Delhi Golfer Raghav Chugh Takes Top Indian Spot at Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships
Delhi golfer Raghav Chugh has emerged as the leading Indian at the 14th Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships, held in Melbourne, Australia. Chugh, who is currently playing college golf in the United States, climbed up the leaderboard with a remarkable 2-under 70 on a challenging day at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
After a slow start on the first day, where he found himself tied at 51st place, Chugh displayed tremendous skill and resilience to claim the tied-18th position, making him the top Indian performer in the tournament. He was one of five Indian players to make the cut out of the seven participants.
Among the successful Indian contingent was 13-year-old Kartik Singh, who became the youngest player ever to make the cut in this prestigious event. Singh posted scores of 78-72 to secure a tied-36th position. Shubham Jaglan, initially tied for ninth place after the first round, slipped down to T-29 (72-77), while Yuvraj Singh settled at T-41 (74-77). Shaurya Bhattacharya also produced an impressive turnaround, improving his scores by 12 shots (83-71) to make the cut. He is currently tied at 60th place.
Unfortunately, Krishnav Nikhil Chopra (77-80) and Vedant Sirohi (85-75) did not make it past the cut line.
The second day of the tournament saw Chinese Taipei’s Chuan-Tai Lin shooting an outstanding round of 4-under 67, taking him to the top of the leaderboard. Lin, who participated in the Junior Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in 2019, recorded six birdies and just two dropped shots to surge up the rankings. He now shares the lead with China’s Wenyi Ding, both at three under for the Championship.
New Zealanders Kazuma Kobori and Jimmy Zheng are also in contention for the title, placing closely behind the leaders. Kobori, who led after the first round, endured a challenging second round but still sits tied for third place with a 75.
Meanwhile, Chugh displayed tremendous form on the second day, recording four birdies in the front nine to secure a 2-under 69. The 19-year-old is coached by Romit Bose and had an eagle on a Par-4 on the first day.
Kartik Singh modified his approach to the game after a tough start, strategizing his approach shots due to the fast fairways and greens. This adjustment paid off, and he is looking to continue his upward trajectory in the final rounds.
The Asia-Pacific Amateur Championships is a highly coveted event, with the winner earning a chance to compete in the Masters and the Open the following year. The competition features some of the most promising young golf talents from the region, giving them opportunities to showcase their skills on an international stage.
As the tournament progresses, golf enthusiasts eagerly await the final rounds to witness the culmination of exceptional talent and fierce competition at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club.
