Leading Indians in fray at Singapore Open golf

As many as 11 Indians, including Karandeep Kochhar, Gaganjeet Bhullar, SSP Chawrasia, and Jeev Milkha Singh, will tee off at the Singapore Open on Thursday, aiming to secure spots in the 154th edition of The Open Championship, golf’s oldest Major, later this year.

The 57th edition of the tournament is part of the International Series and offers a prize purse of $2 million, with the top two players — if not already exempt — earning spots in The Open Championship, scheduled for July.

Kochhar, in sublime form in recent months, will be one to watch. He is joined by 11-time Asian Tour winner Gaganjeet Bhullar, six-time winner SSP Chawrasia, and two-time Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Jeev Milkha Singh. Also in the fray are three-time Asian Tour winner Shiv Kapur, former champions Ajeetesh Sandhu and Rashid Khan, along with a promising young contingent featuring Pukhraj Singh Gill, Sachin Baisoya, Shaurya Bhattacharya, and Shubham Jaglan. The Singapore Open was last played at Sentosa Golf Club in 2022, when Thailand’s Sadom Kaewkanjana beat Tom Kim of Korea.

Apart from Sadom, the field this year also features several LIV Golf stars such as Lucas Herbert of Australia, Josele Ballester and Luis Masaveu of Spain, Americans Peter Uihlein and Caleb Surratt and Sweden’s Bjorn Hellgren.

Travis Smyth, who claimed the International Series Japan to take the lead on the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and The International Series Rankings, is back in action, as well as is reigning Merit champion Kazuki Higa of Japan.

Kochhar, who has been in close contention twice already this year, finishing fourth at the Philippine Golf Championship and fifth at the International Series Japan, will look to capitalise on his rich vein of form.

“This is one tournament I look forward to, especially just in terms of the golf course. I think it’s an amazing golf course and I love playing here. Hopefully I can play well,” said Kochhar.

“I think it’s a great track. It’s a long golf course,” he added. It’s on the longer side for sure. But the conditions are great. I think it’s going to be a hot, hot week,” he added.