Shaurya Bhattacharya Secures Second Place, Earns 2026 Asian Tour Card
Bhattacharya's Impressive Finish at Asian Tour Qualifying School
Shaurya Bhattacharya, a promising 22-year-old golfer from India, faced a challenging final round but ultimately achieved a commendable second-place finish at the Final Stage of the Asian Tour Qualifying School. This performance grants him full playing rights for the upcoming 2026 Asian Tour season. Starting the final round with a narrow one-shot lead, Bhattacharya was in a strong position for most of the day but faltered towards the end, recording bogeys on three of the last seven holes.
He concluded the round with a score of 72, finishing just one stroke behind China's Lin Yuxin, who triumphed with a total of 16-under-par over five rounds at the Lake View Resort and Golf Club. Lin, a two-time Asia-Pacific Amateur champion, shot a 67 to secure the win, while Bhattacharya ended at 15-under. Needing a par on the final hole to tie for first, Bhattacharya unfortunately bogeyed, settling for second place.
Positive Outcomes for Indian Golfers
The day proved fruitful for Indian golfers, with three additional players earning Asian Tour cards by finishing in the top 35. Rashid Khan recorded a 68, placing tied for 15th at 7-under, while Ajeetesh Sandhu made a strong comeback with a final-round 67, finishing tied for 19th at 6-under. Shubham Jaglan secured the last available card after a tense five-hole playoff involving 12 players tied at 5-under.
Khalin Joshi narrowly missed out on qualification, finishing at 4-under after a bogey on the final hole. Kartik Singh (74) and Honey Baisoya (78) ended tied for 57th, while S Chikkarangappa (73) finished tied for 64th, with all three players earning limited status.
Bhattacharya's Reflections on the Tournament
Coached by former Asian Games team silver medallist Rahul Bajaj, Bhattacharya reflected on the demanding final day but chose to highlight the positives. "It was a tough last day, but there were a lot of positives," he stated. "I made a lot of birdies this week—27 in total—which is a good number. I play every tournament to win, even if it's Q-School. I wanted to finish number one, but just couldn't close it out."
Currently ranked third on the Professional Golf Tour of India Order of Merit with two victories this season, Bhattacharya concluded an impressive week despite narrowly missing the top spot. Canadian Henry Lee finished third at 14-under after a final-round 70, while Mexico's Roberto Lebrija (72) placed fourth, and Australia's Will Florimo (70) rounded out the top five.