Gaganjeet Bhullar, a Dubai-based golfer, is set to represent India in the upcoming Olympics in Paris, scheduled for August 1st – 4th, 2024. Bhullar, along with Shubhankar Sharma, is looking forward to making his Olympic Games debut in the quadrennial sporting extravaganza. Bhullar, who has a wealth of experience in representing India in various golf tournaments, is currently 272nd in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and has 25 worldwide professional victories to his name.
Prior to the Olympics, Bhullar visited Paris to play a few rounds at the Albatros Course, the golf venue for the upcoming event. He mentioned that the course is in good condition and expects the organizers to prepare the greens to make them faster for the Olympics. Additionally, Bhullar highlighted that the rough was not too severe during his rounds, but he anticipates it will grow more challenging as the event approaches in August. The Le Golf National, where the event will take place, has previously hosted prestigious golf tournaments, including the 2018 Ryder Cup.
India will be represented by Bhullar and Sharma in the Olympics, with both players aiming to clinch medals for their country. Sharma, who has had a successful career on the DP World Tour, currently ranks 204th in the OWGR and 60th in the season-long Race to Dubai. The Olympic Golf Competition will feature a 72-hole individual stroke play format, with the player achieving the lowest total score winning the gold medal. A total of 60 players will compete in the event, with Xander Schauffele being the defending champion from the Tokyo Olympics.
In the previous Olympics, the medals were won by Justin Rose, Henrik Stenson, and Matt Kuchar in 2016, and Xander Schauffele, Rory Sabbatini, and Pan Cheng-tsung in 2020. Both Bhullar and Sharma are focused on putting up a strong performance in Paris and hope to bring honor to India with their golfing skills. The upcoming event at the Albatros Course will be a crucial opportunity for the Indian golfers to showcase their talent on the global stage and compete against the best players in the world for the coveted Olympic medals.