Overview:
Uganda’s Marvin Kibirige tied in the 24th position alongside Stepan Danek, Rajesh Kumar Gautam, Brijesh Kumar and Divyanshu Bajaj.
2026 SECL Chhattisgarh Open:
Winner: Jhared Hack (USA) – 63, 61, 63, 59 (246)
2nd: Anshul Kabthiyal (India) – 62, 61, 63, 65 (251)
T24: Marvin Kibirige (Uganda) – 64, 65, 67, 67 (263)
T43: Sydney Joseph Wemba (Zambia) – 66, 65, 68, 69 (268)
51: Harsh Gangwar (India) – 67, 65, 69, 72 (273)
Qualifying School graduate Jhared Hack made a dream debut on the DP World PGTI with a thumping five-shot victory at the season-opener SECL Chhattisgarh Open 2026, an INR 1.5 crore event, played at the Fairway Golf & Lake Resort in Naya Raipur.
Jhared (63-61-63-59), who was overnight third and one shot off the lead, produced a sensational final round of 10-under 59, the lowest single-round score ever registered.
As Las Vegas-based Jhared, runner-up at last week’s DP World PGTI Qualifying School, improved upon the previous best score of 60 at Naya Raipur, shot by multiple players at last year’s edition and earlier this week, he also created a new record for the lowest winning score by posting an astounding 30-under 246.
Last year’s lowest winning score was 27-under 249 by Shaurya Bhattacharya.
I am very excited about winning my very first event on the DP World PGTI. I’m proud of all the work I’ve done behind the scenes that has helped me raise my game. I’m now looking forward to playing in all the different courses and conditions in India as I’ve heard a lot about the variety that India has to offer in terms of the courses and weather conditions. I had an outstanding week as I played some brilliant iron shots and wedge shots. Today the two standout moments for me were the two eagles on the eighth and 12th that helped me calm down. I produced my best shot of the tournament on the par-4 12th where I drove the green and left myself a four-feet eagle conversion. I thank my friends Dominic Piccirillo and Koichiro Sato for all their support and guidance. Dominic and Koichiro have spent over a year in India playing on the DP World PGTI and gave me some important tips to adjust to the country well.
Jhared Hack
Jhared earned 2,250,000 Indian Rupees (about Ug.Shs 88,082,554).
Twenty-one-year-old Anshul Kabthiyal (62-61-63-65) of India registered his career-best result after he finished runner-up at a total of 25-under 251.
Anshul, the overnight joint leader by one shot, came up with a flawless four-under 65 in round four.
Meanwhile, Uganda’s Marvin Kibirige tied in the 24th position alongside Stepan Danek, Rajesh Kumar Gautam, Brijesh Kumar and Divyanshu Bajaj.
The Equity Bank sponsored Kibirige scored 13-under-263 with 64 on the opening round, followed by 65, 67 and 67.
In the four rounds, Kibirige recorded 21 birdies with one eagle, 40 pars, 8 bogies and one double bogie.
Kibirige earned 169,800 Indian Rupees (about Ug.Shs 6,647,296).
Another African, Sydney Joseph Wemba from Zambia scored 8-under-268 (66, 67, 68 and 68) to finish joint 43rd out of the successful 51 players who made the cut.
Honey Baisoya (62-61-63-65), the other overnight joint leader, took third place at 23-under 253 following his final round of 67.
Kshitij Naveed Kaul (63), teenager Kartik Singh (64) and former PGTI No. 1 Veer Ahlawat (65) took joint fourth place at 22-under 254.
Akshay Sharma, the leader on the first two days, finished tied seventh at 21-under 255 along with Mohd Azhar.
Thirty-six-year-old Jhared Hack, fresh from his outstanding display at the DP World PGTI Qualifying School last week, made his first trip to India even more memorable by winning in his very first appearance on the DP World PGTI.
Hack, who had previously played on the Korn Ferry Tour, Canadian Tour and the PGA Tour Latinoamerica, before hearing about the DP World PGTI from his close friend Dominic Piccirillo, began the last day with a bogey on the first.
Jhared then made a charge with three long conversions, two for birdies and one for eagle on the front-nine.
Hack powered ahead on the back-nine with a crucial eagle on the par-4 12th where he drove the green and five other birdies, all results of great wedge shots that set up short putts.
PGTI thanks its Title Partner DP World and its Tour Partners Amul, IndusInd Bank, Victorious Choice, Campa, Amrutanjan Electro Plus, Golf Plus Monthly and Golf Design India, for their support in growing the tour.
Focus turns to the 2026 DP World Players championship which tees off on the 10th February to 13th February at the Qutab Golf Course in New Delhi city.
Additional report by Nikhil Kalaan, Media Manager – PGTI
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