Flying start by Bainsla, five ahead of US Kids Golf Indian C’ship

Boys 15 to 18 leader Prince Bainsla in action on the first day of the US Kids Golf Indian Championship at the Classic Golf and Country Club on Wednesday. Image courtesy of USKGI.

By Rahul Banerji

Prince Bainsla, who turns 16 later this month, produced the best card on the opening day of the US Kids Golf Indian Championship at the Classic Golf and Country Club near Manesar on Wednesday.

Bainsla, who was backed by US Kids India, shot a round 6-under-par 66 in the Boys 15-18 section ahead of Arshvant Srivastava (71), who could not drop his birdie putts.

Bainsla, the 2024 boys 13-14 division champion, scored a flyer with four birdies in his first four holes.

Two more followed on seven and nine as he made the turn in a stunning 6 under 30. The birdie spree then took a break before he made his seventh on the 12th hole.

Five pars out of 13^e to 17^e saw him reach the par-5 18th hole at 7 under, where he dropped a shot for the only blemish of his day.

Arshvant had a frustrating day with five pars to start and then had a bogey followed by a birdie at six and seven to get to level par.

A bogey on 11 put him over par, but two good birdies on 16 and 18 put him under par.

Quality wave

Rajesh Srivastava, President of US Kids Golf India, said: “With so many low scores on the opening day, it is encouraging to see the Tour, which is well established in India and across Asia, producing quality golf.

“Next year we will have more local events and there will be many competitions with golfers from a dozen Asian countries.

“US Kids Golf is achieving its mission of spreading the sport across India and Asia. We now look forward to spreading it across Asia with India at the center.”

Shashank Sachin Gadre was on par in the highly competitive category.

Another standout performer on the first day was Ridhima Singh in Girls 13-14 with a 4 under 68.

Ridhima opened with three birdies, but then dropped a shot. Another birdie spree took her to 5 under after seven holes, but a bogey on eight meant she surrendered 4 under.

On the back nine she bogeyed 10 and 12 but rallied with birdies on 14 and 18 for a 68 and led by six shots over Shambhavi Chaturvedi and Shiksha Jain, who each carded 74.

Little Nihal Cheema produced an even par 36 in his 9-hole round for Boys 8 to lead arch-rival Zowra Sikand (41 by five shots.

Healthy edge

Arihaan Beri (72) had a six-shot lead over Devvrat Singh (78) in the Boys 13-14, while Drona Singh Dhull (73) led Aayan Chhita of South Africa by three shots in the Boys 11 section.

Malaysian youngster Raja Muhammad also shot a 73 to lead Indians Adit Veeramachaneni and Hridaan Saraogi by two shots in the Boys 12 segment.

Naasyha S. Sinha, who finished bogey-bogey, still led the Girls 8 section with a 9-hole score of 37 and Taashi Jain was second on 42.

Another talented young star, Gairat Kaur Kahlon, shared the lead in the girls 9-10 with Aadya Kaushal at 3 over 75.

Players can earn Priority Points to qualify for the 2026 US Kids European and World Championships.

They also play for World Amateur Golf Ranking points, which determine their qualification for many international events. There are two rounds remaining in the fifth edition of the US Kids Golf Indian Championship.

Results day 1

Boys

Age 7 (9 holes): 1. Keon Agarwal (42); 2. Adir Singh Chawla (50);

Age 8 (9 holes): 1. Nihal Cheema (36); .2. Zowra Sikand (41)

Age 9: 1. Samar Singh (76); 2. Ayan Mittal (80);

Age 10: 1. Vedaansh Jain (79); 2. Ryan (82);

Age 11: 1. Drona Singh Dhull (73); 2. Aayan Chhita (SAF) (75);

Age 12: Raja Mohammed Syakir (Mal) 73; T2. Hridaan Saraogi (75), Adit Veeramachaneni (75);

Age 13-14: 1. Arihan Beri (72); 2. Devvrat Singh (78);

Age 15-18: Prince Bainsla (66); 2. Arshvant Srivastava (71);

Girls

Age 8 (9 holes): 1. Naasyha S Sinha (37), 2. Taashi Jain (42)

Age 9-10: T1. Gairat Kaur Kahlon (75) and Aadya Kaushal (75)

Age 11-12: 1. Aaradhya Rawat (76); 2. Mahi Srivastava (80);

Age 13-14: 1. Ridhima Singh (68); T2. Shambhavi Chaturvedi (74) and Shiksha Jain (74)

Age 15-18: 1. Preetisha Kaur Gill (76); 2. Samaira Tomar (77);

Also read: Ojaswini, Nihaal fourth, Kabir fifth at US Kids World C’ships

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