Golf: Bhullar, at tied-31st, is the leading Indian in Morocco

Rabat (Morocco), June 15 (IANS) Experienced golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar emerged as the best-performing Indian at the International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco, closing with a final-round 1-over 73 to finish tied 31st at the US$2 million Asian Tour event. 

Bhullar, one of India’s most decorated professionals with 11 Asian Tour victories and four AM Green IGPL wins, put together rounds of 70, 74, 68, and 73 for a four-day total of 6-under-par. Despite not being able to mount a challenge for the title over the weekend, the experienced golfer was the highest-placed Indian in a field that included several of the Tour’s leading names.

The final round proved challenging for the Indian contingent. Karandeep Kochhar, another winner on the AM Green Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), struggled to a closing 78 and slipped to tied 61st. Ajeetesh Sandhu also found conditions difficult and carded a 77 to finish alongside Kochhar in tied 61st position.

The week, however, highlighted the difficulty of the Moroccan layout, with seven other Indian players failing to make the cut after the opening two rounds. Bhullar’s consistency over four days ensured that India remained represented in the upper half of the leaderboard, even as several compatriots exited early.

The tournament produced a memorable winner in Hong Kong’s Taichi Kho. The 25-year-old secured his first International Series title and second Asian Tour victory after a composed final-round performance. Kho (68) finished at 19-under-par, edging out former Masters champion Bubba Watson (70) in a tense finish. Bubba Watson’s last win came in 2018.

Kho’s victory carried additional significance as it boosted him to second place in the Asian Tour Order of Merit standings and third in The International Series Rankings. The win also helped him recover from the disappointment of losing in a playoff on the Japan Golf Tour the previous week.

For India, the tournament offered a mixed outcome. Bhullar’s top-31 finish demonstrated his ability to remain competitive on demanding international layouts, while Kochhar and Sandhu will look to rebound quickly in upcoming events. With a busy stretch of tournaments ahead on the Asian Tour calendar, the Indian contingent will hope to convert promising performances into stronger finishes in the weeks to come.

--IANS

hs/bsk/