GolfPlus Sept 18 Digital Edition (Sept 2018) | Page 60

PERSISTENCE PAYS OFF FOR GAGANJEET BHULLAR AS HE CLAIMS MAIDEN EUROPEAN TOUR
TITLE AT FIJI INTERNATIONAL, ALSO BECOMES FIRST INDIAN TO WIN NINE ASIAN TOUR TITLES
GAGANJEET BHULLAR
10 international wins
European Tour
Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways
2018 (co-sanctioned with Asian Tour &
PGA Tour of Australasia)
Asian Tour
Indonesia President Invitational 2009
Asian Tour International 2010
Yeangder Tournament Players
Championship 2012
Venetian Macao Open 2012
Indonesia Open 2013
Shinhan Donghae Open 2016
Bank BRI-JCB Indonesia Open 2016
Macao Open 2017
European Challenge Tour
Gujarat Kensville Challenge 2011
Gaganjeet Bhullar poses with the Fiji International trophy
Picture Courtesy- Asian Tour
Bhullar earns winner’s exemption on European
Tour, Asian Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia
I
ndian star Gaganjeet Bhullar had been
constantly knocking on the door of
victory this year with fi ve top-10s
including two runner-up fi nishes on the
Asian Tour. His persistence fi nally paid
off at the Fiji International presented by
Fiji Airways, a US$ 970,000 event, tri-
sanctioned by the European Tour, Asian
Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia.
The 30-year-old Bhullar (70-69-69-66), the
overnight leader by one, produced a classic
fi nal round of six-under-66 at the Natadola
Bay Championship Golf Course to garner
a one-shot victory at 14-under-274 and as
a result take home his fi rst European Tour
trophy. Australia’s Anthony Quayle fi nished
second at 13-under-275.
The well-built Kapurthala lad’s success in
70
GolfPlus
Fiji ensured that he became the fi rst Indian
to win nine Asian Tour titles going past
Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun Atwal both of
whom have eight wins each on the tour.
Gaganjeet, the overnight leader by one,
found himself trailing Anthony Quayle late
in the day. Quayle set the bar at a challenging
13-under in the clubhouse with a course
record of nine-under-63 in round four.
However, Bhullar withstood the intense
pressure by producing one of the best
shots of the week on the 17th as he holed a
monstrous chip from outside the green for
an eagle-three, which would eventually seal
his European Tour card after a four-year gap.
As a result, he also became the fi rst Indian to
win an event co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour
of Australasia.
SEPTEMBER
2018
Gaganjeet Bhullar became the first Indian to win on the
PGA Tour of Australasia
Picture Courtesy- Asian Tour
Gaganjeet’s spectacular triumph lifted him
from 10th to fourth place in the Asian Tour’s
Habitat for Humanity Standings. The win
also saw him climb from 163 to 114 in the
world rankings.
Bhullar had also won a European Challenge
Tour event in 2011 so his overall tally of
international titles now stands at 10. He
is now only the third Indian besides Jeev
Milkha Singh (13) and Arjun Atwal (10) to
have 10 or more international wins to his
credit.
Bhullar will now enjoy the winner’s
exemption on the European Tour till the end
of next season. Gaganjeet has also earned
his card on the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour
of Australasia for the current as well as next
two seasons.