Hyderabad, April 17 (NationPress) Esteemed golfer Shubhankar Sharma shot a remarkable five-under 67 to secure his seventh title on the PGTI Tour at the first-ever INR 1 crore Boulder Classic held at the Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club in Hyderabad.

The 29-year-old from Chandigarh showcased his prowess throughout the competition, finishing with an impressive record of 25-under 263 (66-66-64-67), dominating the leaderboard with an eight-shot advantage. His total score set a new standard for the lowest aggregate on the PGTI Tour.

This victory awarded Sharma INR 15 lakh and marked his first win on the tour since the McLeod Russel Tour Championship in Kolkata in December 2017. Additionally, it marked his first professional title worldwide in over eight years, with his last win being at the Maybank Championship, a co-sanctioned event on the DP World Tour and Asian Tour in February 2018.

Sharma’s winning total of 25-under surpassed the previous record of 24-under 264, held by Anirban Lahiri (2010), Rashid Khan (2019), Akshay Sharma (2020), and Manu Gandas (2022).

Mohd Azhar from Hyderabad (67-70-69-65), Rashid Khan from Delhi (67-70-66-68), and Angad Cheema from Chandigarh (68-69-66-68) finished in a tie for second place at 17-under 271, trailing the winner by eight shots. Ajeetesh Sandhu from Chandigarh (68-68-68-68), a five-time tour champion, secured the fifth position at 16-under 272.

Manu Gandas (70-68-75-64) executed a late surge to finish tied for ninth at 11-under 277, equaling the course record with an impressive eight-under 64 in the final round. The 2022 DP World PGTI Ranking winner climbed 21 spots from his overnight tied 30th place to join the top 10.

The week witnessed repeated challenges to the course record. Vishesh Sharma set a strong pace with a seven-under 65 in the first round, Honey Baisoya elevated the benchmark with an eight-under 64 in the second round, Shubhankar matched this in round three, and Gandas equaled it again on the final day.

Entering the final round with a seven-shot lead at 20-under, Sharma concluded with a five-under 67, which included six birdies and a single bogey.

On his performance, Sharma reflected, “I adhered to my game plan consistently. Even after a dropped shot, I recovered swiftly and maintained my aggressive approach. My mindset and process were strong throughout the week.”

Despite holding a comfortable lead, he emphasized, “I didn’t ease off. Golf can change rapidly, so I kept pushing and set a target for myself.”

Sharma noted a pivotal moment early in his round, stating, “The chip-in on the second hole was likely my best shot of the day. It was from around 30 yards and just rolled in — that provided a great boost early on.”

Reflecting on his return to the tour, he expressed, “Coming back feels incredibly reassuring. The week progressed smoothly, and I’m thrilled to be playing at the level I know I can.”

He also commended the Boulder Hills Golf & Country Club, saying, “It’s an exceptional course with great potential. The greens were relatively soft this week, making it conducive for scoring, but it can present a greater challenge under firmer conditions.”

Khalin Joshi (73-69-69-67), who won last week in Visakhapatnam, finished tied for 12th at 10-under 278. Saptak Talwar (68-71-66-73), the current leader in the DP World PGTI Order of Merit and a recent tour winner, also tied at 10-under 278. Talwar's earnings of INR 1,71,700 helped him extend his lead in the rankings, bringing his season total to INR 77,51,700.

Yuvraj Sandhu (73-68-73-67), one of the pre-tournament favorites and the 2025 DP World PGTI Order of Merit champion, finished tied for 18th at seven-under 281.