The seasoned golfer will represent India, his country of birth, in the quadrennial extravaganza
By Nick Tarratt, Khaleej Times Guest Golf Writer
Dubai Golden VISA Awardee Gaganjeet Bhullar is looking forward to making his Olympic Games debut when he represents India in the quadrennial sporting extravaganza alongside Shubhankar Sharma in Paris from 1st – 4th August 2024.
With the golf now less than two months away Khaleej Times caught up with Bhullar who recently took time off from his schedule to play a few rounds at the Le Golf National in Paris.
The Dubai Golden Visa Awardee has represented India as an amateur in the Eisenhower Trophy (2006) as well as representing Asia in both the Royal Trophy (2010) and EurAsia Cup (2014) and for India in the World Cup of Golf (2013 and 2018).
He has a high of 85 in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) in 2013, is currently 272nd, and has 25 worldwide professional victories.
“Prior to this week’s International Series event in Morocco on the Asian Tour, I found time in my schedule to visit Paris and play a few rounds at the Albatros Course – the golf venue for the upcoming Olympics,” Bhullar, 36, told Khaleej Times. “I have played the golf course a few times over the years – especially when I played on the DP World Tour. The golf course is playing good at the moment. The greens were not that quick when I played – but I am sure they will make them faster for the Olympics.
“Also, the rough was not too severe – but again there is time to let that grow in the final preparations for the August event.”
Le Golf National was established in 1990 and has hosted the 2018 Ryder Cup, as well as every French Open since 1991, with the exception of 1999 and 2001.
The golf course will also host the 2024 FedEx Open de France, October 10th – 13th, with a prize fund of $3.25 million.
India will be represented by Bhullar and 27-year-old Sharma, who currently lies in 204th in the OWGR and 60th in the season-long Race to Dubai on the DP World Tour following his tied fifth-place finish in Italy last week.
Sharma won the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award on the DP World Tour in 2018 and the Asian Tour Order of Merit in the same year.
The Olympic Golf Competition consists of a 72-hole individual stroke play with the player with the lowest total will win the gold medal. A total of 60 players will compete.
The defending champion from Tokyo is Xander Schauffele (US) with Rory Sabbatini (Svk) and Pan Cheng-tsung (Tpe) collecting the Silver and Bronze Medals.
In 2016 in Rio de Janeiro the Medals were won by Justin Rose (Eng), Henrik Stenson (Swe) and Matt Kuchar (US).
ALSO READ