Gaganjeet Bhullar
Encyclopedia
Gaganjeet Bhullar is an India
n professional golfer
who plays on the Asian Tour
.
. He finished in a tie for seventh in the individual competition. Bhullar turned professional in 2006.
which was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
Bhullar began his career on the Asian Tour in 2007. He played in nine events, making seven cuts while recording a runner up finish at the Indonesia President Invitational. He finished in 77th on the Order of Merit with $52,413. 2008 was Bhullar's first full season on the Asian Tour. He played in 21 events, making 14 cuts while recording one top-10 finish. He didn't secure his tour card for 2009 until the second to last tournament of the year, when he finished T-11 at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open. Bhullar entered the tournament in 67th on the Order of Merit, needing to finish in the top 65 to earn his tour card for 2009. Neven Basic, who was in 65th, missed the cut so on the final day of the event it was a battle between Bhullar and Adam Groom, who was in 66th. Bhullar entered the day three shots behind Groom but shot the best round of the day (64) while Groom shot a 75. The combination of Bhullar's eight under round and Groom's poor performance put Bhullar into 65th, only $681 ahead of Groom.
. The victory also makes Bhullar the youngest Indian to win on the Asian Tour and gives him exempt status on the Asian Tour until 2011.
The week before his win in Indonesia, Bhullar played in his first major
at the 2009 Open Championship
. He qualified for the Open by winning the Asian International Final Qualifying in April. Bhullar put himself into position to make the cut after the first round, shooting a 71 (+1) which put him in a tie for fifteenth but his second round of 77 (+7) saw him miss the cut by four strokes. Bhullar is the youngest Indian to play in a major.
One week after his win in Indonesia, Bhullar almost picked up his second win on the Asian Tour at the Brunei Open
. On the 72nd hole of the tournament he had an eight foot birdie putt to win the tournament but he missed it. He went into a playoff with Darren Beck and Boonchu Ruangkit. Boonchu was eliminated after bogeying the second hole and Beck won the tournament on the third hole when he scored a birdie while Bhullar made par. The runner-up finish helped him jump from 255 to 203rd in the Official World Golf Rankings. He ended up finishing the year 6th on the Order of Merit.
Bhullar picked up his fourth win on the Professional Golf Tour of India at the PGTI Players Championship presented by Eagleton. The win elevated him to first on the tour's Order of Merit. But the very next week, Mukesh Kumar
won his 3rd event of the season, replacing Bhullar at the top of the Order of Merit. His 5th win of the season came in September at the DLF Masters, winning by 5 strokes. The victory launched Bhullar to first on the Order of Merit but he finished the year in 5th. Bhullar played in the fewest events out of anyone in the top 25, a stat which greatly contributed to his 5th place finish.
where Europe pulled out a narrow victory. Bhullar picked up his first victory on the Asian Tour in February at the Asian Tour International
. Bhullar was six strokes behind the leader going into the final round but shot a 64 (-8) to win the event by one stroke. Bhullar's superb round set a new course record at Suwan Golf and Country Club. The victory launched him from 174th to 115th in the Official World Golf Rankings, his highest ranking to date. Two months later, Bhullar finished in sixth at the SAIL Open
in his home country.
Bhullar won his sixth title on the Professional Golf Tour of India at the PGTI Players Championship in May. Bhullar recorded two triple bogeys on the front nine during round three but made a fantastic recovery in the last 27 holes to win the tournament. On the back nine in the third round he shot six under and then shot a 6 under in the final round to secure the championship. He finished the year 8th in the ROLEX Rankings with five top ten finishes in seven events and no missed cuts.
Bhullar received a special invitation to play in the Japan PGA Championship
due to his consistent performances in India and Asia. He missed the cut after shooting a 80 in the second round. In his first European Tour event of the year, Bhullar finished tied for 30th in the Estoril Open de Portugal. Later in the month, he played in two tour events in India, finishing tied for third and tied for twelfth. Bhullar continued his success on the Asian Tour in July with a fourth place finish at the Brunei Open
. In September, Bhullar notched another top ten finish at the Handa Singapore Classic
where he finished in a tie for 8th. Bhullar finished the year 17th on the Order of Merit, earning $165,225. He recorded four top ten finishes and only missed two cuts in 14 events.
to become the first Indian player to win a tournament on the Challenge Tour
, the official development tour organised by the PGA European Tour
.
On 29 January, Bhullar won the Bangladesh Open on the Professional Golf Tour of India, thanks to a 64 (-8) in the third round, the best round of the tournament by two strokes. The following week he won the PGTI Players Championship in similar fashion, shooting the best round of the tournament in the third round, 65 (-7). This is the second time in his career that he has won back to back tournaments on the PGTI. On 5 March he won his third PGTI event of the year at the Aircel PGTI Players Championship.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who plays on the Asian Tour
Asian Tour
The Asian Tour is the principal men's professional golf tour in Asia except for Japan, which has its own Japan Golf Tour, which is also a full member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. The Asian Tour is administered from offices in Singapore...
.
Amateur career
Bhullar was born in Kapurthala, India. He was India's number one amateur in 2004 and 2006 and was part of the Indian team that won the silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games2006 Asian Games
The 15th Asian Games, officially known as the XV Asiad, is Asia's Olympic-style sporting event that was held in Doha, Qatar from December 1 to December 15, 2006. Doha was the first city in its region and only the second in West Asia to host the games...
. He finished in a tie for seventh in the individual competition. Bhullar turned professional in 2006.
2006-2008
Bhullar started his professional career on the Professional Golf Tour of India where he has yet to miss a cut. He played in seven events in the 2006-07 season and never finished lower than T-18. He also recorded three top ten finishes, including two runner-ups. He finished fifth on the tour's Order of Merit list. In 2007-08, he played in 14 events and recorded 10 top-10 finishes, including three runner-ups. For the second year in a row, he finished in fifth on the Order of Merit. 2009 has been Bhullar's most successful year on tour but he has played in fewer tournaments due to his concentration on the Asian Tour. Bhullar has won three of the four tournaments he has played in. He won the PGTI Players Championship at Panchkula Golf Club in March, his first professional victory. He also won the PGTI Players Championship presented by Rambagh Golf Club and the PGTI Players Championship presented by Aamby Valley Golf Club in back to back weeks in May. He finished in a tie for second at the SAIL OpenSAIL Open
The SAIL Open is a golf tournament on the Asian Tour, played in India. It has been held annually since 2008 and is co-sanctioned by the Professional Golf Tour of India...
which was co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour.
Bhullar began his career on the Asian Tour in 2007. He played in nine events, making seven cuts while recording a runner up finish at the Indonesia President Invitational. He finished in 77th on the Order of Merit with $52,413. 2008 was Bhullar's first full season on the Asian Tour. He played in 21 events, making 14 cuts while recording one top-10 finish. He didn't secure his tour card for 2009 until the second to last tournament of the year, when he finished T-11 at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open. Bhullar entered the tournament in 67th on the Order of Merit, needing to finish in the top 65 to earn his tour card for 2009. Neven Basic, who was in 65th, missed the cut so on the final day of the event it was a battle between Bhullar and Adam Groom, who was in 66th. Bhullar entered the day three shots behind Groom but shot the best round of the day (64) while Groom shot a 75. The combination of Bhullar's eight under round and Groom's poor performance put Bhullar into 65th, only $681 ahead of Groom.
2009
Bhullar's 2009 season started out slow but eventually picked up. Between March and July, Bhullar made four of six cuts, finishing in the top-10 four times. He recorded a runner up finish at the SAIL Open and recorded his first victory on the Asian Tour in July at the Indonesia President Invitational. The victory catapulted him into 10th on the Order of Merit and he jumped from 417 to 255 in the Official World Golf RankingsOfficial World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
. The victory also makes Bhullar the youngest Indian to win on the Asian Tour and gives him exempt status on the Asian Tour until 2011.
The week before his win in Indonesia, Bhullar played in his first major
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
at the 2009 Open Championship
2009 Open Championship
The 2009 Open Championship was the 138th Open Championship, one of the four major golf championships, and was played from 16–19 July at the Turnberry Resort, in Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the fourth time The Open Championship had been played at Turnberry...
. He qualified for the Open by winning the Asian International Final Qualifying in April. Bhullar put himself into position to make the cut after the first round, shooting a 71 (+1) which put him in a tie for fifteenth but his second round of 77 (+7) saw him miss the cut by four strokes. Bhullar is the youngest Indian to play in a major.
One week after his win in Indonesia, Bhullar almost picked up his second win on the Asian Tour at the Brunei Open
Brunei Open
The Brunei Open is an Asian Tour golf tournament. The 2005 staging was Brunei's first ever professional golf tournament, and it was won by Terry Pilkadaris of Australia. The event is held at the Jack Nicklaus designed course at the Empire Hotel and Country Club. In 2010 the prize fund was...
. On the 72nd hole of the tournament he had an eight foot birdie putt to win the tournament but he missed it. He went into a playoff with Darren Beck and Boonchu Ruangkit. Boonchu was eliminated after bogeying the second hole and Beck won the tournament on the third hole when he scored a birdie while Bhullar made par. The runner-up finish helped him jump from 255 to 203rd in the Official World Golf Rankings. He ended up finishing the year 6th on the Order of Merit.
Bhullar picked up his fourth win on the Professional Golf Tour of India at the PGTI Players Championship presented by Eagleton. The win elevated him to first on the tour's Order of Merit. But the very next week, Mukesh Kumar
Mukesh Kumar (golfer)
Mukesh Kumar is a professional golfer from India who currently plays on the Professional Golf Tour of India , where he has won the Order of Merit on six occasions on the PGTI and on previous Tour's before that....
won his 3rd event of the season, replacing Bhullar at the top of the Order of Merit. His 5th win of the season came in September at the DLF Masters, winning by 5 strokes. The victory launched Bhullar to first on the Order of Merit but he finished the year in 5th. Bhullar played in the fewest events out of anyone in the top 25, a stat which greatly contributed to his 5th place finish.
2010
Bhullar represented Asia for the 2010 Royal Trophy2010 Royal Trophy
The 2010 Royal Trophy was the fourth edition of The Royal Trophy, a team golf event contested between teams representing Asia and Europe. It was held from 8–10 January at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand...
where Europe pulled out a narrow victory. Bhullar picked up his first victory on the Asian Tour in February at the Asian Tour International
Asian Tour International
The Asian Tour International was a golf tournament on the Asian Tour, played in Thailand from 2008 to 2010.In 2009, following the cancellation of the Emaar-MGF Indian Masters, the Asian Tour International was rescheduled to be the season opening event....
. Bhullar was six strokes behind the leader going into the final round but shot a 64 (-8) to win the event by one stroke. Bhullar's superb round set a new course record at Suwan Golf and Country Club. The victory launched him from 174th to 115th in the Official World Golf Rankings, his highest ranking to date. Two months later, Bhullar finished in sixth at the SAIL Open
SAIL Open
The SAIL Open is a golf tournament on the Asian Tour, played in India. It has been held annually since 2008 and is co-sanctioned by the Professional Golf Tour of India...
in his home country.
Bhullar won his sixth title on the Professional Golf Tour of India at the PGTI Players Championship in May. Bhullar recorded two triple bogeys on the front nine during round three but made a fantastic recovery in the last 27 holes to win the tournament. On the back nine in the third round he shot six under and then shot a 6 under in the final round to secure the championship. He finished the year 8th in the ROLEX Rankings with five top ten finishes in seven events and no missed cuts.
Bhullar received a special invitation to play in the Japan PGA Championship
Japan PGA Championship
The is an annual golf tournament on the Japan Golf Tour. It has been played since 1926. It is played at a variety of courses throughout Japan. The purse for the 2011 event was ¥150,000,000, with ¥30,000,000 going to the winner...
due to his consistent performances in India and Asia. He missed the cut after shooting a 80 in the second round. In his first European Tour event of the year, Bhullar finished tied for 30th in the Estoril Open de Portugal. Later in the month, he played in two tour events in India, finishing tied for third and tied for twelfth. Bhullar continued his success on the Asian Tour in July with a fourth place finish at the Brunei Open
Brunei Open
The Brunei Open is an Asian Tour golf tournament. The 2005 staging was Brunei's first ever professional golf tournament, and it was won by Terry Pilkadaris of Australia. The event is held at the Jack Nicklaus designed course at the Empire Hotel and Country Club. In 2010 the prize fund was...
. In September, Bhullar notched another top ten finish at the Handa Singapore Classic
Handa Singapore Classic
The ISPS Handa Singapore Classic is a golf tournament on the Asian Tour. It was played for the first time in September 2010 at the Orchid Country Club in Singapore. The purse in 2011 was US$300,000.-External links:*...
where he finished in a tie for 8th. Bhullar finished the year 17th on the Order of Merit, earning $165,225. He recorded four top ten finishes and only missed two cuts in 14 events.
2011
In January 2011 Bhullar won the inaugural Gujarat Kensville ChallengeGujarat Kensville Challenge
The Gujarat Kensville Challenge is a golf tournament on the Challenge Tour, played in India. It was held for the first time in January 2011 at Kensville Golf and Country Club in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and was the season opening event on the tour....
to become the first Indian player to win a tournament on the Challenge Tour
Challenge Tour
The Challenge Tour is the second tier men's professional golf tour in Europe. It is operated by the PGA European Tour and as with on the main European Tour and the European Seniors Tour, some of the events are played outside of Europe...
, the official development tour organised by the PGA European Tour
PGA European Tour
The PGA European Tour is an organization which operates the three leading men's professional golf tours in Europe: the elite European Tour, the European Seniors Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour. Its headquarters are at Wentworth Club in Virginia Water, Surrey, England...
.
On 29 January, Bhullar won the Bangladesh Open on the Professional Golf Tour of India, thanks to a 64 (-8) in the third round, the best round of the tournament by two strokes. The following week he won the PGTI Players Championship in similar fashion, shooting the best round of the tournament in the third round, 65 (-7). This is the second time in his career that he has won back to back tournaments on the PGTI. On 5 March he won his third PGTI event of the year at the Aircel PGTI Players Championship.
Asian Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 26 Jul 2009 2009 Asian Tour The 2009 Asian Tour was the 15th season of the modern Asian Tour, the main men's professional golf tour in Asia excluding Japan, since it was established in 1995... |
Indonesia President Invitational | 2 strokes |  Adam Blyth |
|
| 2 | 7 Feb 2010 2010 Asian Tour The 2010 Asian Tour was the 16th season of the modern Asian Tour, the main men's professional golf tour in Asia excluding Japan, since it was established in 1995... |
Asian Tour International Asian Tour International The Asian Tour International was a golf tournament on the Asian Tour, played in Thailand from 2008 to 2010.In 2009, following the cancellation of the Emaar-MGF Indian Masters, the Asian Tour International was rescheduled to be the season opening event.... |
1 stroke |  Hwang Inn-choonHwang Inn-choon Hwang Inn-choon is a professional golfer from South Korea. He turned professional in 2002 at the age of 27.-Professional career:... |
Challenge Tour wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 16 Jan 2011 2011 Challenge Tour The 2011 Challenge Tour was a series of professional golf tournaments collectively known as the Challenge Tour.The Challenge Tour is Europe's official developmental tour and is organised by the PGA European Tour... |
Gujarat Kensville Challenge Gujarat Kensville Challenge The Gujarat Kensville Challenge is a golf tournament on the Challenge Tour, played in India. It was held for the first time in January 2011 at Kensville Golf and Country Club in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and was the season opening event on the tour.... |
1 stroke |  Matt Ford |
Professional Golf Tour of India wins (9)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 15 Mar 2009 | PGTI Players Championship at Panchkula Golf Club |
7 strokes |  Vijay Kumar, Harendra P. Gupta |
|
| 2 | 2 May 2009 | PGTI Players Championship presented by Rambagh Golf Club |
Playoff | Himmat Singh Rai |
|
| 3 | 9 May 2009 | PGTI Players Championship presented by Aamby Valley Golf Club |
10 strokes | Harmeet Kahlon |
|
| 4 | 16 Aug 2009 | PGTI Players Championship presented by Eagleton |
3 strokes | Abhishek Jha |
|
| 5 | 20 Sept 2009 | DLF Masters | 5 strokes | Anirban Lahiri |
|
| 6 | 7 May 2010 | PGTI Players Championship presented by Bombay Presidency Golf Club |
1 stroke | Shamim Khan,  Mohammad SiddikurMohammad Siddikur Mohammad Siddikur Rahman is a Bangladeshi professional golfer who plays on the Asian Tour.As an amateur, Siddikur won twelve events in Asia, winning five times in Bangladesh, two in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal and one in India. Siddikur turned professional in 2005 and joined the Professional... |
|
| 7 | 29 Jan 2011 | American Express Bangladesh Open | 2 strokes | Mohammad Siddikur Mohammad Siddikur Mohammad Siddikur Rahman is a Bangladeshi professional golfer who plays on the Asian Tour.As an amateur, Siddikur won twelve events in Asia, winning five times in Bangladesh, two in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Nepal and one in India. Siddikur turned professional in 2005 and joined the Professional... |
|
| 8 | 5 Feb 2011 | PGTI Players Championship presented by Royal Calcutta Golf Club |
2 strokes | Shiv Chowrasia Shiv Chowrasia Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia , also known as "Chipputtsia", and "Chow" is an Indian professional golfer. After he turned professional in 1997, he went on to win eight titles on the Indian Tour and finished second twice in the Indian Open.... |
|
| 9 | 5 March 2011 | Aircel PGTI Players Championship presented by Chandigarh Golf Club |
2 strokes | Vijay Kumar, Chiragh Kumar, Shankar Das |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2009 |
|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
CUT |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.