As the 2025 PGTI season concluded its penultimate tournament, records tumbled. For the first time in PGTI history, three players crossed the INR 1 crore mark in season earnings — Yuvraj Sandhu (INR 1.61 crore), N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka (INR 1.10 crore) and Shaurya Bhattacharya (INR 1.04 crore). This surge has been fuelled by increased international opportunities — including the US$4 million DP World India Championship and other regular stops, the US$2.5 million Hero Indian Open, and two US$300,000 HotelPlanner (Challenge Tour) events — alongside the steady growth of domestic purses, with the average PGTI event now carrying a INR 1 crore prize fund.
Veer Ahlawat leaned on his past experience of being PGTI No 1 in 2024 and a full 2025 season playing in Europe, to win the INR 1 crore CIDCO Open at the newly expanded 18 hole championship Kharghar Valley Golf Course in Navi Mumbai.
Ahlawat signed off with a 4-under 67 for a 14-under 270 total (65-65-73-67), claiming his second win in his last three starts and sixth career PGTI title overall. The victory earned him INR 15 lakh and lifted him from 18th to 11th on the PGTI Order of Merit since he has played primarily in Europe this year.
Pune’s Rohan Dhole Patil finished a personal best 2nd at 11-under 273, while 2022 PGTI No 1 Manu Gandas of Delhi and Italy’s Michele Ortolani shared third at 10-under 274.
What it means: Ahlawat’s resurgence continues, and the PGTI’s financial and competitive ecosystem has entered a new phase.
Photo – PGTI
