Bhullar finished as the best-placed Indian in Morocco at Tied-14th
36-year-old Gaganjeet Bhullar of Kapurthala delivered the only decent finish in an otherwise subdued week for Indian men’s golf on the Asian Tour, finishing tied-14th at the $2 million International Series Morocco, held from July 3-6, in Rabat.
Bhullar, an 11-time Asian Tour winner, carded rounds of 72-73-71-72 to post a 4-under 288 total, sharing the spot with Indian-American Manav Shah. It marked Bhullar’s best finish this season and a much-needed boost in form.
The International Series Morocco—now in its third edition—remains the lone African stop on the Asian Tour’s calendar and offered a lucrative $360,000 first prize from its $2 million purse. The event drew a 156-player field and was contested on the famed Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, a venue known for its tight tree-lined fairways and punishing rough.
Out of 11 Indian players who started the week, only two survived the 36-hole cut. Joining Bhullar on the weekend was Chandigarh’s Ajeetesh Sandhu, who has enjoyed two recent back-to-back top-15 finishes on the Asian Development Tour. Sandhu closed tied-46th at 1-over 293 after rounds of 74-73-75-71.
The cut fell at 1-over 147, leaving a sizeable Indian contingent packing their bags early. Missing out on weekend play were Khalin Joshi, Rashid Khan, Chikkarangappa S., S.S.P. Chawrasia, Yuvraj Sandhu, Rahil Gangjee, Viraj Madappa, Karandeep Kochhar, and Aman Raj.
Bhullar’s top-15 finish in Morocco offers a sliver of optimism for Indian golf fans, but the challenge remains steep as Indian professionals face an uphill battle if they are to reclaim their presence on Asian leaderboards.
Scott Vincent Claims Title
Zimbabwe’s 32-year-old Scott Vincent captured the International Series Morocco crown with rounds of 71-66-71-70 for a total of 14-under 278, securing a four-shot victory over Thailand’s Danthai Boonma.
This win was Vincent’s second career Asian Tour title, both in International Series events, and is a welcome boost after his stint on LIV Golf last year. The Zimbabwean has been in excellent form globally, collecting eight top-12 finishes this year in 11 worldwide starts.
Looking Ahead
The Asian Tour’s next International Series stop is the Indonesian Masters from October 2-5 at Royal Jakarta Golf Club, with another $2 million purse. Meanwhile, the broader Asian Tour resumes August 28-31 with the $500,000 Mandiri Indonesia Open.