Top 10 Indian Golf Players

Welcome to a fascinating exploration of Indian golf players, who have triumphed on the global stage despite golf not being as widely celebrated in India as other sports. In a country where cricket often takes the spotlight, these exceptional golfers have made India proud with their remarkable achievements in the sport. This is the reason why I am writing this blog – to showcase the incredible talent and achievements of Indian golf players and to highlight their inspiring journeys that deserve to be celebrated. Let’s honor these exceptional athletes and their contributions to the world of golf!

Through their talent, hard work, and perseverance, they have elevated the status of golf in India and brought recognition to the country at an international level.

Top 10 Indian Golf Players

1] Anirban Lahiri

2] Shiv Kapur

3] Jeev Milkha Singh

4] Aditi Ashok

5] Gaganjeet Bhullar

6] Arjun Atwal

7] Shubhankar Sharma

8] Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia

9] Rahil Gangjee

10] Jyoti Randhawa

1] Anirban Lahiri

Anirban Lahiri is a professional golfer from India who has competed on the Asian Tour, European Tour, PGA Tour, and LIV Golf.

On June 29, 1987, he was born in Pune, Maharashtra, India. Lahiri learned to play golf at the age of eight from his father, Dr. Tushar Lahiri, an armed forces physician and recreational golfer. He turned pro in 2007 and has won numerous European and Asian Tours.

Lahiri has 18 professional wins and has represented India in a number of international tournaments. He is well-known for his consistent performance and has been listed among the world’s top golfers.

Achievements of Anirban Lahiri:

• Winner of 18 worldwide tournaments
• Two-time Olympian
• Only the third Indian national to play in the Masters
• Competed on most of the major tours, including the Asian Tour, European Tour, PGA Tour, and LIV Golf
• Represented India in the World Cup of Golf
• India’s top-ranked golfer and has spent time inside the world’s top 50
• Known for his consistent performance and has been a role model for aspiring golfers in India
• One of India’s most decorated golfers who continues to represent India in various international golf tournaments

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2] Shiv Kapur

Shiv Kapur, is amongst the talented Indian professional golf Players, has experienced a remarkable journey filled with achievements both as an amateur and in his professional career.

Born on February 12, 1982, Kapur has already secured an impressive tally of three Asian Tour titles and two Challenge Tour titles, showcasing his exceptional skill and dedication to the sport. Notably, Kapur also emerged as the gold medalist at the prestigious 2002 Asian Games, a significant milestone in his illustrious career.

Kapur’s entry into the professional golfing world was nothing short of impressive, quickly establishing himself as one of the top consistent players in Asia. He earned his European Tour card for 2007 and finished the season in the top 115 on the Order of Merit, a testament to his unwavering determination and hard work.

However, Kapur’s ambitions didn’t end there. Fresh from his recent victory at his home club in New Delhi, where he lifted an Asian Tour trophy.

Achievements of Shiv Kapur:

• Won gold at the 2002 Busan Asian Games
• Earned his European Tour card for 2007
• Finished 2007 European game, by being amongst the top 115 on the Order of Merit
• Won three Asian Tour titles and two Challenge Tour titles
• Counted as one of Asia’s rising stars and is among the top consistent players in the region

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3] Jeev Milkha Singh

Jeev Milkha Singh is the son of legendary Indian sprinter Milkha Singh, who passed away on June 18, 2021, at the age of 91 due to COVID-19. Jeev Milkha Singh is a professional golfer who has represented India in various international tournaments. He has won multiple titles on the Asian Tour and the European Tour. Jeev Milkha Singh was born on December 15, 1971, in Chandigarh, India.

He started playing golf at the age of six and turned professional in 1993. He has won four titles on the European Tour, including the 2006 Volvo China Open, the 2006 Volvo Masters, the 2008 Austrian Golf Open, and the 2012 Scottish Open. He has also won six titles on the Asian Tour, including the 1999 Volvo Masters of Asia, the 2006 Volvo Masters of Asia, and the 2008 Bank Austria Golf Open.

Jeev Milkha Singh has represented India in various international tournaments, including the Olympics. He represented India in the 2006 Doha Asian Games, where he won a gold medal in the team event and a silver medal in the individual event. He also represented India in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2016 Rio Olympics. Jeev Milkha Singh has been honored with various awards for his contribution to Indian golf. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 1999 and the Padma Shri in 2007.

He was also awarded the Order of Merit by the Asian Tour in 2006 and the Special Achievement Award by the European Tour in 2008

Achievements of Jeev Milkha Singh 

• Jeev has won 4 European Tour titles and 14 Asian Tour titles.
• He has won the Asian Tour Order of Merit twice, in 2006 and 2008.
• Jeev has represented India in multiple international golf events, including the Olympics.
• He has been awarded the Arjuna Award and the Padma Shri, two of India’s highest sporting honors.
• Jeev has been a great ambassador for Indian golf and has inspired many young golfers in the country

4] Aditi Ashok

Aditi Ashok is an Indian expert golf player who right now contends on the Women European Visit (LET) and the U.S based LPGA Visit. She was brought into the world on March 29, 1998, in Bangalore, India.

Aditi made her Olympic Games debut at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where she turned into the principal Indian lady golf player to play at the Games. She has won six expert competitions, remembering four for the Women European Visit.

Aditi Ashok has broken records for ladies golf players in India and keeps on breaking new limits as she heads to the last part of her vocation. Regardless of not winning a decoration at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, she gained favor with the golf world for her exhibition.

Achievements of Aditi Ashok:

• Aditi Ashok represented India and made her Olympic Games debut at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio, becoming the first Indian female golfer to compete at the Games.
• Ashok has secured victory in six professional tournaments, which include four on the Ladies European Tour and two others.
• In 2016, Ashok clinched victory in the Hero Women’s Indian Open and the Qatar Ladies Open, earning her the title of LET Rookie of the Year.
• Ashok emerged as the champion of the Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies Open in 2017
• During the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Ashok finished in fourth place in Round 4, narrowly missing out on a medal for India.

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5] Gaganjeet Bhullar

Gaganjeet Bhullar is amongst Best Indian Golf Players. Born on April 27, 1988. He started playing golf at the age of 10 and turned professional in 2006. Since then, he has had a successful career in golf, winning multiple tournaments around the world.

Gaganjeet has won nine Asian Tour titles and one European Tour title. He has also won multiple domestic tournaments in India. He has represented India in multiple international golf events, including the Olympics. In 2018, he was part of the Indian team that won a silver medal at the Asian Games.

Gaganjeet has been ranked as high as 84th in the Official World Golf Ranking. He has been a consistent performer on the Asian Tour, finishing in the top 10 of the Order of Merit multiple times. He has also played in several major championships, including the US Open and the Open Championship.

Achievements of Gaganjeet Bhullar:

• Gaganjeet has won nine Asian Tour titles and one European Tour title.
• He has represented India in multiple international golf events, including the Olympics.
• Gaganjeet has been ranked as high as 84th in the Official World Golf Ranking.
• He has been awarded the Arjuna Award, one of India’s highest sporting honors.

6] Arjun Atwal

Arjun Atwal is a professional golfer from India who has competed on the Asian Tour, European Tour, and the PGA Tour based in the US. He was born on March 20, 1973, in Asansol, India, and holds the distinction of being the first Indian-born player to become a member and later win a tournament on the PGA Tour. In 2010, Atwal won the Wyndham Championship, making history as the first player of Indian origin to achieve a victory on the PGA Tour.

Throughout his career, Atwal has won a total of 13 professional tournaments, including 8 on the Asian Tour, 3 on the European Tour, and 1 on the PGA Tour. He began playing golf at the age of 14 and turned professional in 1995. His first professional victory came in 1999 at the Indian Open.

In 2003, Atwal became the first player to surpass $1 million in career earnings on the Asian PGA Tour after winning the Hero Honda Masters in India. He has also claimed victories at the Carlsberg Malaysian Open, Caltex Singapore Masters, and Maybank Malaysian Open. In 2014, Atwal secured the Dubai Open title, further adding to his successful golfing career.

Achievements of Arjun Atwal:

• He is the first player born in India to become a member of, and later win a tournament on, the U.S.-based PGA Tour.
• Atwal won the Wills Indian Open Tournament in 1999.
• He has played on the Asian Tour, European Tour, and the U.S.-based PGA Tour.
• Atwal has won eight tournaments on the Asian Tour, which is tied for sixth all-time.
• He won the Wyndham Championship in 2010 and the Dubai Open in 2014.
• Atwal was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2007.

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7] Shubhankar Sharma

Shubhankar Sharma is a professional golfer hailing from India, born on July 21, 1996. He embarked on his golfing journey at the tender age of seven and displayed a natural affinity for the game. Sharma pursued his studies at Bal Bhawan School in Bhopal before turning professional in 2013. Since then, he has competed in prestigious tournaments such as the Asian Tour, European Tour, and the Professional Golf Tour of India.

Sharma made a significant mark in the golfing world by securing his first tour victory at the Joburg Open in December 2017, followed by another win at the Maybank Championship in February 2018. His rapid ascent in the sport has earned him the reputation of a rising star in golf.

Sharma stands at a height of 1.78 meters and weighs 75 kilograms. He has clinched two European Tour titles and has consistently delivered top-10 finishes in various tournaments. Sharma has also proudly represented India in international competitions, including the World Cup of Golf and the EurAsia Cup.

Renowned for his aggressive playing style and remarkable ability to hit long drives, Sharma has earned acclaim for his mental toughness and adeptness in handling pressure on the golf course.

Achievements of Shubhankar Sharma

• He recorded his first tour win in the Joburg Open in December 2017 and followed this with a second win at the Maybank Championship in February 2018.
• Sharma has won five tournaments on the Professional Golf Tour of India.
• He has played on the Asian Tour and European Tour.
• Sharma maintained a healthy lead to win the weather affected Joburg Open golf in December 2017.
• He has been ranked as high as 64th in the Official World Golf Ranking
• Arjuna Award Winner

8] Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia

Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia, popularly known as S.S.P. Chawrasia, amongst distinguished and esteemed Indian golf players. He was born on May 15, 1978, and turned professional in 1997. Over the years, Chawrasia has secured victories in six Asian Tour events, with four of them being co-sanctioned by the European Tour.

Notably, he has achieved remarkable success in the Hero Indian Open, finishing as runner-up in 1999, 2006, 2013, and 2015, and emerging as the winner in 2016 and 2017. Chawrasia’s sole win outside of India was at the 2016 Resorts World Manila Masters.

The Royal Calcutta Golf Club serves as Chawrasia’s home course. He also achieved the joint runner-up position at the Hero Indian Open 2013 (Asian Tour) and emerged as the winner of the inaugural McLeod Russel Tour Championship during the 2012 PGTI season. In 2019, he secured the runner-up spot at the TATA Steel PGTI’s year-ending TATA Steel Tour Championship.

Chawrasia proudly represented Team Asia at the third edition of the EurAsia Cup in 2018. It’s worth noting that Chawrasia has not played in any PGA Tour events, as per his PGA Tour profile, but his profile can be found on the European Tour website, indicating his participation in European Tour events.

Achivements of SSP Chawrasia:

• He has won six Asian Tour events, four of which were co-sanctioned by the European Tour.
• He won the inaugural McLeod Russel Tour Championship during the 2012 PGTI season.
• Chawrasia has had particular success in the Hero Indian Open, where he was runner-up in 1999, 2006, 2013, and 2015, and winner in 2016 and 2017.
• He was part of Team Asia at the third edition of the EurAsia Cup in 2018.
• SSP clinched the runner-up spot at the TATA Steel PGTI’s year-ending TATA Steel Tour Championship 2019

9] Rahil Gangjee

Rahil Gangjee is a professional golfer from India who currently competes on the Asian Tour, where he has earned two victories. He was born on October 2, 1978, and turned professional in 1999. Gangjee has been a prominent figure on the Asian Tour since 2004, securing his first win at the Volkswagen Masters China in 2004. He added another victory to his name at the Panasonic Open India in 2018. Apart from the Asian Tour, Gangjee has also competed on the Japan Golf Tour, where he has earned one victory, and has limited status on the PGA Tour. In 2011, Gangjee achieved a remarkable hole-in-one on the 318-yard par-4 15th hole during the final round of the Mylan Classic.

In addition to his golfing achievements, Gangjee has been an advocate for mental health awareness in golf. In 2020, he bravely shared his own struggles with depression and anxiety, encouraging fellow golfers to seek help if they were facing similar challenges. Gangjee has also been actively involved in charitable work, including supporting the Special Olympics and raising funds for COVID-19 relief efforts in India.

Achievements of Rahil Gangjee:

• Rahil Gangjee is a professional golfer from India.
• He currently plays on the Asian Tour, where he has two victories.
• In 2019, Rahil notched a fourth place finish at the PGTI’s INDO-MIM.
• Rahil was tied fifth at the PGTI’s 2020 Bengal Open.
• He has participated in several tournaments and has made a name for himself in the golfing world

10] Jyoti Randhawa

Jyoti Randhawa, born on May 4, 1972, in New Delhi, is a respected Indian professional golfer known for his contributions to golf in India. He has achieved a high ranking among the world’s top 100 golfers and embarked on his professional golf career in 1994 after winning the All India Amateur Championship in 1993. Jyoti has made a mark on the Asian Tour, securing eight wins between 1998 and 2009, and has been ranked in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking during various occasions from 2004 to 2009.

Throughout his career, Jyoti Randhawa has achieved notable tournament victories, including winning the Hero Honda Masters titles in 1998 and 1999, and the Indian Open in 2000. In 2002, he made history by becoming the first Indian golfer to capture the Order of Merit title in Asia by winning the Singapore Open. He has also been recognized as the second Indian golfer to rank among the top 100 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Jyoti Randhawa’s achievements have made him one of the finest Indian Golf Players, serving as an inspiration to young golfers in the India and contributing to the popularization of golf in India.

Achievements of Jyoti Randhawa:

• Jyoti Randhawa is an Indian professional golfer who has won eight times on the Asian Tour between 1998 and 2009.
• He was ranked in the top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking several times between 2004 and 2009.
• Randhawa has played primarily on the Asian Tour, though he has also performed on the European Tour.
• He won seven titles on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), earning him laurels in the domestic circuit.
• Randhawa has also won four more titles on the Asian Tour from 2003 onwards.
• He is known as a European and Asian golf championship medalist

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Conclusion

As we highlighted in this blog, golf in India is now receiving greater recognition and support, with the establishment of official Indian golf player rankings. This is a testament to the growing popularity of the sport and the increasing investment in golf infrastructure and training facilities across the country. As a nation, it’s crucial that we continue to encourage and nurture the talent of our Indian golfers, providing them with the necessary resources and opportunities to excel.

Golf not only offers immense physical and mental benefits, but it also opens doors to international competitions and opportunities for Indian players to represent the country on a global stage. By recognizing and supporting our Indian golf players, we can inspire a new generation of golf enthusiasts and promote the growth of golf in India.

As we celebrate the achievements of the top 10 Indian golf players, it’s clear that golf in India is on an upward trajectory. With continued encouragement, investment, and recognition, the future of golf in India looks promising, and we can expect to see more Indian golfers making a mark on the world stage in the years to come. It’s time to celebrate and support the incredible talent and potential of Indian golfers and help them shine on the international golfing arena. Let’s tee off to a brighter future for golf in India!