Young Kartik Singh, 15 Yrs scripts history as youngest Indian to make cut on Asian Tour, Niemann leads

Gurugram, India – History was made at the DLF Golf and Country Club as 15-year-old Indian amateur Kartik Singh became the youngest player from the subcontinent to make the cut in an Asian Tour event. Competing in the International Series India presented by DLF, Singh carded a one-under-par 71 in the second round, securing a four-over total at the halfway stage—comfortably inside the cut line, which fell at eight over.

This marks only Singh’s second appearance in a professional tournament, having previously played in an Asian Development Tour event. The field featured some of the biggest names in golf, including two-time Major champion Bryson DeChambeau, home favorite Anirban Lahiri, and LIV Golf League star Joaquin Niemann—players Singh once admired from afar.

“It feels unreal playing with Bryson because normally I’m watching him on TV, and now I’m competing in the same tournament. It’s a great experience,” Singh said.

Home Advantage and Strong Performance: Ranked as the world’s No. 1 Under-15 amateur, Singh credited his familiarity with the DLF Golf and Country Club as a key factor in his success.

“I knew this is my home course, so I definitely had that advantage,” he explained. “If my game is at that level and I play my best, I can compete with the pros.”

The young prodigy started his second round in spectacular fashion, reaching four under through 11 holes before eventually finishing at one under. Despite a challenging opening round, Singh remained composed and focused.

“Yesterday wasn’t great, but I’m happy to have made the cut. Hopefully, I can play well this weekend,” he added.

Adverse Weather Conditions and Indian Representation: The tournament, held on the challenging Gary Player-designed course, faced weather delays, causing the second round to conclude on Saturday afternoon. Round three began later in the day at 3:30 p.m. local time.

Singh, who has trained at the DLF Golf Academy, credited his family, coach DP, and sponsors such as Callaway for their continued support.

“I was practicing elsewhere for the last three weeks and only played the course during the tournament week. But I know it well,” he said.

In total, 10 Indian players made the cut, with Lahiri leading the charge at one under par. Gaganjeet Bhullar, at two over, was the next best-placed Indian golfer.

The International Series India marks the first of ten events on The International Series 2025 calendar. The next stop is International Series Macau presented by Wynn, a tournament where last year’s Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, John Catlin, emerged victorious.

As Singh prepares for the weekend rounds, his performance has already cemented his place in Indian golf history, offering a glimpse of the bright future ahead.

Niemann Leads as International Series India Faces Historic Shotgun Start: While talking about the Chilean golfers, Joaquin Niemann took advantage of the first-ever shotgun start on The International Series, emerging as the leader during the third round of the International Series India presented by DLF.

The 26-year-old golfer reached seven under for the tournament at DLF Golf and Country Club after eight holes before darkness halted play. He holds a one-shot lead over Japan’s Kazuki Higa, while American Ollie Schniederjans sits three shots back.

Thick fog has caused multiple delays throughout the tournament, prompting organizers to implement a shotgun start for the third and fourth rounds to ensure the event concludes on schedule Sunday.

While this marks the first time a shotgun start has been used on The International Series, it is not a first for the Asian Tour. The Mercuries Taiwan Masters last year adopted a similar approach during the weekend due to delays caused by Typhoon Krathon.

This week’s US$2 million tournament is the opening event of The International Series season and the second stop on the Asian Tour following last week’s Smart Infinity Philippine Open.