Ahmedabad, Nov 30 (LatestNewsX) – Poosit Supupramai of Thailand clinched the first-ever $500,000 Bharath Classic Gujarat, edging out the fast‑paced Korean Woo‑young Cho by a single stroke at Kensville Golf Resort close to Ahmedabad on Sunday. The 69‑year‑old Poosit was able to finish the day with a birdie on the 18th hole and keep Cho, who was one stroke behind, in check, while Indian contender Sachin Baisoya put up an impressive 10‑under‑par 62. Baisoya’s round featured two remarkable runs of consecutive birdies – six in a row at one point and four at another.
Poosit’s outstanding closing day secured him a third‑place tie, making him the highest‑placed Indian at the event, which was jointly organized by the Asian Tour and the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL). His final round of 69 earned him his debut victory on the Asian Tour, finishing at 18‑under par (270 strokes). Cho finished just one stroke back, recording 17‑under (271). In addition, Poosit earned his Asian‑Tour card with the win.
Baisoya, a regular on the IGPL but still chasing his first title, was tied for the lead at 15‑under with overnight leader Jazz Janewattananond, Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat and compatriot Ekpharit Wu. Although no Indian won, the week proved fruitful, with four players landing in the top‑10 and eight finishing inside the top‑20.
As Baisoya secured third place, Yuvraj Sandhu – a multiple‑winner at his home resort – boosted his Asian‑Tour prospects with a seventh‑place finish, posting 14‑under (274).
Ahmedabad Amateur Ishaan Chawhan delivered a solid performance over his four rounds, never going above par, although a final round of 71 stalled his early momentum. With a 13‑under total, he tied for eighth with IGPL Order‑of‑Merit leader Aman Raj (68 strokes) and two Thai golfers, Settee Prakongvech (68) and Chonlatit Chuenboonngam (65).
Pukhraj Singh Gill, also 69, shared 12th place at 12‑under, while Ajeetesh Sandhu (69) and Khalin Joshi (66) were joint 17th at 11‑under. Saptak Talwar (66) concluded in a tie for 19th.
The inaugural US$500,000 Bharath Classic, sanctioned jointly by the Asian Tour and IGPL, added another stop to the IGPL calendar for 2025, and it was the second-to‑last event of that season on the Tour.
Players were eager to climb the Asian‑Tour Order‑of‑Merit this week in hopes of securing a spot for the following season. The top four performers on the IGPL will also progress to the final stage of the Asian‑Tour Q‑School and gain entry into the 2026 International Series India.
Poosit, who has largely kept a low profile, reflected on his triumph: “Amazing, I can’t believe it. I was struggling on the front nine; I was not playing well. It was all about mindset – that got me through.”
He added, “I came here to try and improve my ranking on the Merit list. It was on my mind, not winning. But to secure my card this week with the win, it’s beyond my dreams.”
Poosit continued, “Before the last two tournaments, I changed the loft and lie on my putter. It made such a big difference – I started holing putts.”
The headline moment of Sunday, however, came from Sachin Baisoya, who posted a bogey‑free 62. Beginning from the 10th tee in the shotgun‑start format that Mondays and Tuesdays used, Baisoya opened with six consecutive birdies to hit the turn at 6‑under on a par‑72. He continued the streak on the front nine with four straight birdies from holes two to five, and then saved two pars on holes 18 and 19. “I owe this round a lot to my iron play today,” Sachin said later. “I practiced for about an hour yesterday because I felt I was hitting my irons badly for the last three or four tournaments. I also took some coaching from Sudhir Sharma, who told me not to worry and just play my natural game.” He went on, “So the plan was to try something different today from the first four days, and that is exactly what happened today from the start. Most of my shots landed between three and five feet, and also my putting was very solid.”
The modest Chawhan described the four days as an extended lesson. The 22‑year‑old left‑handed golfer, who had missed more than two years due to injuries, said, “Playing with all the Asian Tour players, watching them and talking to them has been a learning experience.” “I went in with the mindset that I had nothing to lose save making a point to myself. I was away from golf for different phases, which added up to one‑and‑a‑half years, with injuries to the wrist and knee, and this is my first full season in four years.”
When asked about his cards of 67‑69‑68‑71 over the week, Chawhan noted, “Even though I play here regularly, the course was set up differently from what we get as amateurs, and that was a challenge. For me, the highlight of the week has to be my iron play as the other aspects of my game weren’t that great.” He added he might consider turning pro after a discussion with his coach, but his immediate focus is on the All‑India Amateur tournament at Tollygunge Club in mid‑December.
Sandhu also expressed satisfaction with his five‑stroke showing. “I started slowly (level par 72 on Thursday), but after that the momentum was good,” he said. “But for a few shots and putts that I left out there, I could have been in much closer contention (at 14‑under, five shots behind winner Poosit) than I was.”
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