Singapore: It’s 30°C outside, but it feels like 40 degrees. Add intermittent rains and humidity upwards of 65% and you have “an oven” designed to sap every ounce of energy. That’s how Karandeep Kochhar described the conditions at Serapong Course in Sentosa Golf Club, where the $2 million Singapore Open returns for its 57th edition (April 23-26).
Having played here once during the Covid years, Kochhar knows overhead conditions will not be the only challenge in his title bid. The 7,411-yard course will test the driving strength of the 144-strong field. With as many as 11 Indians—including veterans Jeev Milkha Singh, SSP Chawrasia, and Gaganjeet Bhullar—in the fray, Kochhar will have fine and familiar company to lean on.
Singapore’s national open is part of the International Series (IS) that provides a pathway to the LIV league—the league keeps two spots for the top-two IS finishers. This year’s iteration will also pave the way for qualification to the 154th Open as part of the Open Qualifying Series. Two leading finishers, who are not otherwise exempt, will get places in the game’s oldest Major (July 16-19).
“Obviously, there’s a lot at stake here and I hope to put together a perfect week. This is a course that’s quite long for someone like me. I think driving off the tee will be critical,” the 26-year-old said.
Kochhar, who has worked on his swing with longtime coach Jesse Grewal, is on a hot streak. After losing his card following a horrendous 2024, Kochhar plied his trade on the Asian Development Tour, where he finished fifth on the Order of Merit to regain his playing rights.
Thereafter, he finished fourth at the Philippine Golf Championship in Manila this February where he squandered a two-stroke Day 3 lead before he was tied-fifth at International Series Japan earlier this month. He also strung together a couple of creditable IGPL Tour events in the weeks leading up to Singapore — T5 in IGPL Johannesburg (April 15-17) and T15 in IGPL Invitational in Mauritius (April 9-11) — and carries confidence from his recent results.
“I’ve been playing well for the past 6-8 months but these weeks and months have been quite tough physically. I’d like to take it shot by shot here and stay in the present. I think tee to green will be the key; you need to be on the fairway. The greens are playing true despite the rains. You also need to hit it a decent length. My iron play has to be really good and putting has to be accurate here,” he said.
Kochhar, who along with Indian golf stalwarts Jeev, Bhullar and Chawrasia, missed out on this year’s Hero India Open (HIO) due to their allegiance with IGPL, expressed his disappointment about missing the national open. This year’s HIO offered 24 spots to PGTI and six sponsor invites.
“I’d I have loved to play HIO but think about players like Gaganjeet and SSP. They are much bigger than me and at least they deserved a chance. They’ve paved the way for Indian golf and for them to not play the national open was quite sad. Hopefully we can come to a consensus where we can have the best players playing for the country,” Kochhar said.
Rahul Singh, Head of International Series, agreed. “I really think some of the best Indian players were not represented at the Indian Open,” he said while staying open to bringing HIO under the ambit of IS. The Singapore Open, Hong Kong Open, and Philippine Golf Championship—all national opens—are currently part of the IS structure.
“The IGU will ultimately have to decide what route they want to take. We want them to think about whether the Indian Open sits in the International Series or on the DP World Tour or some other tour. I definitely hope that in future, the Indian Open gets the best Indian players alongside the best global talent. And I think at the moment, that is something that it’s not seen,” Singh said.
