20 November 2021: The win felt inevitable. If Yuvraj Singh Sandhu was a baker, he had kept it on a simmer and let it bake slowly. Finally, in his seventh event since the resumption of the PGTI Tour season, Yuvraj pounced at the first scent of victory with the resolute calm of a marksman. Starting the day with the lead on his bag, Yuvraj refused to let up or blink in the lights. He produced a thrilling 64 in the final round, his best score this week, for a sensational six-stroke victory over M Dharma.
Yuvraj finished the week at 23-under 265, a consummate effort for a first victory on the national circuit. A bogey on the first hole felt like an ominous start for the Chandigarh golfer. Dharma was giving the pursuit, thrusting himself into the intense heat of the final round with a sudden burst of five birdies in six holes from the second.
But Yuvraj did not allow the early kerfuffle to affect his sails. He kept his head down and went about his business with tremendous resolve. Three birdies helped him retain a healthy cushion as he navigated the bend in 34 strokes.
He shut down the debate with an emphatic final push from the par-5 eleventh hole. Yuvraj shot four straight birdies, punctuated the run with an eagle on the par-5 fifteenth, before putting his signature on the win with an eighth birdie on the par-3 sixteenth hole. The bogey at the 17th was an eventless non-entity in the context of the tournament. The win was secure by then and he brought it home in emphatic style with a sedate par on the 72nd hole.
“I started with the same feeling as the first three days but Dharma played some phenomenal golf on the first eight holes and he gave me a tough time on the front-nine. But on the back-nine I got the reins back and took control,” said an elated Sandhu, whose 64 was the best card of the final round.
“I had a tricky start so the birdie on the third was crucial to get back into the game. Similarly, the birdie on the 11th set up the momentum for the terrific run on the back-nine. After the eagle on the 15th, I knew I had it in the bag but still wanted to see how low can I go and that explained my aggressive approach till the end.
“Winning before on the Feeder Tour did help me today. I said to myself that if I’ve done it before, why not today.”
The journey has been arduous. The 24-year-old is hardly a spring chicken. It took a massive effort for Yuvraj to rocket himself to the professional circuit, as he meandered alone in the Sun, wind and rain preparing relentlessly in his pursuit of an elusive dream. Eventually, he was rewarded for his persistence, winning twice on the PGTI Feeder Tour, and paving the path to a life among the elite men of Indian golf.
“I’ve let my clubs do the talking, all the hard work I’ve put in is paying off. I can’t be more thankful to my team consisting of my coach and physio. They’ve all been part of this process. It’s a special moment for me and I want to treasure it. I want to let it sink in and get my tub of ice cream to celebrate,” added Sandhu.
“I picked up golf as a little kid in the North-East while my father was posted in Dimapur, Nagaland. So coming to the North-East is always nostalgic for me. Now winning in the North-East further strengthens my special connection with the region.”
Yuvraj has been a revelation since making it to the top tier. He has ten top 10s in his seventeen starts this season. The least he achieved since the Tour resumed earlier this year is a T12. Yuvraj’s prolific run has only been matched by Veer Ahlawat and Viraj Madappa – the two men also secured top-10 finishes in ten events in the 2021 season.
“Once I’m back on the course, I want to keep doing things in a similar fashion since it’s working for me. I’m now looking forward to the next few events as the hunger to win is still there,” signed off Sandhu, as he looks ahead to continue his good run.
Dharma finished second on Saturday, closing out with a 66, enough for a 17-under total of 271. Honey Baisoya also shot 66, his second straight, to work his way to T3 alongside Om Prakash Chouhan. The two men finished two strokes behind Dharma.
Harendra Gupta (-14) was solo fifth, with the ageless, tireless Mukesh Kumar in T6 with Dhruv Sheoran (-13). Shivendra Singh Sisodia was a further three shots back in eighth. Badal Hossain and Manu Gandas closed out the top ten at 9-under 279.
