Bhullar clinches his 10th title on Indian domestic tour

The ₹ 1.5 crore prize money Tata Steel Tour Championship saw a dramatic final round with the lead swining around on the last three holes as the expereince Gaganjeet Bhullar, drew on the experience of his 9 international victories to outlast his rivals.

32-year-old Gaganjeet Bhullar of Kapurthala registered a two-shot victory with a final round 68 at the Tata Steel Tour Championship at Jamshedpur on Dec. 20th.

Bhullar’s 20th professional title came in style with an eagle-birdie climax for a total of 24 under, 264 (69-63-64-68), nearly 30 months after his last title at the Fiji International on the European Tour.

Bhullar’s final round at the 1.5 crore event saw him posting a chip in eagle on the par-5, 16th when he was two stroke behind the Bengaluru duo of Khalin Joshi and Chikkarangappa S. on the 17th, Bhullar holeda 20-footer curling birdie putt to take the solo lead at 24-under par. Chikkarangappa ended up with a closing bogey and Khalin a double-bogey to drop back, resulting in an ultimate two shot victory margin for Bhullar as he calmly parred the 18th.

Gaganjeet took home the winning check worth ₹24,24,750 and jumped over 200 places in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).

Bhullar said, “This win was all due to my experience of winning so many times in the past. I was able to draw on my mindset during the wins in Fiji, Macau and others-controlling my heartbeat through deep breathing and slowing down.

On the 18th tee on the final day after going eagle-birdie for a one-shot lead, there was a long wait on the tee because Khalin (Joshi) was getting a ruling up ahead in the 18th fairway. During this time, with out of bounds on both sides of the fairway and playing in a headwind, I kept visualizing the path of a perfect tee shot during the long wait. Also was chatting intermittently with SSP (Chawrasia). We would chat a bit and then i would go back into deep concentration and visualize the tee shot, all the while controlling my breathing and heart rate. I kept telling myself, the tournament is being won right here during the waiting on the tee box.

When, finally, it was my turn to hit — I nailed it perfectly 320 yards down the right edge of the fairway, leaving myself just about 100 yards to the front edge of this 430-yard par 4.

On the 16th, where I holed my 30-yard chip for an eagle, I thought back to Fiji, where I had holed a similar chip on the 17th on the final day to take a one-shot lead. Used the same club, my 54 degree wedge and got the same result.

I didn’t hit the ball so great all day but hung in there and stayed focused, recreating the feelings I had when I won in the past.”

BY AMIT PANDEY ON DECEMBER 20, 2020