Tour card. Cho concluded the tournament just one stroke behind at 17-under 271.

Despite not clinching a victory, Baisoya, who frequently participates in the IGPL Tour, was tied for the lead at 15-under par alongside overnight leader Jazz Janewattananond, along with Thailand's Panuphol Pittayarat and Ekpharit Wu. The week proved successful for Indian players, with four finishing in the Top-10 and eight in the Top-20.

Finishing in third place, Yuvraj Sandhu, who has won multiple times at his home course, significantly enhanced his prospects on the Asian Tour with a seventh-place finish, totaling 14 under 274.

Ahmedabad amateur Ishaan Chawhan had a commendable week but could not sustain his early momentum, shooting a 71 yet remaining under par across all four rounds.

With a score of 13-under, he tied for eighth place alongside IGPL Order of Merit leader Aman Raj, who shot 68, as well as two Thai players, Settee Prakongvech with 68 and Chonlatit Chuenboonngam with 65.

Pukhraj Singh Gill (69) secured a tie for 12th place at 12-under par, while Ajeetesh Sandhu (69) and Khalin Joshi (66) were tied for 17th at 11-under par. Saptak Talwar (66) finished tied for 19th.

The inaugural US$500,000 Bharath Classic was jointly sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the IGPL Tour. The IGPL has plans for three additional events in 2025, while this marked the second-to-last tournament of the season on the Asian Tour.

This week was vital for players aiming to enhance their standings in the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit to secure positions for the upcoming year. Additionally, the top four on the IGPL will gain entries into the final stage of the Asian Tour Q-School and qualify for the 2026 International Series India.

Poosit, who previously shared a third-place finish at last year’s SJM Macao Open, expressed his disbelief, stating, “Amazing, I can’t believe it. I was struggling on the front nine; I was not playing well. It was all about mindset – that got me through.”

“I came here to try and improve my ranking on the Merit list. Winning wasn’t on my mind, but to secure my card this week with the win is beyond my dreams.”

“Before the last two tournaments, I adjusted the loft and lie on my putter, which made a huge difference – I started making more putts.”

The highlight of the day, however, belonged to Sachin Baisoya, who delivered a bogey-free 62 on Sunday. Starting from the 10th tee with a shotgun start during the final two days, Baisoya initiated the round with six consecutive birdies, reaching the turn at 6 under 30.

Continuing his impressive performance on the front nine, he hit four straight birdies from holes two to five, complemented by two crucial par saves on holes 18 and one. “I owe this round a lot to my iron play today,” Sachin remarked.

“I practiced for about an hour yesterday because I felt my iron play was off during the last few tournaments. I also received advice from Sudhir Sharma, who encouraged me to relax and play my natural game.”

“The plan was to approach today differently compared to the first four days, and that’s exactly what happened right from the start. Most of my shots ended up between three and five feet, and my putting was solid.”

The humble Chawhan noted that his four days felt like an extended golf lesson. The 22-year-old left-handed player, who was sidelined for over two years due to injuries, shared, “Playing alongside all the Asian Tour players and learning from them has been invaluable.”

“I approached this week with the mindset that I had nothing to lose, just the opportunity to prove something to myself. I was away from golf for significant periods due to wrist and knee injuries, and this is my first full season in four years.”

On what contributed to his solid scores of 67, 69, 68, and 71, Chawhan said, “Although I regularly play here, the course setup was different from what we experience as amateurs, which posed a challenge. My iron play was definitely the highlight for me, as other areas of my game weren’t as strong.”

When asked about his future plans, the Vijay Divecha trainee mentioned, “I might consider turning pro, but I’ll consult with my coach first. Right now, my focus is on the All-India Amateur in mid-December at Tollygunge Club.”

Sandhu also expressed satisfaction with his performance, stating, “I started off slowly (level par 72 on Thursday), but from there, the momentum was positive.”

“With a few shots and putts I missed, I could have been much closer to the leader (at 14 under, five shots behind winner Poosit) than I ultimately was.”