Eagleton – The Golf
Village
Chikkarangappa (65-66-66-66), the overnight joint leader
along with Shubhankar, wrote his name on the TAKE Solutions India Masters
trophy for the second year in succession after a dogged display through the
week. The 22-year-old made an early birdie on the second which was neutralized
by a bogey on the fourth which was the result of a poor chip. The local
favourite then seemed to be taking control as he had a hat-trick of birdies on
the fifth, sixth, seventh thanks to some accurate shots with the gap wedge.
A good recovery from the bunker earned Chikka his fifth
birdie of the day on the 10th. The Asian Tour rookie had a firm grip on the
title when he sank a 12-footer for birdie on the 13th. However, despite
Chikka’s tap-in birdie on the 17th, Shubhankar managed to catch up with birdies
on the last four to take the match into a playoff. A resolute Chikka then
displayed great composure under pressure to land his approach within five feet
of the pin and collect a birdie on the first playoff hole to clinch the title.
Chikka said, “I love challenging situations as that brings
the best out of me. That’s what happened today after Shubhankar’s amazing
comeback. I’m delighted to win at home once again in front of my family and
friends. This course is like a mother to me so I can’t bear the thought of
losing here. I therefore didn’t want to let it go till the very end.
“I play better on the back-nine here so I knew even if I
played three to four under on the front-nine I would be on course. I was also
very confident going into the playoff since I had won both my two previous
playoffs on the PGTI.
“This is a great confidence-booster and sets me up for the
remainder of the Asian Tour season. The work that I have done with my mentor
Rahul Dravid is also paying dividends,” added an elated Chikka.
Chikka took home the winner’s cheque worth Rs. 13,65,000
which pushed him up from sixth place to first position in the Rolex Ranking.
His season’s earnings now read Rs. 26,37,440. Chandigarh ’s Abhijit Singh Chadha, who
finished third this week, is second in the money rankings with season’s
earnings of Rs. 23,37,165. Chikka’s win also helped him secure six Official
World Golf Ranking points that the winner of each ADT event is awarded.
Shubhankar Sharma (65-64-68-66), the overnight joint leader
along with Chikka, made three birdies against a lone bogey on the first 14
holes even as Chikka looked set to retain his title with a comfortable
three-shot lead with four to play. However, the 19-year-old Shubhankar made a
sensational comeback with birdies on the last four holes to take Chikka into
the playoff. Sharma drained an audacious 20-footer on the 16th and a
nerve-wrecking 10-footer on the closing 18th.
Shubhankar, however, couldn’t convert his 10-feet birdie
putt in the playoff where Chikka stole the thunder with a birdie from five
feet. Nonetheless, Sharma’s runner-up finish lifted him from ninth place to
third position in the Rolex Ranking.
Shubhankar said, “I fought really well today except for the
putt in the playoff. The four birdies at the end were the highlight of my
round. I knew I had a chance when I got within one shot of Chikka. I told my
caddie that I had to make birdies on the last four holes since my target score
for the tournament was 25-under irrespective of whether I win or lose. I
achieved that target but then didn’t trust the putt in the playoff which cost
me at the end.
“I take a lot of heart from this performance as it’s my best
on the ADT so far and also gives me a lot of self-belief as I head to the
Panasonic Open in Delhi next week,” added Shubhankar, a winner on the PGTI last
year.
Abhijit Singh Chadha, the Rolex Ranking leader till last
week, posted the day’s best of 10-under-62, a bogey-free effort, to end the
tournament in third place at 19-under-269. He has now slipped to second in the
money list.
American Greg Moss and Delhi ’s
Rashid Khan were a further shot back in joint fourth.
Himmat Singh Rai of the DLF Golf & Country Club,
Gurgaon, claimed sixth place at 17-under-271.
Photo caption: Chikkarangappa receives the winner’s trophy and cheque from
Mr. Srinivasan HR, Vice Chairman & Managing
Director, TAKE Solutions Ltd., also in the picture are (left to
right) Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, Director, PGTI, Mr. Shahid Sen, Commercial
Director, Asian Tour & Mr. Chetan Meda, Director, Eagleton
PGTI Press release and photo
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