Chawrasia holds two-shot lead at IGPL UAE

Dubai, Dec 8 (PTI) Top Indian golfer SSP Chawrasia gave himself the best start in any IGPL event, firing a steady 7-under 65 to take the first-round lead here on Monday.

Chawrasia, a six-time winner on the Asian Tour, had three birdies on the front nine and added four more on the back nine at IGPL UAE presented by Shiv Kapur.

He took a two-shot lead over the red-hot Gaganjeet Bhullar, who shot 5-under 67, to be tied with teen star Kartik Singh.

There was a big group of five stars, including two women Hitaashee Bakshi and Pranavi Urs in tied fourth place at 3-under. The other three players included Karandeep Kochhar, Trishul Chinappa and the evergreen M Dharma.

Young amateur Vihaan Reddy was among a big group of nine players at Tied-ninth at 2-under.

"I love this city, where I have played a lot of European Tour events and I enjoy the vibe here. I have lot of friends and the city has great golfing facilities. So, it is nice to come here with the IGPL Tour and the 7-under round was an icing on the cake,” said Chawrasia.

Bhullar, who has a perfect record in IGPL, winning each time he has played the Tour, was once again in great form. Without dropping a bogey, he birdied twice on the front nine on the seventh and the eighth. On the back nine he picked gains on the 11th, 13th, and the 16th.

Kartik Singh, who came close to winning a couple of times in the first half of the IGPL season, had six birdies against one bogey to be tied second with Bhullar, who is one of his idols.

Avani Prashanth, just coming off a successful LET season during which she retained her playing rights for 2026, carded 1-under to be Tied-19, alongside Tushar Pannu, Harshjeet Sethie, legend Gaurav Ghei and Sunhit Bishnoi, who is coming back from a wrist injury.

Tournament host, Shiv Kapur, carded 1-over 73 and was T-23.

Jeev Milkha Singh, who flew in straight from Mauritius, had an action-packed round of 2-over 74 with five birdies against five bogeys and a late double bogey on the 17th. Jeev was Tied-33rd. PTI PDS PDS AT AT