Saatvic Kumar Singh wins IGU Western India Junior Championship after play-off

Hyderabad golfer Saatvic Kumar Singh won the IGU Western India Junior Championship 2026 in Pune after a three-way tie over 72 holes. The Class 10 student secured the title with a birdie on the first sudden-death play-off hole

Hyderabad: Saatvic Kumar Singh led from start to finish before winning a thrilling playoff to complete a double at the IGU Western India Junior Boys Golf Championship at the Oxford Golf Resort on Friday.

The 14-year-old from Hyderabad carded a one-under-par 71 in the final round to finish tied at eight-under-par 280 with fast-finishing Shashank Sachin Gadre (69) and Nilofer Sivamoorthy (70).

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In the ensuing playoff on the 18th hole, Saatvic found the middle of the fairway with his three-wood tee shot. His second shot with a pitching wedge set him up for a six-foot birdie putt, which he sank after his two rivals could manage only pars. The victory earned him his maiden Category A (15-17 years) crown and his second Category B (13-14 years) title of the season.

The front-runner had a mixed day, producing a round of contrasting spells. He found his rhythm around the turn, however, with a birdie on the ninth, an eagle two on the 10th, set up by a powerful drive, and another birdie on the 11th to stay in contention.

He sank a 20-foot birdie putt on the 14th to join his rivals at the top of the leaderboard. All three had dropped a shot on the 17th. Saatvic could have sealed the title on the 18th but narrowly missed a 12-foot birdie putt. He made no mistake in the playoff, sinking the decisive putt to emerge a deserving winner.

The triumph was particularly remarkable for Saatvic’s consistency. The Class 10 student of Delhi Public School, Hyderabad, had held the sole lead since the opening round and converted that early advantage into a championship-winning performance.

A student golfer at the Hyderabad Golf Association (HGA), Saatvic has honed his skills at Boulder Hills Golf and Country Club under the guidance of his father, Sanjay Kumar Singh, a Class A golf professional and IGU-accredited Technical Supervisor.

Reflecting on his victory, Saatvic said the win would motivate him to keep improving and pursue major titles.

Winning in both Categories A and B marks another milestone in his young golfing career. Saatvic took up golf at the age of three and currently trains at Boulder Hills Golf and Country Club under his father, alongside several other young golfers, including Vishesh Sharma, Vivaan Reddy, Tarun Ajay, Kian Bhatia and Bhavika, who are part of the national team.

Final scores (after 72 holes)

Category A (15-17 years)

280: Saatvic Kumar Singh (68, 69, 72, 71), Shashank Sachin Gadre (71, 71, 69, 69), Nilofer Sivamoorthy (72, 70, 68, 70). Saatvic won the playoff.

281: Vihaan Jain (72, 69, 69, 71)

283: Jaibir Singh Kang (69, 74, 71, 69)

284: Shaurya Dagar (75, 66, 69, 74)

287: Ayan Dubey (69, 72, 71, 75)

Category B (13-14 years)

280: Saatvic Kumar Singh

288: Adit Veermachaneni (75, 73, 68, 72)

289: Aman Oswal (71, 72, 71, 75)

290: Aditya Misra (72, 73, 67, 78)