Pune, Feb 12: BMW Group India launched the 16th edition of the prestigious BMW Golf Cup 2026, marking the return of the country’s premier amateur golf tournament. The Pune leg of the tournament was successfully hosted at the Poona Golf Club, where talented amateur golfers showcased exceptional skill, precision, and sportsmanship.
Emerging as winners in their respective categories, Mr. Mahesh Kumar Bhandangkar (Category A) and Mr. Shil Bhargava (Category B) have secured their spots in the BMW Golf Cup 2026 National Final, scheduled to be held later this year.
The BMW Golf Cup 2026 will be played across premier golf courses in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Delhi, Vadodara, Jaipur, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Patna, Kolkata, and Gurugram. Enhancing the tournament’s prestige are esteemed brand partnerships with Omega, Etihad, TaylorMade, Ballantine’s, and HSBC.
Recognized as one of the world’s largest amateur golf tournament series, the BMW Golf Cup traces its origins back over 25 years to a UK-based initiative known as the BMW Invitation Tournament. Since then, it has evolved into a global series comprising over 1,000 qualifying tournaments and engaging approximately 100,000 players across up to 40 countries. National winners advance to the BMW Golf Cup World Final, where individual titles are contested across three categories.
In India, the BMW Golf Cup 2026 features two handicap categories:
- Category A: Handicap up to 12
- Category B: Handicap 13–28
Winners from each handicap category at the National Final will earn the opportunity to represent India at the BMW Golf Cup World Final.
BMW Golf Cup 2026 – Pune Tournament Winners
Category A
- Winner: Mahesh Kumar Bhandangkar
- 1st Runner-Up: Deepa Singhal
- 2nd Runner-Up: Anshuman Singh
Category B
- Winner: Shil Bhargava
- 1st Runner-Up: Tarun Dham
- 2nd Runner-Up: Rishi Bhonsale
Spot Prize Winners
- BMW Putting Challenge: Kartik Kalyan
- TaylorMade Closest to the Pin: Jagawant Thorat
- Threesixty Closest to the Pin: Ashok Raghavan
- Threesixty Golf Pong: Raja Nandi
- Etihad Straight Drive: Ikram Khan
- Omega Longest Drive:
- Female: Ravinder Kaur Savadi
- Male: Yash Wadhawan
- Ballantine’s Longest Drive:
- Female: Geeta Yadav
- Male: Prakash Bhonsale
- HSBC Straight Drive: Girish Shilankar
- HSBC Net Score on the App: Prakash Bhonsale