Gurugram, September 11, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Nine-year-old Chandigarh golfer Nihal Cheema continued his impressive run on the US Kids Golf circuit, defending his US Kids India (North) title in the Boys 9 section with a four-under 68 at the Classic Golf and Country Club.
Coached by Jesse Grewal and occasionally mentored by Gaganjeet Bhullar, Cheema carded six birdies and two bogeys, finishing 12 shots clear of Shivraj Singh and Jamraudh Singh Sidhu, who tied for second on 80. Two of his birdies came on the closing two holes.
Cheema, who started playing golf at the age of two, was runner-up at the 2026 U.S. Kids Golf World Championship at Pinehurst No. 1 after shooting three under-par rounds and finishing 10-under. He was also runner-up at the 2026 FCG Callaway World Championship, while his previous achievements include winning the 2024 U.S. Kids Golf European Championship in Scotland in the Boys 7 division and the FCG International Championship 2025 in California.
Another back-to-back winner was Drona Singh Dhull in Boys 12. He shot a second successive one-under 71, featuring three birdies and an eagle on the 18th against four bogeys.
In Girls 11-12, Aaradhya Bhatnagar prevailed in a play-off after carding a three-under 69. She made seven birdies, including four in succession from the 11th through 14th, against four bogeys. Aadya Kaushal also shot 69, while first-leg winner Hissi Besra finished third with a two-under 70.
Starting on the 10th, Aaradhya reached six-under after 15 holes but three closing bogeys forced the play-off, which she won. Kaushal had seven birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey, while Besra opened with an eagle two on the first and added four birdies against four bogeys.
Avni Atreya, another back-to-back winner, produced the first hole-in-one of the 2026 series. She holed her tee shot on the 140-yard par-three fifth and, despite another birdie and six bogeys, won the Girls 15-18 section at four-over.
The other players to win both opening legs were Arjun Adiya (Boys Under 6), Lakshith A (Boys 7), Sidhak Handa (Boys 15-18) and Prisca Sachdeva (Girls 13-14).
Players aged up to eight competed over nine holes, while the remaining sections played 18-hole rounds.
Legs 3 and 4 of the US Kids Golf India (North) series will be held in October at the Classic Golf and Country Club, Gurugram.
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