Young Golfer Kartik Singh Leads IGPL Delhi NCR with Three-Shot Advantage
In Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 16-year-old sensation Kartik Singh is just one round away from his first professional golf victory. At the IGPL Delhi NCR tournament hosted by Gaurav Ghei at Jaypee Greens, Kartik grabbed a commanding three-shot lead after firing a brilliant 3-under 67 in the second round. This comes hot on the heels of his eighth-place finish in his pro debut last week in Chandigarh.
Heavy rain forced organizers to tweak the course—hole four became a par-3 instead of par-5 due to waterlogging, dropping the total par to 70 for the round. Kartik’s first-round 68 (-4) combined with his latest 67 to put him at seven-under 135 after two rounds. With multiple junior and amateur titles under his belt, the teen prodigy now eyes the Rs 22.50 lakh winner’s prize in only his second pro event.
Kartik trails experienced pros like Karandeep Kochhar, who sits at four-under 138 after rounds of 70 and 68. Long-hitter Pukhraj Singh Gill also carded a four-under 138, thanks to a sizzling 66 in the second round. Gaganjeet Bhullar, fresh off his win at the inaugural IGPL Invitational in Chandigarh, posted an even-par 70 to join the chase at two-under 140. He shares fourth place with Kartik Sharma (70-70), Veer Ganapathy (69-71), and Raghav Chugh (72-68).
Further back, Asian Tour veterans Shiv Kapur (73-68), IL Aalaap (69-71), Syed Saqib Ahmed (74-67), and Sunhit Bishnoi (73-68) all stand at one-under 141, tied for eighth.
Kartik started the second round with a bogey but bounced back fast with a birdie on the par-5 second. He added more on the fifth and seventh, offsetting a bogey on the ninth to turn in one-under. On the back nine, he stayed steady with birdies on 10, 14, and 15, dropping just one shot on 16 for a two-under finish and a total three-under day.
Facing a star-studded field with Asian Tour winners like Bhullar and Kapur, Kartik remains cool and excited. "The last two weeks have been amazing," he said. "My debut at IGPL Chandigarh was a dream come true—I’ve always wanted to turn pro, and IGPL has given me this shot. I’m loving every bit of professional golf on the IGPL Tour."
Reflecting on his game, Kartik added, "I’ve played this Jaypee Greens course before as a junior and amateur, so I’m treating it the same way, just with bigger stakes and tougher pros around. If I keep playing solid and cut down mistakes, tomorrow will be huge for me." His big dream? "I want to reach the PGA Tour, and IGPL is helping me get there."
Karandeep Kochhar, who won a pro title as a 17-year-old amateur himself, praised the young leader. "Kartik’s playing fantastic—it’s exciting to see all these young stars rising," he said. Kochhar had a clean round with three birdies and one bogey, and he’s thrilled to contend on his IGPL debut after missing last week for an event in Indonesia. "I played here on the PGTI Tour earlier this year, but it’s been a while. Can’t wait for the final round."
Pukhraj Gill lit up the back nine after a shaky start. He bogeyed the second but birdied third and fifth, then hit a double bogey on six to turn in one-over. Things turned around big time—he nailed three straight birdies on 10, 11, and 12, plus more on 16 and 18, for a five-under back nine and a four-under total. Kartik, Kochhar, and Gill tee off together in the lead group tomorrow.
Among the women, Amandeep Drall leads at one-over 143 after 73-70, sitting 14th overall. Top amateurs Arshvant Srivastava (73-76) and Ananyaa Sood (77-72) both finished at seven-over 149, tied for 29th.
As the IGPL Delhi NCR heads into its final day, all eyes are on Kartik Singh to see if the teen can seal a historic pro win. Stay tuned for updates on this thrilling golf showdown!
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