PGTI: Thangaraja wins by five in Ahmedabad
Sri Lankan veteran N Thangaraja delivered a masterclass in control and composure at the Ahmedabad Open 2025, cruising to a five-shot victory with a steady final-round 73 at Kensville Golf & Country Club. The 43-year-old, who began the day with a commanding five-stroke lead, never wavered as he posted an eight-under 280 total to claim his fifth PGTI title and first win since 2023.
Thangaraja (65-73-69-73) took home the INR 15 lakh winner’s cheque, propelling him from seventh to second in the PGTI Order of Merit. His closest challenger, Mysuru’s Yashas Chandra (72-70-70-73), matched Thangaraja’s final-round 73 but never posed a serious threat, finishing runner-up at three-under 285. Italy’s Michele Ortolani (68-74-72-72) took third place at two-under 286, while Ahmedabad’s Varun Parikh (72) and Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta (75) shared fourth at one-under 287.
Thangaraja, who had set the pace early in the week before reclaiming the lead in round three, played methodical golf on Sunday. His lone birdie came at the par-5 sixth, where a deft chip left him with a four-foot conversion. He gave back two strokes on the 16th and 17th holes, but by then, the result was beyond doubt, with the Colombo native holding an insurmountable eight-shot advantage.
“I made a solid start, and when the gap kept widening, I knew I didn’t need to do anything extraordinary,” Thangaraja said. “It was all about keeping things simple—hitting fairways and greens. After the front nine, I felt confident I had it in the bag.”
Reflecting on his week, Thangaraja credited his mastery of the low shot, a crucial asset in the windy conditions that defined the first three rounds. “Even though it wasn’t as windy today, the foundation I built earlier in the week carried me through,” he said. “Getting an early-season win is huge for momentum.”
Chandra, who notched his fourth PGTI runner-up finish, mixed four birdies with three bogeys and a double-bogey en route to his 73. Despite falling short, he remains a player to watch in the weeks ahead.
Photo – PGTI/Champion N Thangaraja (2nd from left) receives the trophy and cheque from Mr. Rakesh Mehta, Zonal Head West, IndusInd Bank (3rd from right). The other dignitaries seen in the picture are Mr. Amandeep Johl, CEO, PGTI (extreme left), Mr. Sampath Chari, Tournament Director, PGTI (3rd from left), Mr. Shrey Sinha representing Kensville Golf & Country Club (2nd from right) and Mr. Lokinder Malik, GM, Kensville Golf & Country Club (extreme right).
