Manesar, Dec 20 (NationPress) Nihal Cheema, Drona Singh Dhull, and Prince Bainsla excelled among the boys, while Naaysha S Sinha, Gairat Kaur Kahlon, and Shiksha Jain stood out among the girls during the fifth edition of the US Kids Golf Indian Championship held at the Classic Golf and Country Club.

In spite of challenging weather and smog, local golfers claimed all the titles, showcasing remarkable skills in difficult conditions.

The Tournament Committee had to shorten the final round to nine holes across all categories due to limited daylight stemming from a delayed start.

Nihal Cheema, competing in the Boys 8 category, was the sole player to maintain par or better across all three days, securing a decisive victory over his closest competitor, Zowra Sikand. The young golfer from Chandigarh recorded impressive scores of 36-34-33 over nine holes, finishing the last day without a single bogey and scoring three birdies.

Drona Singh Dhull, a talented golfer from Haryana, achieved four birdies on nine holes in the Boys 11 category, delivering the best round of the day at 4-under 32, with no bogeys.

Prince Bainsla recorded the best score of the week with a remarkable 6-under 66 on the first day, clinching victory in the Boys 15-18 category, surpassing Shashank Sachin Gadre, who maintained par on all three days, with Arshvant Srivastava finishing third.

Among the standout girls were Aanya Dandriyal in Girls 11-12 and Preitisha Kaur Gill in Girls 15-18.

Aanya Dandriyal and Malaysia’s Choi Quinn Cie were neck-and-neck, both scoring 196 over 45 holes. Aanya triumphed in the tie-breaker, with an eagle and a birdie against four bogeys in her regulation round.

Other notable performances included Naaysha S Sinha in Girls 8, Gairat Kaur Kahlon in Girls 9-10, and Shiksha Jain in Girls 13-14.

In the Boys section, additional stars were Taanush Kumar in Boys 9, Vedaansh Jain in Boys 10, Siddhant Sharma in Boys 12, and Arihaan Beri in Boys 13-14.

This year, for the first time, all winners up to fifth place received cash prizes. The champions were awarded Rs. 25,000, while second and third places received Rs. 10,000 each, and Rs. 5,000 for the next three positions.

“While the US Kids Indian Championship offers the allure of Priority Status for top performers, the introduction of cash prizes aimed to attract golfers and their families, who invest significant effort in nurturing their children as champions,” stated Rajesh Srivastava, President and Founder of US Kids Golf India and Asia.

“We also plan to invite foreign coaches and send kids abroad for training.”

“Our reach now spans across Asia in nearly a dozen countries, welcoming Indian kids to participate. We also invite children from other nations to visit India. Within a year, we aim to host an Asian Championship for US Kids from all over Asia at a premier championship course,” he added.

The US Kids Indian Championships also included a variety of Skills contests with numerous prizes.

The schedule for local tours is anticipated to feature double the number of events, split into two halves of the season, with dates to be announced alongside the various US Kids National Championships in different Asian countries.