India’s golf legend Jeev Milkha Singh brought the curtain down on the inaugural season of the International Golf Premier League with a victory at the IGPL Invitational Sri Lanka, ending a 13-year wait for a professional title and delivering the league a dream finale at the Royal Colombo Golf Course on Thursday.
The 54-year-old, who last won on the professional circuit at the 2012 Scottish Open, rolled back the years with a superb closing round of six-under 65 to finish at 15-under par, edging out Aryan Roopa Anand by a single stroke.
Starting the final day two shots behind the leader, Jeev produced a performance that underlined his enduring class, beating a field that included some of the country’s most promising youngsters and seasoned campaigners.
Jeev Milkha Singh (Sourced by the Telegraph Online)
After a modest second round, Jeev spent close to half an hour on the putting green, a decision that proved decisive.
Combining sharp iron play with confident putting, he repeatedly found his approaches inside five to ten feet.
At one stage, he carded five birdies in a row and seven birdies across nine holes between the sixth and the 14th, a stretch that effectively turned the contest in his favour.
Jeev’s round did not begin smoothly. He dropped a shot on the opening hole, recovered with a birdie on the second, and then bogeyed the fifth.
What followed was a remarkable birdie run from the sixth to the tenth, during which he surged ahead and never relinquished the lead.
Additional birdies on the 12th and 14th allowed him to close out the round with four straight pars and secure what may well be one of the oldest wins on a full-fledged professional tour.
Aryan, who shot a 68, finished second at 14-under. Needing an eagle on the par-four 18th to force a playoff, he managed only a birdie and had to settle for sole runner-up honours.
An emotional Jeev was mobbed by friends after the finish, visibly drained both physically and emotionally. The victory carried deep personal significance.
“I had never played in Sri Lanka before. It is an emotional moment for me. Because this is where my parents fell in love and began their relationship. My mother played volleyball and my father was here for athletics. So, this is where their journey together began,” said an emotional Jeev.
“We lost them in 2021 and I lost my will to play but a little later in 2022 I decided I would play for them and win. I hope today’s win will put a smile on their faces,” he added, looking towards the clear blue skies.
Jeev was generous in his praise for the venue and the organisers.
“The Royal Colombo Golf Course was amazing and the whole team here did a great job and so did the IGPL team,” he said.
Watching from close quarters were Jeev’s wife Kudrat and their son Harjai, who featured in the field as an amateur.
Kudrat has recently been accompanying Harjai at junior and amateur events. Harjai finished tied 22nd for the week.
Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO of the IGPL, presented the trophy to Jeev and helped him into the IGPL jacket, calling the result a fitting conclusion to the league’s first season.
“The IGPL could not have hoped for a better winner to end the season, than Jeev Milkha Singh, a legend of the game worldwide. It was an amazing three days of display and Jeev showed the youngsters, many of whom may not have even begun the sport when he last won at the 2012 Scottish Open, that he is indeed a champion for all times,” Mundy said.
“At the IGPL we are proud that Jeev has put a stamp on it with such a splendid win,” he added.
Jeev’s career record includes four wins on the European Tour, four on the Japan Tour and six on the Asian Tour, with one of the Asian Tour titles co-sanctioned with the European Tour.
Veteran Jyoti Randhawa, who has played alongside Jeev for more than two decades on various tours, also made his first appearance on the IGPL in Colombo and paid tribute to his longtime friend.
“Jeev is an amazing player. I have been privileged to see him for so many years. His hunger and love for the game is still the same and he always wants to win and he showed that even today. He is an inspiration for everyone,” said Randhawa.
His son Zoravar also competed as an amateur, with both father and son finishing tied 24th.
Karandeep Kochhar, who has already sealed his 2026 Asian Tour berth by finishing second on the Asian Development Tour, carded a 65 to finish sole third at 12-under.
SSP Chawrasia signed off with a 69 but dropped a late bogey to take fourth place at 11-under.
Gaganjeet Bhullar, who kick-started the IGPL season with two wins and later added a third title on his return, finished fifth at 10-under after a closing 68.
Local amateur Kaya Daluwatte, who held a three-shot lead at one stage during the third round, shot an even-par 71 to finish sixth at nine-under.
Veer Ganapathy, one of the standout finds of the inaugural season, finished seventh at nine-under, having shot under par on all three days.
Four players were tied eighth at eight-under, including Aman Raj, who remained in contention for the IGPL Order of Merit, along with Raghav Chugh, Pranavi Urs and Kapil Kumar.
Pranavi, the winner of the IGPL Mumbai, emerged as the top woman finisher at tied eighth.
While Jeev claimed the tournament title, the season-long honours went to Pukhraj Singh Gill, who won the IGPL Order of Merit despite finishing tied 12th at the Colombo event.
Pukhraj, who shot a 67 and missed a four-foot birdie putt at his final hole, finished alongside Chiragh Kumar, who returned a 72.
After 11 events with a combined prize purse of Rs 1.5 crore and Rs 22.50 lakh for each winner, Pukhraj topped the standings by the narrowest of margins.
He earned Rs 81,90,652, finishing less than Rs 9,000 ahead of Aman Raj, who collected Rs 81,81,708.54 despite registering two wins during the season.
Gaganjeet Bhullar finished third on the Order of Merit with earnings of Rs 81,30,000.
Pukhraj’s rewards include a spot in the USD 2 million International Series event in India early next year, along with an entry into an Asian Tour event offering Open Qualifying berths.
Pranavi Urs, with earnings of Rs 34,84,687, finished as the top woman professional earner of the inaugural IGPL season.
The season-ending triumph not only ended Jeev Milkha Singh’s long title drought but also provided the IGPL with an ideal statement in its very first year, as one of Indian golf’s greatest names stamped his authority on a new chapter of the sport.