As he gears up a full plunge into the new golf season, playing in co-sanctioned events, seasoned Indian golfer Gaganjeet Singh Bhullar is confident of a good show.
Currently part of the Asian Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India and hoping to join the European Tour once again, Bhullar is confident of doing well and wrapping up some top finishes.
Bhullar has had credible performances on the Asian Tour in the second half of 2024 and is feeling good about his golf going into the 2025 season.
Last year, I played well in the second half, first half I struggled. I was struggling with my driving. There was a shortage of birdies and more bogies which means you are struggling to make the cut.
But my second half was much better. I hit the ball well, I putted well, I was in contention in 3 or 4 tournaments, the goal was to be in the grind, in the mix that was the aim. The goal is to continue my game the way I played the second half of last year.
Speaking about his form and the challenges he will be facing in the upcoming season and beyond, Bhullar sounded confident and proclaimed that he is in a great frame of mind for a super showing on the Asian Tour this season. The 36-year-old at one time was ranked as high as 85th in the World and would love to be back in the top 100 in the golf rankings once again.
First of all, it won't be that difficult because I've already done it. It means if you can do it once you can definitely do it second, fourth, or fifth time. I have done it multiple times. No excuse for myself.
Second, you have to be in a good frame of mind. Mentally you have to be in a good meditative state of mind. Things then keep falling your way and I have always said patience is the best way. Sometimes it takes season after season and golf will test your patience and suddenly a win will come. So you have to be mentally prepared for all the odd situations. That’s what I will try and do this year.
Bhullar is undoubtedly carrying on the baton from the likes of Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa. The 36-year-old Kapurthala-born golfer has made impressive performances on the European Tour as well as the Asian Tour.
Having returned to India for last month's International Series India, an event which is part of the Asian Tour on which Bhullar currently plays, the seasoned Pro finished fine Tied 24th, the second-best Indian performer after Anirban Lahiri who finished T10th.
Bhullar was in Gurgaon, India as part of an international field that featured in the International Series an event on both the LIV Tour and Asian Tour.
First and foremost great achievement for India to have such a great tournament at this scale. International series goes to 10 different countries and India being part of it it’s a great sense of achievement for us.
The next thing is level of field it’s a star-studded field. It's good for us it creates a buzz, especially around the youngsters, I think it is overall a win-win situation for us Asian Tour LIV Series.
The Kapurthala-born golfer finished T19th in the International Series event in Qatar in December 2024 and T19 in the International Series event in Thailand in October 2024.
Bhullar, who picked up golf from his father, at the age of four, was India's number-one amateur in 2004 and 2006 and claimed a silver medal in the team event at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha. He also won the World Junior win the BNI Indonesian Masters presented by TNE in November of 2023, for his fifth Masters Championship in 2005. He represented India in the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The International Series event saw a clutch of top Indian golfers from Punjab competing in the event, especially from the city of Chandigarh.
All of us are here this week if you look at history, Chandigarh has always produced good players for the last 15-20 years, Jeev Milkha Singh, Amandeep Johl, and Harmeet Kahlon were there I think it is probably the attitude coming out of Punjab - more sports culture in that part of the country. Small towns with fewer distractions, end up practicing more and playing more. The weather is good. It's more to do with attitude. Coming out of Punjab sports is more in your genes.
The Indian, an 11-time winner on the Asian Tour, played his seventh event of 10 on The International Series last week and admitted the pressure was always on him to give good results.
Talking about pressure, I would say the answer is yes, I do feel pressure. I am sure a lot of the defending champions do feel pressure – it is part of the game.
