Pukhraj Gill holds nerve to win maiden ADT title in Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur [Malaysia], May 9 : Pukhraj Singh Gill, who held at least a share of the lead since the end of the first round, ultimately won the ADT Players Championship after a tense three-way play-off.

Gill overcame a two-shot deficit over the last two holes and then finished off the job in extra holes at Saujana's Palm Course, according to a press release from Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL).

Gill, who plays for the team Honer Homes Gurugram in the IGPL, totalled 13-under as did Thanawin Lee (68) and Sean Ramos (68). It took Gill two extra holes to secure the title and a cheque of $ 19,250 at the Saujana Golf and Country Club.

The win puts Gill in a good position to make a bid for the ADT Order of Merit, and next he will play at the AM Green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars event at the Mazagan Beach Golf Resort. After four events on the schedule, Gill is third on the Order of Merit.

Another Indian, Kartik Singh, who played in the IGPL in 2025, shot the day's lowest round of 65 and finished T-30, and Khalin Joshi (77) was T-46.

Gill sealed his win with a six-foot putt in the second play-off hole. Even as the ball disappeared into the cup, he threw his hands up and let out a roar of relief. He was immediately besieged by his fellow Indian players, including Aman Raj and Aryan Roopa Anand, who were also playing this week.

Gill said, "It took a long time coming. This feels surreal. I think it's going to take a while to sink in, but I'm just so pumped right now. It's been a great week in Malaysia. I was very happy with the course design, playing it for the first time - it just really suits my eye, I am glad I could play the game I did. I made it a lot more 'interesting' than I would have liked to towards the end."

"It went into a play-off. And to have won after that, I feel I am on Cloud 9. It is going to take some time to sink in. But it is only onwards and upwards from here. A big thank you to all the people back in India. I am so grateful for all your messages and support. I can't wait to get back to the party and celebrate. I wish to thank IGPL for providing us a great Tour back home and to my team Honer Homes Gurugram for whom I play on the IGPL," he added.

It was Gill's first international title, and it came within months of his maiden pro title on the 2025 IGPL Tour. Gill had a share of the lead after the first round and was the sole leader by two after two rounds and held a one-shot advantage after the third round.

Taking a one-shot lead over Ramos into the final round, Gill started hot with three birdies over his first four holes to extend his advantage to five shots. However, dropped shots on the sixth and the ninth, and some great play by Ramos and Lee saw his advantage cut back to one.

The tense affair continued into the final stretch. Lee took the lead with a four-foot birdie at the par-three 12th hole, while Gill responded with his own birdie at the par-five 13th after finding the green in two. The Indian player made three straight bogeys from Hole 14, but neither Lee nor Ramos managed to pull away.

Gill made use of his length again at the dogleg-left par-four 17th, hitting a monster drive over the green and almost chipping in. The three players reached the par-five 18th with Lee holding a one-stroke lead on 14-under-par.

Lee looked like he had the title in the bag when his third shot rolled just off the green, but he hit a poor chip and missed a 10-foot par-saver, carding a closing 68. Both Gill (72) and Ramos (71) made par to draw level and force extra time.

The playoff, contested at the 18th, saw Gill and Ramos nail birdies from 10 and three feet respectively on the first extra hole, while Lee dropped out after finding a bunker with his third shot.

The Indian then sealed victory with a superb birdie on the second sudden-death decider, hitting his third shot from a greenside bunker to six feet and sinking the putt. Ramos missed a long par putt after driving into the left rough and pushing his second shot right, behind two palm trees.

Gill is the second IGPL player to find success on the Asian Development Tour. The earlier one was Karandeep Kochhar, who won an ADT event in Egypt.

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