By V. Krishnaswamy
Sentosa, Oct 28 (IANS) Exactly a year ago, young Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar, stood watching the superstars of Asian golf and some invitees, too, at the practice green nursing hopes of making the cut to ensure the Asian Tour card for 2009.

As things happened, Bhullar, who only the previous week had come second in Indonesia, had set the bar a bit too low considering his own phenomenal talent. He missed the cut, and then made the Tour card on the very last day of the final full field event in Cambodia with a sensational 64 on the last day.

A year later, Bhullar stands at the same green, but this time carries the aura of a winner. He has won once - yes, in Indonesia, and finished in top-10 five other times. He stands fifth in the Asian Tour Order of Merit and has been marked down as one of the best talents from India and Asia.

“Life has changed so much. My goals have become different. It has been a great year in India (where he won five titles) and in Asia. But I don’t want to rush,” says Bhullar.

“Playing a Major (British Open) and travelling to various parts of the world have helped him. I am still learning, and it has been a fantastic year.”

The Indian angle in this $5 million event, which is being co-sanctioned with European Tour for the first time, is pretty huge.

Apart from three winners from this season, Jyoti Randhawa (winner of Thailand Open), Bhullar (winner of President Invitational, Indonesia) and Muniyappa (winner of Hero Honda Indian Open), the field also includes S.S.P. Chowrasia, Digvijay Singh and Gaurav Ghei as the other Indians. Barring Digvijay, the other five have all won on Asian or European Tours in the recent past.

Bhullar, considering his recent form, could well be India’s best hope in the absence of defending champion Jeev Milkha Singh. But Randhawa, a former Singapore Open winner, and Shiv Kapur, former Volvo Masters of Asia winner, would not like to pass this chance to make a big impression as the year nears its end.

Both missed the Indian Open at home to try and secure their European Tour card for next year. They have managed that, but will need a reversal in form to contend this week.

“I have played well this season,” said Kapur, who with his tied 14th finish in Spain, has secured his 2010 European card. “I am about 110th, but with five guys falling off (not having played the required quota of events), I should be fine. Good finish here and Hong Kong will help move me up and get me into bigger events next year,” said Kapur, who is playing his seventh week on the trot.

“It is a lot, but I had little choice, trying to make my card,” added Kapur.

Chinnaswamy Muniyappa, Asian Tour and India’s latest star, winner of the Hero Honda Indian Open, got in here as one of the winners. And late last night, he learnt about making the main draw for next week’s $5 million HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.

“But I need to get my visa done,” said a tense Muniyappa, before rushing for his first practise session in two days. “I might need to apply for the visa from India on Monday.”