Sunit Chowrasia, the 31-year-old Kolkata golfer, carded a final-round one-under 69 to clinch a three-shot victory at the inaugural ₹25 lakh PGTI NexGen Vijay Kumar Memorial at Lucknow Golf Club on Thursday, 11 June. The win gives Chowrasia back-to-back titles on the DP World PGTI NexGen Tour and propels him to the top of the season's Order of Merit.

How the Final Round Unfolded

Chowrasia entered the day with a two-shot lead, backed by a bogey-free eight-under 62 in round two. His closing round was far from straightforward — a bogey on the opening hole threatened to hand the initiative to the chasing pack. He steadied himself with birdies on the par-5 third and par-4 fifth, but the back nine remained tense, featuring a roller-coaster mix of five birdies and four bogeys.

Chowrasia finished the tournament at nine-under 201 (70-62-69), three clear of runner-up Pawan Kumar. 'It feels amazing to win back-to-back tournaments. It was a little nerve-racking out there today, especially on the back nine, but in the end, it was worth every shot,' Chowrasia said after his round.

Order of Merit Shake-Up

The victory earned Chowrasia ₹3,17,875 in prize money, lifting his season earnings to ₹6,86,518 from just four starts and moving him from sixth to first on the NexGen Order of Merit. Notably, Lucknow's Rajesh Kumar Gautam, who finished third, sits second on the standings with ₹6,81,060 — trailing Chowrasia by a razor-thin ₹5,458 ahead of the season finale.

'I honestly wasn't aware that I had moved to the top of the rankings. There is still one more tournament left, and my focus remains on continuing to play good golf and taking it one event at a time,' Chowrasia said.

A Comeback Rooted in Family Support

The win carries added emotional weight as Chowrasia's second consecutive title also marks a milestone in his recovery from injury. He is the nephew of Indian golfing stalwart and Olympian SSP Chawrasia, a six-time international winner who was competing in Morocco at the time but called to congratulate him.

'Coming back from injury has been a long journey. When I look at where I was three years ago and where I am today, it's a completely different situation and mindset. I'm grateful to be healthy again, competing well and seeing the hard work pay off,' Chowrasia said. He added that his uncle 'has always been a great source of support, especially during the difficult periods.'

Leaderboard and What's Next

Pawan Kumar of Delhi (67-68-69), aged 41, climbed from overnight third to finish runner-up at six-under 204, earning ₹2,67,875 and moving to 10th on the Order of Merit. Rajesh Kumar Gautam of Lucknow (68-69-68) took solo third at five-under 205, collecting ₹1,70,375. Delhi's Ajay Baisoya finished fourth at four-under 206, his best result of the season, while compatriot Wasim Khan rounded out the top five at three-under 207.

The tour now moves to Varanasi for the inaugural ₹25 lakh DP World PGTI NexGen – Varanasi 2026, scheduled from 16–18 June. The winner of the 2026 Order of Merit earns an exemption on the main tour for the 2027 season — making the Chowrasia-Gautam battle for the top spot the defining storyline of the season finale.