In the heart of Pune’s Poona Golf Course, 15-year-old golf sensation Kartik Singh grabbed the spotlight at the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) Invitational Pune. Fresh off turning professional, Kartik fired a stunning bogey-free 8-under 63 in the second round, surging to 11-under overall and claiming a two-shot lead heading into the final day.
Kartik’s hot streak continued from last month’s IGPL Invitational NCR, where he also led after two rounds. He nailed fairway after fairway, setting up birdie opportunities left and right. “If you’re in the fairways, there’s always a birdie chance,” the young star said with a grin.
His round kicked off strong in the shotgun start from the second hole. Birdies on the third and fourth holes got him rolling, and he poured it on with an eagle at the par-5 seventh. “I had a solid tee shot and stuck my 6-iron to 10 feet, then drained the putt,” Kartik explained casually. He tacked on four more birdies on the back nine—holes 11, 12, 14, and 17—though he wished he’d birdied the par-5 18th. “Often, you don’t even need the driver; just focus on the fairways, and it pays off,” he added. Kartik’s best score? A 9-under in Thailand, but this 8-under has him eyeing victory. For Sunday, he plans to “keep the focus and do the same.”
Kapil Kumar kept the pressure on, matching Kartik’s bogey-free magic with a 6-under 66, including four birdies on the back nine to reach 9-under. “I stayed patient, found most fairways, and things clicked late,” Kapil shared.
Overnight co-leader Sunhit Bishnoi slipped to third at 7-under with a 68. He battled back from early bogeys with birdies at seven, nine, 12, and 13, but another bogey at 15 kept him from closing the gap. “Staying in the fairways is key—the rough is brutal,” said Bishnoi, whose sister Gaurika shines on India’s women’s pro tour.
Tied for fourth at 6-under are Pukhraj Singh Gill (70), veteran Ranjit Singh (68), steady Sachin Baisoya (69), and rising talent Saarthak Chibber (69). Aman Raj bounced back strong with a 65—seven birdies and one bogey—to tie for eighth at 4-under alongside Yashas Chandra (68). In a course that rewards precise fairway play, plenty of golfers could shake up the leaderboard tomorrow.
Among the women, Sneha Singh leads the pack at 3-under, tied for 10th after a gritty 68. She started steady from the seventh hole, firing three straight birdies before late bogeys. She shares the spot with IL Aalaap (69), Raghav Chugh (70), Harshjeet Singh Sethie (70), and Shaurya Binu (69), all at 3-under 139. Other top women include Ananya Garg (70) at tied-15th, Hitaashee Bakshi (74) at tied-19th, and Ridhima Dilawari (75) at tied-24th. This tournament serves as a perfect warm-up for next week’s Hero Women’s Indian Open.
Asian Tour veteran and icon player Gaurav Ghei couldn’t hide his excitement about Kartik. “Shooting 8-under is brilliant any day, but for a 15-year-old pro? That’s amazing. He’s consistent and has a huge future ahead.” With the golf action heating up in Pune, fans are buzzing about who’ll claim the IGPL Invitational Pune title.
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