Suva, Jun 6 (IANS): Indias Gaganjeet Bhullar on Wednesday confirmed that he will make his maiden appearance at the Fiji International at the Natadola Bay Championship Golf Course from August 2 to 5.

An eight-time winner on the Asian Tour, Bhullar is no stranger to the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia having teed up in the past two ISPS HANDA World Super 6 Perth tournaments in 2017 and 2018, which are, like the Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways, tri-sanctioned with the European Tour and Asian Tour.

"I'm really looking forward to playing in Fiji for the Fiji International. I can't wait to see the Vijay Singh (Indian-origin golfer) designed Natadola Bay Championship Course for myself," said Bhullar in an Asian Tour.

"I'm sure he's made it a real test, especially with some of those exposed holes on the coast, I'm looking forward to the challenge."

Bhullar has enjoyed a steady start to the 2018 Asian Tour season, a top-10 finish at the Leopalace21 Myanmar Open and a runner-up result at the 37th GS Caltex Maekyung Open Golf Championship where he narrowly missed victory being defeated in a four-man playoff.

He currently sits just outside the top-10 on the Asian Tour standings but has his work cut out for him to catch countryman Shubhankar Sharma at the top of the standings.

"This being a tri-sanctioned tournament with the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia, European Tour and Asian Tour is going to provide a great chance for me to make up some ground on the standings," said Bhullar.

Bhullar's last win came at the 2017 Macao Open where he won by three-shots against countryman Ajeetesh Sandhu.

Fiji's Minister for Industry, Trade, Tourism, Lands and Mineral Resources, Faiyaz Siddiq Koya said: "We are happy to welcome one of India's greatest golfers to Fiji for the Fiji International."

"As one of the most successful golfers on the Asian Tour, we're sure Bhullar will be a great addition to the field which currently includes golfing stars like Ernie Els and our own Vijay Singh."