Indian superstars Jeev, Bhullar, Chawrasia and Kapur set for IGPL UAE

While icons Shiv Kapur and SSP Chawrasia have made previous appearances on the IGPL, this week Jeev Milkha Singh, a great proponent of new ideas in golf, make his debut on the IGPL Tour. Dubai is a city Jeev loves, and he has played here many times in the Desert Classic.

Now it is milestone for the young IGPL, as it brings a long list of Indian golfing superstars to the Middle-East.

"It is a big moment for IGPL, as we move abroad for the first time carrying a new Indian golf product. It has achieved a lot of success at home across the nine events, including the Bharath Classic. We see IGPL Invitational 2025 UAE hosted by Shiv Kapur in Dubai as a major step forward to making this Tour global," said Uttam Singh Mundy, the CEO of IGPL, as quoted from a release by IGPL.

"The mix of young and the experienced and the ladies has been phenomenal. The success of Pranavi Urs in IGPL Mumbai was a proof of how good it was to create a platform for women to compete and sharpen their skills while playing alongside top men pros," he added.

"The next step will be when one of the youngsters like Kartik Singh, Veer Ganapathy and Raghav Chugh lift one of the IGPL Trophies. They have all come close and now all that remains is to close the deal," he noted.

Shiv Kapur, who this week plays a dual role as a player and a host, said, "This is an event we have been working on for very long and we have the best of best in the IGPL family."

Gaganjeet Bhullar, who won a team silver medal in Asian Games in 2006 before turning pro, said, "I love playing in Dubai. And it is amazing that we have an Indian event in Dubai. Indian golf is indeed going places."

The IGPL debuts on foreign soil with icons like Jeev Milkha Singh, a multiple winner on the DP World Tour, Asian Tour and Japan Tour; Bhullar, a 11-time winner on Asian Tour; Chawrasia, a six-time winner on Asian Tour and a four-time winner on DP World Tour; and Kapur, a former Asian Games gold medallist and a four-time winner on the Asian Tour.

Other past Asian Tour winners include the legendary Gaurav Ghei, Harmeet Kahlon, C Muniyappa and Chiragh Kumar. Add to them Asian Development Tour winners like Karandeep Kochhar and Sujjan Singh, now a reputed coach based in Dubai, and Olympian Udayan Mane.

The presence of three Indian women, Pranavi Urs, Avani Prashanth and Hitaashee Bakshi, who have secured their Ladies European Tour for 2026, lends further star value to the event. The other top ladies include Vani Kapoor, Amandeep Drall, Ridhima Dilawari and Jasmine Shekar.

The filed also includes UAE pro, Ahmad Skak, besdies two other UAE amateurs, Sabiq Baji and Rayan Ahmed, and South African amateur, Kaiden Chetty.

The IGPL Tour has so far had nine events, including the Bharath Classic at Kensville, Ahmedabad which was co-sanctioned by IGPL and Asian Tour.

This week all eight Indian winners are playing. That list includes the history making Pranavi Urs, who with her win at IGPL Mumbai, became the first woman winner in a pro with a mixed field of men and women professionals.

Despite playing only three events, as compared to as many as nine by many others, Bhullar has teed up at just three with two more left and he is third on the Order of Merit. With earnings of Rs. 67,50,000 from three wins, Bhullar trails leader Aman Raj (Rs. 75,13,421) and Sachin Baisoya (Rs. 73,46,182) by small margins. Right behind Bhullar is the big-hitting Pukhraj Singh Gill with Rs. 66,45,352. They are followed by young rookie Kartik Singh, who has won Rs, 54,22,657.

An interesting feature is that of the Top-4, only Baisoya has not won. Yet he has been very consistent and come close more than once.

"It is just a matter of time," he said confidently.

"The key is to keep your game consistent," he added.

While Bhullar has won three times, Aman Raj has won twice and Pukhraj has won once. The other male winners, Kapil Kumar (Pune), is also in Dubai.

The field has 48 professionals, nine of whom are women, and eight amateurs. (ANI)