Honey Baisoya in the driver’s seat with a seven-shot lead; Aman Raj slips to T11

Noida, September 21, 2017: Delhi’s Honey Baisoya was in the driver’s seat after round three of the PGTI Players Championship at Noida Golf Course as he pulled ahead by a substantial seven shots courtesy a fiery six-under-66 on Thursday. Baisoya, who totaled 15-under-201 for three days, is now well-placed for a successful title defence at the Rs. 30 lakh event.

Bengaluru’s C Muniyappa (68) and Noida’s Vikrant Chopra (69) were a distant tied second at eight-under-208.

Honey Baisoya (66-69-66), the runner-up last week in Jaipur and the overnight leader by one shot, will now be the firm favourite for the title come Friday. Baisoya, looking for his second win of the year, had a blazing start in the third round with three birdies on the first six holes which gave him a handy lead early in the day.

The 21-year-old Baisoya’s bogey on the seventh was negated by three more birdies on the ninth, 10^th and 13^th as he sank almost everything that came his way. Honey bogeyed the 15^th against the run of play but ended the round on a high with birdies on the 17^th and 18^th, making a 15-feet conversion on the latter.

Baisoya, who fired a record 19 eagles on the PGTI last season, said, “I’m quite happy with my current position. I have the self belief since I won at this venue earlier this year.

“My best birdies today came on the sixth and 18^th. I was on the cart path on the sixth and didn’t have a clear shot at the green, but still managed to hit it within ten feet of the flag. The final birdie from 15 feet on the 18^th further lifted my spirits. I also made a great par save after landing it on the bunker lip on the third.

“I’m quite satisfied about the fact that I’ve been extremely consistent in the second half of the season so far having posted top-6 finishes in the last three events. I’ve been playing with my natural aggressive attitude and that has only helped me grow in confidence,” added Baisoya, who is currently placed sixth on the PGTI Order of Merit.

C Muniyappa’s (69-71-68) third round 68 propelled him from overnight tied ninth to tied second place. Muniyappa used his wedges to great effect setting up a tap-in birdie on the 14^th and thereafter recovering from the bunker on the 18^th to land it within six feet for par.

Local lad Vikrant Chopra (69-70-69) emerged as a contender for the second week running after a timely 69 that moved him up three places from overnight tied fifth. Chopra set up four feet birdie putts on three occasions thanks to some brilliant chipping.

Delhi’s Sachin Baisoya occupied fourth place at seven-under-209.

Gaurav Pratap Singh of Noida shared fifth place at six-under-210 along with Bengaluru’s Udayan Mane, Chandigarh’s Abhijit Singh Chadha and Gurgaon’s Shivendra Singh Sisodia.

Today was a bad day for Aman Raj as he shot 4 over 76 to be placed tied 11 with an aggregate of 4 under 212. The Patna lad was on the lead on the first day of the championships with 7 under 65.

Defending champ Honey Baisoya moves ahead in round two; Patna's AmanRaj slips to 2nd

Honey Baisoya

Noida, September 20, 2017: Delhi’s Honey Baisoya, the defending champion, posted a solid three-under-69 to establish a one-shot lead in round two of the PGTI Players Championship at Noida Golf Course. Baisoya’s total read nine-under-135 at the halfway stage of the Rs. 30 lakh event.

Round one leader Aman Raj (71) of Patna slipped to second place at eight-under-136.

The cut fell at three-over-147. Fifty-seven professionals made the cut.

Honey Baisoya (66-69) shot a 69 that helped him move up from overnight tied second to first place. Baisoya displayed the kind of form that saw him win at the Noida Golf Course earlier this year.

Honey, a three-time winner on the PGTI, dropped bogeys on the 11^th and 13^th, before rallying with consecutive birdies on the 14^th, 15^th and 16^th where he came up with some outstanding wedge shots. The 21-year-old Baisoya, who made the turn at even-par after a bogey on the 18^th, produced a flawless front-nine, adding three more birdies to his card to end up with an imposing nine-under.  

Baisoya said, “I’ve done pretty well with 13 birdies in the tournament so far. This is not an easy course to score low once the wind comes into play as it did today. Importantly, I’ve been striking it really well and have been aggressive on the first two days.

“I recovered extremely well today despite the early setbacks. I’m now looking at scoring 11-under over the next two days to take my total to 20-under which should be good enough for the title,” added Honey whose 69 was the day’s joint best score.

Aman Raj (65-71) too had a slow start like Baisoya as he dropped a couple of strokes on the first five holes. Aman was thereafter denied birdies as his putts lipped out on multiple occasions. But the former 2016 Emerging Player of the Year turned it around with a chip-in birdie on the seventh. That was followed by two more birdies on the eighth and ninth.

Aman Raj said, “I was striving for a birdie all day but when I saw my chip roll in on the seventh it gave me a lot of satisfaction and confidence. I knew I was still in the game at that stage. I fought my way back into the match thereafter. The approach on the ninth was special as it landed three feet from the pin and led to another birdie.

“I’ll need to grind it out from here on and just repeat what I did in the first two rounds.”

Bengaluru’s Udayan Mane kept himself in contention as he closed the second round in third place at seven-under-137. Gurgaon’s Shivendra Singh Sisodia was another shot back in fourth.

Vikrant Chopra was the highest-placed among the Noida golfers. He was tied fifth at five-under-139.

Noida golfers Amardip Sinh Malik (three-under-141) and Gaurav Pratap Singh (two-under-142) were placed tied 13^th and tied 17^th respectively.

Among the other Noida golfers who made the cut, were Dipankar Kaushal (tied 20^th at one-under-143), Rahul Bajaj (tied 29^th at even-par-144), Arjun Singh Chaudhri, Raju Singh and Vikram Rana (all in tied 47^that three-over-147).

Press release

Patna's Aman Raj blasts 7 under 65 to take lead at Noida

Aman Raj of Patna

Noida, September 19, 2017: Patna’s Aman Raj came up with a terrific seven-under-65 to take the lead in round one of the PGTI Players Championship at Noida Golf Course.

Delhi’s Honey Baisoya and Gurgaon-based Shivendra Singh Sisodia occupied tied second at six-under-66.

Aman Raj took the early advantage at the Noida Golf Course on Tuesday thanks to a round that featured an outstanding nine birdies against two bogeys. Aman’s hot putter ensured he was quick off the blocks as he sank some long putts to move to five-under through eight holes.

The 22-year-old, playing his second season as a professional, bogeyed the ninth but came back stronger with four more birdies on the back-nine where he landed his chip shots within a couple of feet on two occasions. The 2016 Emerging Player of the Year dropped a stroke on the 18^th to end the day with a seven-under.

Aman said, “I shot an eight-under in the final round of the Jaipur event last week that helped me finish in the top-10. I feel I’ve carried forward the form and confidence from there.

“I struck it well today and didn’t miss many greens. Whenever I missed the green, I recovered with some good chips. I capitalized on all four par-5s today with birdies. I believe hitting fairways will be crucial this week as the fairways are pretty narrow here. My target score for the week will be anything above 15-under. That will give me a good chance to bag my first title.

“The first half of the 2017 season was good, but the second half has not been up to my expectations so far. However, I feel my game is coming back and I just need to keep grinding from here on,” added Aman, who is currently in 13^th position on the PGTI Order of Merit.

Defending champion Honey Baisoya, who finished runner-up last week in Jaipur, continued to impress with seven birdies and a bogey in the opening round at Noida. Baisoya, a winner of three events, including one this year, made some brilliant recoveries from the bunker and the rough on at least three occasions to salvage birdies.

Shivendra Singh Sisodia also had seven birdies and a bogey to show on his card. Sisodia was two-under at the turn but his round took off after his birdie chip-in on the 12^th. He collected three more birdies thereafter to end the day with a solid 66.

Local lad Amardip Sinh Malik was the highest-placed among the Noida golfers. He shot a 68 to be tied for fourth along with Mukesh Kumar of Mhow, Bengaluru’s Udayan Mane and Delhi-based Himmat Singh Rai.

Among the nine golfers bunched in tied eighth at 69 was Noida’s Vikrant Chopra.

PGTI release

Khalin Joshi savours thrilling playoff win

 Khalin Joshi (right) receives winner's cheque 

Mewat, Haryana, August 12, 2016: Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi savoured a thrilling playoff victory over Delhi’s Chiragh Kumar at the Rs. 30 lakh PGTI Players Championship at the Classic Golf & Country Club on Friday.

Khalin Joshi (68-65-67-70) and Chiragh Kumar (70-65-66-69) were involved in a playoff after both finished the regulation 72 holes with matching totals of 18-under-270. Khalin finally nailed a decisive birdie on the first playoff hole to take home the winner’s cheque worth Rs. 4,50,000.

Earlier in the day, Chiragh Kumar, lying overnight second and one off the lead, took the honours on the front-nine as he scored four birdies thanks to some excellent putting to establish a substantial three-stroke lead over Khalin.

But the contest took an exciting turn after a two and a half hour rain delay, as Khalin, who could only manage a birdie and a bogey on the front-nine, fought back with three consecutive birdies on the 12th, 13th and 14th to draw level with Chiragh. Joshi made a chip-in on the 13th.

There was more drama to follow as Chiragh and Khalin both dropped a bogey each on the 16th and 17th respectively. Both players made pars on the 18th and the deadlock resulted in a playoff.

Khalin, who celebrated his 24th birthday earlier on Thursday, finally sealed his third PGTI win with a five feet birdie conversion on the first playoff hole. He thus moved up from 10th to fifth place in the Rolex Ranking.

“It’s a highly satisfying win for me since the course conditions were tough due to the rain on the last two days. I’ve also won on the PGTI after a long gap so it’s all the more special. Hopefully, I can now get my Asian Tour season back on track,” said Khalin.

He added, “I came into this week carrying forward my good hitting form from last week in Noida. I didn’t really feel the pressure today. I felt the stoppage due to rain helped me today. I wasn’t really swinging well before the rain delay. But during the stoppage of play I got in a good warm up session and got my swing going.

“I feel I’m in a good mental frame at the moment and looking forward to the second half of the season.”  

  

Gurgaon’s Karan Pratap Singh, the lone amateur to make the cut, won the trophy for the best performance by an amateur. His total score of five-over-293 placed him overall tied 40th.

Bengaluru’s Chikkarangappa S ended of the week with a flourish as he drained birdies on his last four holes to shoot the final day’s best score of eight-under-64. The reigning Rolex Ranking champion thus finished third at 17-under-271.

Delhi’s Rashid Khan finished fourth at 13-under-275.

PGTI Press release and photo

Khalin Joshi continues to lead on day three

Khalin Joshi 

Mewat, Haryana, August 11, 2016: Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi celebrated his 24thbirthday in style by shooting a bogey-free five-under-67 in the third round of the PGTI Players Championship being played at the Classic Golf & Country Club. Joshi’s terrific effort helped him maintain his overnight lead as his total moved to 16-under-200 on a day that witnessed a brief rain interruption.

Delhi’s Chiragh Kumar also held on to his overnight second place courtesy the day’s best score of 66. Chiragh thus took his total to 15-under-201 and managed to reduce Khalin’s overnight lead from two strokes to one.

Khalin Joshi (68-65-67) continued to sit atop the leadberboard going into the final round of PGTI’s eighth event of its landmark 10th season. The two-time winner on the PGTI never seemed to be in any sort of trouble despite playing most of his back-nine in rainy conditions.

Joshi, the overnight leader by two, made early inroads with birdies on the first and third. He then produced one of his best shots of the day, a chip-in, for another birdie on the seventh. He picked up two more strokes on the 12th and 18th, with the birdie on the last, helping him pull away by one shot.

“I shot my lowest score of the week in round two but I think today’s round was better as it came in tougher conditions. I also kept the errors out today. The brief interruption due to rain didn’t really bother me.

“I’ve been playing really well. It’s now about carrying forward the momentum into the last round. The birdie on the last hole was a big boost as it gave me the edge ahead of the final round,” said Khalin.

He added, “A win is extremely important for me at this stage of my career as it will give me the confidence to raise my game on the Asian Tour where I have been struggling.”

Chiragh Kumar (70-65-66), lying two off the lead at the halfway stage, matched Khalin shot for shot on day three. Chiragh stayed in touch with the leader with five birdies and just one bogey till the 12th.

The Asian Tour regular then made a charge with a couple of long birdie conversions on the 15th and 16th to draw level with Joshi. Chiragh finally ended the day just one off the pace.

Chiragh said, “I’ve been in good putting form this week. I made five birdie conversions from a range of 10 to 25 feet today. I also sank a 45-footer for eagle in round two. It’s been a while since I’ve won on the PGTI. I’d like to make good of this opportunity.”

Delhi’s Rashid Khan was placed third at 11-under-205 after his round of 69 that included seven birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey. Rashid, the winner from last week, could also be a contender on the final day.

Abhijit Singh Chadha (67) of Chandigarh and Bengaluru’s Chikkarangappa (70) were in joint fourth at nine-under-207.

PGTI press release and phto

Khalin Joshi storms into the second round lead at Classic

Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi 

Mewat, Haryana, August 10, 2016: Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi carded a scintillating seven-under-65 to storm into the second round lead at the PGTI Players Championship being played at the Classic Golf & Country Club. He totaled 11-under-133 at the halfway stage.

Delhi’s Chiragh Kumar too produced a 65 to finish the day in second position at nine-under-135, two off the pace.

Khalin Joshi (68-65), one of the most consistent golfers in the current PGTI season with four top-7 finishes from four starts, emerged as a major title contender at the PGTI Players Championship on Wednesday after he notched up eight birdies against a lone bogey in his second round to move up four places from his overnight tied fifth.

Joshi, who last won on the PGTI in early 2015, converted at will from four to six feet for his seven birdies on the first 15 holes. Khalin finally ended the day with a great recovery from the trees on the ninth where he landed his third shot for a tap-in birdie.

“I enjoyed a good outing at Noida last week having finished seventh. The conditions were tough out there with the wind coming into play and I handled it well. The birdie on the last gave me some momentum going into the third round.

“I’ve done well on the PGTI this year but have not been able to carry that form to the Asian Tour. I feel my game is now coming together. I’m now hoping for a few invites to Asian Tour events,” said Joshi, who missed out on his Asian Tour card at the Asian Tour Qualifying School earlier this year.

Chiragh Kumar (70-65) shot the day’s best score of 65 along with Khalin to take a giant leap from overnight tied 21st to second place. Chiragh, the reigning Panasonic Open India champion, had a bogey-free day as he sank an eagle and five birdies.

Delhi’s Rashid Khan, the winner in Noida last week, posted yet another brilliant score of 67 to make his way to tied third place at eight-under-136 from his overnight tied 11th. Rashid’s round featured four straight birdies from the 18th to the third.

Chandigarh’s Sujjan Singh, lying overnight tied second, stayed in contention with a steady 70 that placed him in joint third along with Rashid.

Fifth place was shared between round one leader Aman Raj (72) of Patna, Bengaluru’s Chikkarangappa (68) and Mukesh Kumar of Mhow (69) at seven-under-137.

The cut fell at two-over-146. Fifty-one professionals and one amateur made the cut.

PGTI Press release and photo

Rookie Aman Raj makes a statement with a sparkling 65 in round one

Aman Raj of Patna 

Mewat, Haryana, August 9, 2016: Rookie Aman Raj of Patna made a statement on the opening day of the PGTI Players Championship at the Classic Golf & Country Club with a sparkling seven-under-65 that gave him the first round lead.  

The Chandigarh duo of Abhijit Singh Chadha and Sujjan Singh were one off the lead thanks to equally impressive scores of 66.

Aman Raj, India’s top amateur till last year, had made an exciting start to his professional career with two top-25 finishes in his first two events on the PGTI earlier this season. The 21-year-old continued to live up to his promise yet again as he fired an error-free opening round 65 in only his third professional event.     

Aman was off to a brisk start from the 10th, collecting birdies on the 11th, 13th and 14th, two of them from a range of 10 to 15 feet. The highlight of his round was the chip-in for eagle from 25 yards on the 18th.

Two more 10-feet birdie conversions on the second and ninth along with some brilliant par-saves on the front-nine meant Aman Raj closed the day one ahead of the rest.

“The decent finishes in my first two events on the PGTI really helped my confidence as it gave me a good start to my pro career. I feel I’m getting better with each event. It’ll be about keeping it in play this week and continuing with my good putting form. I missed just one short putt today,” said Aman Raj.

He added, “I’ve done well at Classic in the past having won a team event here in 2015. So that too was at the back of my mind as I began the week. Over the next three rounds, if I can keep the errors out just like today, it’ll give me a good chance to stay in contention.”

Abhijit Singh Chadha, who won PGTI’s last event at the Classic Golf & Country Club back in 2015, looked in ominous form early in his round at his happy hunting ground. His sharp short-game earned him birdies on his first four holes of the week (1st to 4th).

Chadha’s back-nine was a mixed bag as he holed an eagle and three birdies but also conceded a bogey and a double-bogey. He chipped-in for eagle on the 15th but then found himself in the thick grass on the 17th where he dropped two shots.

Abhijit said, “I have some good memories of Classic from last year when I won here and that always helps. I’ve been striking it well since last week but today the putter also showed up for me. That made the difference in the scoring.”

Sujjan Singh matched fellow Chandigarh-resident Chadha’s 66 with his own bogey-free effort to take a share of second spot.

Akshay Sharma, another Chandigarh golfer, was placed fourth at 67.

PGTI Press release and photo

Udayan Mane secures maiden title in rookie season with resolute one-shot win in Jaipur

Jaipur, October 2, 2015: Rookie Udayan Mane of the Eagleton Golf Resort, Bangalore, secured his maiden title in only his seventh professional event as he registered a memorable one-shot win at the PGTI Players Championship at Rambagh Golf Club in Jaipur. Mane shot a three-under-67 in round four to end the week with a total of 16-under-264. Kolkata’s Shankar Das, who carded a four-under-66 in the final round, finished runner-up at 15-under-265.

Udayan Mane (61-69-67-67) put together some solid performances at the pristine Rambagh Golf Club over the week to join the winners circle on the PGTI. The burly Bangalorean who stands well over six-feet in height, kept his composure in the face of stiff competition from the more experienced players such as Shankar Das, Sujjan Singh and Abhijit Singh Chadha, to come home the winner on Friday.

The 24-year-old Mane took home the winner’s cheque worth Rs. 4,50,000 and thus climbed from 26th place to ninth position in the Rolex Rankings. He also went up from third place to first position in the Emerging Player of the Year race.

Mane, who was overnight second, produced his second straight 67 in round four to seal the contest. Udayan, trailing by two shots after round three, couldn’t have asked for a better start on the final day as he followed up a good wedge shot with a 10-feet birdie conversion on the first. He then recovered well from the bunker on the eighth to gain another shot. A 15-feet birdie conversion on the 10th saw Mane emerge as a top contender for the title as he went two clear at the top.

Udayan had some anxious moments when he bogeyed the 15th after finding the hazard. However, the articulate golfer, who trains and practices along with the likes of Anirban Lahiri and Chikkarangappa at the Eagleton Golf Resort in Bangalore, came back well with a 12-feet birdie conversion on the 16th to all but wrap up the title.

Mane said, “I’m overjoyed with this victory considering the fact that I’ve achieved it in my rookie season. It’s special to win despite such a strong field and tough competition till the very end. I felt I focused well and kept up the intensity throughout. I was aware of the leaderboard but didn’t really let it bother me.

“I dedicate this win to my parents Mr. Satish Mane and Mrs. Sujata Mane as well as to my coach Mr. Vijay Divecha. I also dedicate the win to all the rookies on the PGTI, who I feel, will now believe they can win too.

“My target at the start of the season was to finish inside the top-15 of the Rolex Rankings. I will now have to reassess my goals and look to aim higher.”

Shankar Das (61-69-69-66) shot a bogey-free 66 on day four to finish second. He chipped-in for birdie on the third and thereafter made some good chip-putt birdies. However, he also missed out on some short putts. Had Shankar converted his 10-foot birdie putt on the final hole, he would’ve joined Udayan in a playoff. But he missed the pin by a whisker.

Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow came in third at 14-under-266 thanks to a final round of 65, the day’s joint best score.

Bangalore’s C Muniyappa too posted a 65 in round four to claim tied fourth place at 13-under-267. He was joined by fellow Bangalorean Khalin Joshi (66) and Chandigarh’s Sujjan Singh (69) in tied fourth.

Sujjan was in contention for the title till the 16th before he dropped consecutive bogeys on the last two holes.

Chandigarh’s Abhijit Singh Chadha, the overnight leader by two strokes, slipped to tied eighth (11-under-269) on the final day after returning a four-over-74.

Delhi’s Shubham Narain, the only amateur to make the cut, bagged the trophy for the best performance by an amateur as he secured a creditable tied 25th position at five-under-275.

Jaipur’s Vishal Singh was tied 34th at two-under-278.

Photo caption: Udayan Mane receives the winning cheque from Mr. Giriraj Singh, Captain, Rambagh Golf Club (left) and Mr. Rajiv Gandhi, Secretary, Rambagh Golf Club (right)

PGTI releaae

Abhijit Singh Chadha maintains lead with a fighting 68, two clear at the top

Abhijit Singh Chadha

Jaipur, October 1, 2015: Chandigarh’s Abhijit Singh Chadha maintained his lead at the PGTI Players Championship at Rambagh Golf Club with a tenacious two-under-68 in round three to be two clear at the top at 15-under-195. Udayan Mane of Bangalore hung on to second place at 13-under-197 after firing a 67 on day three. Sujjan Singh, another Chandigarh golfer, fired a hole-in-one on the 11th during his round of 65 that propelled him to third place at 12-under-198.

Abhijit Singh Chadha (62-65-68), who led by three shots at the start of the day, put up a gritty performance in the penultimate round to enjoy a two-shot advantage going into the final day in Jaipur. Chadha, who won the 2012 PGTI Emerging Player of the Year title, had a quiet front-nine as he three-putted for bogey on the seventh before pulling it back with an up and down for birdie on the eighth.

Abhijit seemed to be losing ground when he failed to recover from the bunker on the 11th and conceded another bogey. But then he continued his sublime form on the par-5s, by making birdies on the 14th, 17th and 18th and thus salvaged the day.

“I didn’t feel I was at my best today. My ball-striking was not as good as the first two days. But like round two, I once again scored birdies on all the four par-5s. I made chip-putt birdies on the eighth, 17th and 18th and was two-on on the 14th. If I play to my potential tomorrow, everyone will find it hard to catch up with me,” said a confident Chadha, who won his only professional title during his rookie season on the PGTI in 2012.

He added, “I was runner-up in Noida last year and finished third at Panchkula earlier this year but victory has eluded me of late. It’s a great opportunity for me to finally get another title against my name.”

Rookie Udayan Mane (61-69-67), who was overnight joint second, mixed five birdies with two bogeys on day three to continue in second place. Mane landed it within a foot on both the third and 16th for his most impressive birdies of the day. However, unlike his playing partner and current leader Abhijit Singh Chadha, he couldn’t make the par-5s count.

Udayan, who is now in contention for his maiden title, said, “I didn’t capitalize on the par-5s today. I also struggled with my long-irons. I need to improve in these areas to create chances for myself in the final round.”

Sujjan Singh (66-67-65) produced a magical hole-in-one on the 11th en route his round of 65 to be one shot behind Mane in third place. He also secured birdies on the 14th, 17th and 18th with chip-putts on the first two and a tap-in after a missed eagle chance from 12 feet on the closing hole.

Sujjan, a multiple winner on the PGTI and a winner on the Asian Development Tour, moved up one place from his overnight tied fourth as a result of his brilliant third round effort.

Kolkata’s Shankar Das, lying overnight tied second, slipped to joint fourth at 11-under-199 after a round of 69 on Thursday. Delhi’s Shamim Khan posted a 64 in round three to share fourth place with Shankar.

Bangalore golfer Khalin Joshi and Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow were a further two shots back in tied sixth.

The Delhi duo of Siddharth Semwal and Vinod Kumar along with Faridabad’s Abhinav Lohan, shot the day’s joint best score of seven-under-63.

Semwal’s 63 pushed him up from overnight tied 31st to tied eighth at eight-under-202. He made eight birdies and a bogey. Siddharth’s birdies included two chip-ins and a 30-feet putt. He closed his round in style with a spectacular approach from 140 yards on the ninth that landed two feet from the pin. Semwal made four straight birdies from the sixth through the ninth.

Vinod Kumar and Abhinav Lohan, both of whom were overnight tied 46th after making the cut by one shot, ended round three in tied 15th at six-under-204 thanks to their third round scores of 63. While Vinod carded a bogey-free round, Abhinav made eight birdies against a lone bogey.

Delhi-based amateur Shubham Narain exceeded expectations by closing the day in tied 12th at seven-under-203. His superb 64 featured an eagle, five birdies and a bogey.

Jaipur’s Vishal Singh ended the day in tied 33rd place at one-under-209 after a round of even-par-70.

PGTI Press release

Abhijit Singh Chadha surges ahead in round two at Rambagh

Abhijit Singh Chadha

Jaipur, September 30, 2015: Abhijit Singh Chadha of Chandigarh surged ahead by three shots in round two of the PGTI Players Championship at Rambagh Golf Club after a splendid five-under-65 that took his total to 13-under-127. Shankar Das of Kolkata and Bangalore’s Udayan Mane were tied second at 10-under-130 having posted identical scores of one-under-69 on day two.

Abhijit Singh Chadha (62-65), who was overnight third, grabbed the initiative on Wednesday, with a bogey-free 65. The 24-year-old Chadha, a rookie on the Asian Tour this year, tapped-in for birdies on all four par-5s and sank a 20-footer for birdie on the fifth. Abhijit, who started the season with a top-5 at Panchkula, hasn’t been at his best thereafter. The lanky lad from Chandigarh with one title under his belt, has now emerged as a top contender in Jaipur, being three shots clear at the halfway stage.

“I capitalized well on the par-5s today leaving myself easy birdie putts. The only long putt was the 20-footer for birdie on the fifth. It sets me up well for the weekend. I feel the 45-day tour of the United States that I undertook this summer with some other fellow Indian professionals has done me loads of good. I played tournaments on a number of courses in the US with varying playing conditions. I gained a lot of exposure during the trip,” said Chadha, a winner on the PGTI in 2012.

Shankar Das (61-69), the overnight joint leader, followed up his phenomenal opening round of 61 with a sedate 69 that featured four birdies and three bogeys. He was three-under through 15 holes but dropped two bogeys on the last three holes after missing chip-putts.

“I really struggled with my chipping and putting today. It was also windier as compared to round one. The highlight of my round was narrowly missing the hole-in-one on the 13th. However, I still feel I’m in the mix and in with a chance,” said Shankar.

Udayan Mane (61-69), the overnight joint leader along with Das, too slipped to tied second as a result of his 69 on day two. Udayan made four birdies but also had a bogey and a double-bogey. Mane converted a 25-footer for birdie on the sixth. On the 14th, he couldn’t recover after an errant drive and thus dropped a double-bogey.

Mane said, “I was two-over through 12 holes today but fought back well with three birdies thereafter. I told myself after the first that I will finish well if I stick to the process and play without fear. I thus managed to pull it back at the end.”

Chandigarh’s Sujjan Singh and Sri Lankan Anura Rohana were joint fourth at seven-under-133.

Noida’s Rahul Bajaj, who shot the day’s best score of six-under-64, climbed up 38 spots to tied sixth at six-under-134. Bangalore’s Khalin Joshi (66) and Delhi’s Manav Jaini (67) joined Bajaj in tied sixth place.

Kolkata’s Feroz Ali Mollah had the distinction of shooting two eagles during his round of 67 that placed him tied ninth at five-under-135.

Local favourite Vishal Singh of Jaipur was tied 31st at one-under-139. He shot a 68 in round two.

Shubham Narain of Delhi was the lone amateur to make the cut. He too was tied 31st at one-under-139. Narain came up with a solid 66 on Wednesday.

The cut was declared at one-over-141. Fifty-six professionals and one amateur made the cut.

PGTI Press release

N Thangaraja comes through in a battle of nerves to win season-opener at Panchkula

Panchkula, February 6, 2015: N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka came through in a battle of nerves to win the season-opening PGTI Players Championship presented by Panchkula Golf Club by one shot. Thangaraja, who totaled five-under-277 for the week, finished one shot ahead of Mhow golfer Mukesh Kumar who was runner-up at four-under-278. Both players fired scores of one-over-73 in the final round of the Rs 30 lakh event on Friday.

Panchkula's Angad Cheema and Chandigarh-based Abhijit Singh Chadha claimed a share of third place along with Delhi's Ashok Kumar at three-under-279.

Thangaraja (69-67-68-73), the overnight leader by one shot, seemed to be coasting to victory as he was one-under through 15 holes on the final day. The 33-year-old landed his wedge shots within three feet to set up birdies on the sixth, 11th and 15th. A three-putt on the eighth and an erratic tee shot on the 13th resulted in dropped shots.

Mukesh Kumar (66-70-69-73), placed second after round three, emerged a serious contender for the title on Friday when he birdied the 15th and 16th to draw level with Thangaraja. Mukesh had made two birdies and two bogeys earlier in the round.

The 17th and 18th holes provided a befitting finale to the tournament. Both Thanga and Mukesh missed chip-putts to drop bogeys on the 17th and thus continued to share the lead. The 18thhole turned out to be decisive as Mukesh hit his tee shot out of bounds and therefore conceded a double-bogey. This enabled Thanga to take home the trophy despite a three-putt for bogey on the final hole.

Thangaraja, who bagged his second professional title, said, “This win is a morale-booster for me as I hadn’t won a tournament since December 2013. It’s great to start the season with a victory. I’m delighted that my success this week has earned me a spot at this month’s Indian Open.”

“I knew Mukesh was not going to make it easy for me towards the end. But I didn’t panic and put pressure on myself. I was very good around the greens today and hit only a couple of bad shots with the irons. My ball-striking was very consistent through the week,” added Thangaraja, who is now the 2015 Rolex Rankings leader.

Ashok Kumar’s four-under-68 was the day’s best round and helped him finish joint third. Ashok also came into contention when he was six-under for the day through 16 holes. However, he dropped out of the race with a double-bogey on the 18th.

Local lads Abhijit Singh Chadha (72) and Angad Cheema (73) shared third place with Ashok Kumar at three-under-279.

Delhi’s Shamim Khan and Noida golfers Rahul Bajaj and Amardip Sinh Malik were joint sixth at two-under-280.

Round 4 leaderboard:

277: N Thangaraja

278: Mukesh Kumar

279: Ashok Kumar, Abhijit Singh Chadha, Angad Cheema

280: Shamim Khan, Rahul Bajaj, Amardip Sinh Malik

PGTI Press release

Thangaraja surges ahead in round three at Panchkula

Panchkula, Haryana, February 5, 2015: Sri Lankan N Thangaraja surged ahead in round three at the PGTI Players Championship presented by Panchkula Golf Club thanks to a bogey-free four-under-68. Thangaraja leads the field with a six-under-204 total. Mhow-based Mukesh Kumar was one shot off the lead in second place as he submitted an error-free card of three-under-69.

The second round was completed on Thursday morning and the cut was declared at eight-over-146. Sixty professionals made the cut. The third round began at 10:15 am on Thursday. The par for the course is back to the original 72 for the last two rounds. It had been reduced to 69 for the first two rounds as a result of the heavy rain on Tuesday.

N Thangaraja (69-67-68), who was joint fourth after round two, emerged top contender for the title after his steady round of 68 on Thursday pushed him up three places. The 33-year-old from Colombo bagged his first birdie on the third where he landed his approach a couple of feet from the flag from a distance of 100 yards. A 10 feet conversion on the seventh earned him another stroke. Thanga, a winner on the PGTI in 2013, carried the momentum forward to the back-nine with some brilliant chipping and putting that earned him birdies on the 11th and 12th.

“The conditions were easier today as the sun was out and the wind was not a factor. The flags were also more accessible. The birdie on the third got me going and set up the round for me. I finished 16th on the Rolex Rankings last year and this year my aim will be to finish inside the top-10. A win here will give me the impetus to achieve my goal,” said Thangaraja.

He added, “I’ll need a good start tomorrow as the experienced Mukesh is just a shot behind. I hope I can follow in the footsteps of my close friend and compatriot Mithun Perera who has won a title at this venue.”

Mukesh Kumar (66-70-69) also signed in an error-free card to put himself in contention. Mukesh was three-under through six holes as he landed it within five feet to set up birdies on the third, fifth and sixth. He then missed out on some birdie opportunities but managed to make pars all the way till the end.

Panchkula lad Angad Cheema ended the day in third place at four-under-206 courtesy his third round effort of one-under-71.

Chandigarh’s Abhijit Singh Chadha (68) was a further shot back in joint fourth along with Noida’s Rahul Bajaj (67). Amardip Sinh Malik of Noida occupied sixth place at two-under-208.

Gurgaon-based Shubhankar Sharma, who was the leader by five shots at the end of round two earlier in the day, had a forgettable third round as he shot a nine-over-81 to slip seven places to tied eighth at one-over-211.

Chandigarh golfer Sujjan Singh’s six-under-66 was the best score of round three. It helped him close the day in tied 14th at two-over-212. Sujjan’s superb round featured an eagle and four birdies.

Round 3 leaderboard:

204: N Thangaraja

205: Mukesh Kumar

206: Angad Cheema

207: Rahul Bajaj, Abhijit Singh Chadha

PGTI Press release

    

Shubhankar Sharma dominates day two at Panchkula

Panchkula, Haryana, February 4, 2015: Shubhankar Sharma of the DLF Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon, took a massive five-shot clubhouse lead on day two of the PGTI Players Championship presented by Panchkula Golf Club. Shubhankar followed up his first round of three-under-66 with a brilliant five-under-64 in the second round to take his total to eight-under-130. Angad Cheema of Panchkula was placed second at three-under-135.

The rain-delay on Tuesday meant the first round could only be completed by 10 am on Wednesday. This in turn led to the partial completion of round two on Wednesday. When play was suspended due to fading light at 6 pm on Wednesday, only 81 out of 120 players had completed round two. The remaining 39 players, including the likes of day one clubhouse leader Arjun Singh, will now complete their second round on Thursday morning. The cut will be declared after the completion of the second round on Thursday morning. The third round will commence thereafter.

Shubhankar Sharma was three-under through 16 holes in round one when play was suspended due to fading light on Tuesday evening. Sharma began the tournament in style as he made an eagle-two on the par-4 11th thanks to an outstanding tee shot that stopped two feet from the pin. He added two more birdies and a bogey to his card in round one to be joint first round leader along with Mukesh Kumar at three-under-66. Shubhankar was once again in sublime form in round two on Wednesday as he produced an amazing eight birdies against three bogeys. He sank two birdie putts from a range of 12 to 20 feet and landed it within a foot on two occasions to set up birdies.

“I started the week on a positive note with an eagle on the 11th, my second hole of the tournament, where I narrowly missed a hole-in-one. I did well in round one despite the tough conditions thanks to my excellent hitting. I went one better in round two as I managed to capitalize in the relatively easier course conditions on Wednesday. The wind had died down, the sun was out and it wasn’t even as cold today. The pins were also more accessible in round two,” said Shubhankar, whose been nursing a minor injury on his right wrist for the last few days.

He added, “It’s important to begin the year with a good performance here at the season-opener. I’ve done well so far with two low scores. I feel I can carry forward the good form from last year. The course is playing very different from when I played here last in 2013. I therefore had to make the necessary adjustments.”

    

Angad Cheema followed up his first round one-over-70 with a four-under-65 in round two to end the day in second place at three-under-135. Cheema, who recently earned his maiden Asian Tour card, came up with eight birdies, a bogey and a triple-bogey in the second round at his home course.

Round one joint leader Mukesh Kumar of Mhow returned a one-over-70 in round two to slip into tied third place at two-under-136 along with Delhi’s Shamim Khan and Sri Lankan N Thangaraja.   

Day 2 leaderboard (only 81 players out of 120 completed Round 2):

130: Shubhankar Sharma

135: Angad Cheema  

136: Shamim Khan, N Thangaraja, Mukesh Kumar

PGTI Press release

Arjun Singh takes clubhouse lead on rain-marred opening day

Panchkula, Haryana, February 3, 2015: Delhi’s Arjun Singh took the clubhouse lead on the rain-marred opening day of the PGTI Players Championship presented by Panchkula Golf Club. Arjun was the only one to break par on Tuesday as he shot a one-under-68.  The seven players tied for second at even-par-69 were the Panchkula-based duo of brothers Ranjit Singh and Randhir Singh Ghotra, Noida-based professionals Amardip Sinh Malik and Rahul Bajaj, Delhi’s Dinesh Kumar and Naman Dawar and Gurgaon-based Arshdeep Tiwana.

There was a two-hour forty-five minute rain-delay on the opening day and play began at 10 amlocal time. As a result of the delayed start, only 60 out of 120 players could complete round one on Tuesday. The remaining 60 players will complete their first round on Wednesday morning. The second round of the season-opener will commence on Wednesday after the completion of round one.

The overnight rain caused the tees to be pushed forward on the par-4 sixth and par-5 12thholes. Both these holes were played as par-3s in round one. The par for the course was thus reduced from 72 to 69 for the first two rounds.

Arjun Singh, a former winner on the PGTI, dropped a shot early on in his round as he missed an up and down from the bunker on the fourth. The seasoned Arjun, however, came back well with a two-under on the back-nine. The professional from the Delhi Golf Club made a good chip-putt for birdie on the 11th and landed it within six inches from a distance of 40 yards to set up birdie on the 16th.

  

Arjun said, “I think it’s a great start considering how tough the conditions were today. In windy conditions one needs to take advantage of the holes where the wind is assisting you. I managed to do that today and took one shot at a time. I also focused well on the holes where I was playing into the wind. Some of those holes were playing really long but I drove well and kept the ball on the fairways.”

He added, “I didn’t have a good season last year as I returned to competitive golf after a three-year gap. I didn’t play for three years due to my shoulder surgery and a lack of motivation to get back to the game. So the year 2014 was almost like a rookie season for me. But today’s round has provided me a good start to the season.”

As the strong winds took their toll on the field, brothers Ranjit Singh and Randhir Singh Ghotra shot identical scores of 69 at their home course to lie joint second. While Ranjit made three birdies and three bogeys, his younger brother Randhir shot three birdies, a bogey and a double-bogey on day one. Randhir came close to making a hole-in-one on the sixth as his tee shot stopped inches from the flag.

Dinesh Kumar, who also fired a 69, had the distinction of bagging back-to-back eagles on his first two holes of the tournament, both par-4s. Dinesh holed his second shot from 145 yards on the 10th and followed that up with a chip-in from 15 feet on the 11th. He had two more birdies and six bogeys in his round.

The other four players in tied second were Naman Dawar, who also had an eagle on day one, Amardip Sinh Malik, Arshdeep Tiwana and Rahul Bajaj.

Day 1 leaderboard (only 60 players out of 120 completed round 1):

68: Arjun Singh

69: Amardip Sinh Malik, Arshdeep Tiwana, Dinesh Kumar, Randhir Singh Ghotra, Ranjit Singh, Naman Dawar, Rahul Bajaj

PGTI Press release

PGTI Players Championship presented by Panchkula Golf Club to tee off 2015 PGTI season

Panchkula, Haryana, February 2, 2015: The Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) and the Panchkula Golf Club will jointly host the PGTI Players Championship presented by Panchkula Golf Club from February 3 – 6, 2015. The 2015 season opener offers a prize purse of Rs. 30 lakh. The tournament will be followed by the first leg of the Volvo World Golf Challenge India 2015 on February 7.

The PGTI Players Championship will feature top Indian professionals such as Himmat Singh Rai, Shamim Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Amardip Sinh Malik, Sanjay Kumar, Khalin Joshi and Shubhankar Sharma, to name a few. Leading the local challenge will be Chandigarh and Panchkula professionals Angad Cheema, Abhijit Singh Chadha, Sujjan Singh, Harendra Gupta, Ajeetesh Sandhu, Ranjit Singh, Harmeet Kahlon, Randhir Singh Ghotra, KPS Sekhon, Amritinder Singh, Feroz Singh Garewal and Ravinder Tavel, among others. N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka is the top foreign professional playing the event.

The Volvo World Golf Challenge India event will see amateurs of the region compete in two handicap categories. The VWGC India 2015 will consist of a total of eight legs. Winners in each handicap category in each qualifying event will qualify for the National Final 2015. Winners in each handicap category at the National Final will qualify to play the Volvo World Final in early 2016. The winner of the Volvo World Final will get the opportunity to participate in a European Tour event next year.

Mr. D S Dhesi, IAS, Chief Secretary, Haryana-cum-President, Panchkula Golf Club,said, “In recent years Panchkula Golf Club has emerged as one of the most popular golfing destignations in the state of Haryana in particular and northern region in general.  It shall be our endeavor to further improve the Golf Club and conduct more professional, amateur and junior tournaments to promote the game of golf in the region. I also take this opportunity to acknowledge the contribution of PGTI in promoting and highlighting Panchkula Golf Club in golfing circuit at National and International level. We wish to have more events organized by PGTI at Panchkula Golf Club. My best wishes to the participants and organizers.”

Mr. Padamjit Sandhu, Director, PGTI, said, “We look forward to returning to the Panchkula Golf Club after a year and a half for the 2015 season-opener. The 2014 PGTI season witnessed some intense competition as the contest for the Rolex Player of the Year went down to the wire. An even more exciting season lies in prospect in 2015 as a number of promising youngsters join the professional ranks. The return of the Volvo World Golf Challenge India will also raise interest levels for the sport among the large number of amateurs in the country. We are confident that our partnership with the Panchkula Golf Club will continue to facilitate the growth of the sport in the state of Haryana.”

Brig. I. S. Punia (Retd.), General Manager, Panchkula Golf Club, said, “Panchkula Golf Club thanks PGTI for staging the PGTI Players Championship at Panchkula Golf Club. This is the first professional event which is being conducted after the renovation of the course. However, PGTI has already conducted three players championship and four tournaments titled as “Haryana Open Golf Championship” at Panckula Golf Club in the past. I am sure the newly renovated course will present a tough challenge and better playing conditions to the professionals. We look forward to hosting many more events in partnership with the PGTI in future and also extend our good wishes to the organizers and participants.”

The Panchkula Golf Club, situated on the Ambala-Panchkula-Kalka-Shimla Highway, and spread over an area of 135 acres is one of the premier championship courses in north India. It is situated at an alluring location on the banks of the river Ghaggar. The backdrop of the Shivalik Hills lends a picturesque view to the course.

PGTI Press release

Rookie N Thangaraja outshines Vijay Kumar in a playoff to claim maiden title

N Thangaraja receives the trophy from Rakesh Agnihotri, captain, Noida Golf Course on December 14, 2013

Noida, December 14, 2013: Rookie N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka claimed his maiden professional title after overcoming a spirited challenge from the seasoned Vijay Kumar of Lucknow at the PGTI Players Championship at Noida Golf Course. Thangaraja triumphed over Vijay on the fourth playoff hole after the two golfers had ended the regulations 72 holes with matching scores of four-under-284.

N Thangaraja (68-72-71-73), the overnight leader by five strokes, looked all set to cruise to a comfortable win as he birdied the second and fourth holes from six feet and 15 feet respectively to build on his lead. The 32-year-old from Colombo then dropped strokes on the ninth, 13th and 15th after hitting his tee shots to the left on all three occasions. This allowed Vijay Kumar (72-75-70-67), who shot the day’s best score of 67, a foot in the door.

Vijay Kumar, placed seventh after round three, had a steady front-nine where he made two birdies and a bogey. The 45-year-old, one of the dominant figures on the Indian professional circuit in the 1990s, then made a charge on the back-nine with three straight birdies from the 10th to the 12th and another on the 18th to take the match to a playoff. Vijay sank 20-footers on the 10th and 11th.

Thangaraja and Vijay made pars on the first three playoff holes. Thangaraja, who only took to golf six years back at age 26, finally won the long battle of nerves on the fourth playoff hole. The Sri Lankan made an excellent chip-putt for par on the deciding hole while Vijay missed a five-footer for par.

Thangaraja has now climbed from 19th to ninth place on the Rolex Rankings. He is also placed third in the Emerging Player of the Year list.

“I started well today but then faltered on the back-nine as a result of some poor tee shots. The strategy was to make pars and play steady. I only attacked the relatively safer pins which were in the centre of the greens. I was unfortunate not to make a birdie on the 16th where I missed a chip-in by a whisker. Nonetheless, I turned it around in the playoff due to my focus and patience. I took my time while putting and read the lines to perfection. I didn’t want to repeat the mistakes from last week when I had the title in my grasp but ended up finishing runner-up.

“It’s great to win a title in my first season as a professional that too after defeating the experienced Vijay Kumar in a playoff. This gives me a lot of momentum and self-belief going forward,” said the ever-smiling Thangaraja.

Noida’s Rahul Bajaj fired a 69 in the final round at his home course to climb from overnight joint eighth to tied third at one-under-287. Bangladesh’s Md Zamal Hossain Mollah carded a 71 to grab a share of third place along with Bajaj.

Khalin Joshi of Bangalore secured fifth place at even-par-288 after posting a 68 in the final round.

Press release

Thangaraja surges ahead in round three

N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka

Noida, December 13, 2013: N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka continued in the lead for the third straight day at the PGTI Players Championship at Noida Golf Course after he shot a one-under-71. Thangaraja thus built a five-shot lead ahead of the final round as his total read five-under-211. M Dharma of Bangalore, Nepal’s Shivaram Shrestha, Kolkata’s Raju Ali Mollah, Bangladeshi Md Zamal Hossain Mollah and Ranjit Singh of Chandigarh are currently in tied second place.

Thangaraja (68-72-71), the overnight joint leader, took a giant leap towards his maiden professional title after firing a tenacious 71 in testing conditions on Friday. The 32-year-old was on fire on the first 10 holes as he picked up five birdies against a lone bogey. Thangaraja displayed some superb iron-play as he landed his approach shots within three feet on three occasions for birdies on the second, sixth and seventh. He chipped-in from the bunker for birdie on the fifth and sank a 15-feet birdie putt on the 10th.

Thangaraja’s tee shots were off the mark on the 12th, 13th and 16th. He also missed chip-putts on these holes and as a result dropped bogeys.

“I played really well on the first 10 holes but struggled with my tee shots and my short-game thereafter. I hit it well with the 3-wood. I’ll look to make maximum fairways and greens in the final round and play some consistent golf. I enjoy a comfortable lead at the moment but I need to make a solid start in the final round in order to capitalize on the advantage,” said Thangaraja, who finished runner-up at PGTI’s event in Sri Lanka last week.

Ranjit Singh, the overnight joint leader, slipped to tied second place after returning a 76 in round three that took his total to even-par-216. Ranjit was joined by M Dharma, Shivaram Shrestha, Raju Ali Mollah and Md Zamal Hossain Mollah in tied second place. Dharma fired a 69 on Friday.

Ranjit Singh and Thangaraja are joint leaders at the halfway stage

 N Thangaraja 

Ranjit Singh

Noida, December 12, 2013: Chandigarh’s Ranjit Singh and Sri Lankan N Thangaraja share the lead at four-under-140 after round two of the PGTI Players Championship at Noida Golf Course. Ranjit fired a one-under-71 on Thursday while Thangaraja shot an even-par-72.

The cut was declared at seven-over-151. Fifty-one professionals made the cut.

Ranjit Singh (69-71) made three birdies against two bogeys in round two to climb from overnight tied second to joint first. Ranjit landed his tee shot within four feet for his opening birdie of the day on the par-3 third. The 38-year-old then produced a brilliant second shot from 50 yards out on the seventh that stopped one foot from the flag and led to another birdie. Ranjit’s final birdie of the day came on the 13th where he converted a 10-footer. He also dropped bogeys on the 11th and 18th.

“I landed it close today and did well to negotiate the tough conditions. It was difficult to judge the direction of the wind since it was swirling. I’m quite satisfied with my effort of 71 in the prevailing conditions. I’ll look to repeat this performance in the next two rounds. The only disappointment was the bogey on the closing 18th that came as a result of poor club-selection,” said Ranjit, who is looking to win his maiden professional title.

Thangaraja (68-72), the overnight leader, had a poor start to the day as he bogeyed the 10th and 12th. He then rallied with birdies on the first, third and fourth. The 32-year-old sank a 15-footer on the third and landed his approach within three feet of the pin on the fourth. Thangaraja dropped another stroke on the closing ninth to end up with a steady 72 on Thursday.

“My driving was poor for the second straight day. However, I managed to stay in contention with some consistent golf,” said Thangaraja.

Md Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh is in third position with a total of three-under-141 while Delhi’s Rashid Khan is a further stroke behind in fourth place.

Press release

Thangaraja’s 68 powers him to the top in round one

N Thangaraja of Sri Lanka

Noida, December 11, 2013: Sri Lankan N Thangaraja fired a four-under-68 to take the lead in round one of the PGTI Players Championship at Noida Golf Course. Delhi’s Gaurav Ghei, Ranjit Singh of Chandigarh and Bangladeshi Md Zamal Hossain Mollah were in tied second place with scores of three-under-69.

Thangaraja, the runner-up at last week’s PGTI event in Sri Lanka, continued his good form in Noida with a solid opening round. The 32-year-old from Colombo hit a couple of poor drives on the first and second holes but recovered well to make birdies on both occasions. He landed his third shot within four feet on the first and sank a 20-footer on the second.

Thangaraja impressed with the putter as he converted 15-feet birdie putts on the fifth and 16th. He did well to find the green in two on the eighth and 14th, both par-5s, to set up birdies. Thangaraja, currently placed 19th on the Rolex Rankings, also had a birdie on the 13th besides a bogey on the seventh and a double-bogey on the 17th. He found the water hazard on the 17th which led to the double-bogey.

“I couldn’t find the fairways on the first two holes but did extremely well to recover on both occasions and salvage birdies. That gave me a good start. I made a few long putts today and carried forward my good putting form from last week. Scoring won’t be easy this week as the fairways are narrow, the course is playing longer and it’s also windy. I can’t afford to hit it left or right in the next few rounds like I did today,” said Thangaraja.

Ranjit Singh chipped-in for eagle on the first and also made four birdies against three bogeys during his first round of 69 to be placed joint second.

Both Gaurav Ghei and Md Zamal Hossain Mollah made four birdies against three bogeys in their respective rounds to share second position along with Ranjit Singh.

Rolex Rankings leader Rashid Khan of Delhi, Noida’s Pradeep Kumar, Mysore golfer Harish K, Mandeo Singh Pathania of Greater Noida and Delhi’s Naman Dawar occupied tied fifth place with scores of 70.

Dipankar Kaushal of Noida chipped-in from 20 yards for eagle on the par-4 second hole during his round of 74 that placed him tied 27th.

Rock-solid Gangjee canters to six-stroke win

Chandigarh, September 20, 2013: Kolkata’s Rahil Gangjee cantered to a comfortable six-stroke win at the PGTI Players Championship at Chandigarh Golf Club after a rock-solid performance in the final round. Gangjee returned a clinical two-under-70 in round four to end up with an impressive tournament total of 13-under-275. Chandigarh golfer Sujjan Singh claimed tied second position along with Bangladesh’s Md Zamal Hossain Mollah as both totaled seven-under-281.

Rahil Gangjee (67-71-67-70), the overnight leader by three strokes, was in control all through the final day. The 35-year-old hit his drive to the right on the second but managed to salvage a birdie after a good third shot and a 10-feet conversion on the green. Gangjee, known to be a proficient horse-rider, extracted another birdie from a tough situation on the 13th where he landed his second shot in the bunker. He got out of trouble on the 13th with a decent bunker shot and another 10-feet birdie putt.

The only blemish on Rahil’s card was the bogey on the 15th as he found the trees on two occasions on that hole. The man from the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) finally sealed his fourth professional title after a par-save on the 17th and an eight-foot birdie putt on the 18th.

This happens to be Rahil’s third title on the domestic circuit. Gangjee, who went through the rigours of playing on the Web.com Tour in the United States in 2011 and 2012, also has a win on the Asian Tour that he achieved back in 2004 in China.

“I hit some solid shots through the day. The intensity was there till the end and I didn’t let go of any chances. I knew I had it in the bag after my closest competitor Zamal bogeyed the 15th. It’s great to win after such a long gap,” said Gangjee, who ended a five-year victory drought.”

He added, “I had suffered a huge setback at the European Tour’s 2010 Avantha Masters where I was leading on the final day with five holes to go. I did not the grab my opportunities on that occasion and finally finished outside the top-10. I’ve grown from that experience as it taught me how to handle pressure while leading. My stint on the Web.com Tour in the United States over the last two seasons has also made me more competitive.

“I’d like to thank my sponsor Mr. Dilip Thomas for supporting me. I also attribute my success to my swing coach Mr. Ajai Gupta and my mental coach Mr. Pradeep Agarwal, who have both helped me raise my game. This win will help me perform better on the Asian Tour,” said Gangjee, the only golfer with four sub-par rounds this week.

Sujjan Singh (71-69-73-68) of Chandigarh gave the home crowd something to cheer about as he closed with a 68 to finish joint second at seven-under-281. Sujjan’s final round featured five birdies against a lone bogey.

Sujjan said, “I was a bit rusty coming into this tournament but my performance got better with each passing day. I hit it well today.”

Md Zamal Hossain Mollah of Bangladesh (72-70-67-72) joined Sujjan Singh in tied second place after posting a sedate 72 that included four birdies and four bogeys.

Jyoti Randhawa (68-74-74-67) climbed from overnight tied 15th to tied fourth after signing off with a brilliant bogey-free 67 in the final round which also happened to be the day’s best score. He totaled five-under-283 for the event.

Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma (69-67-72-75) dropped from overnight second position to tied fourth after he carded a 75 in the final round.

  

Randhawa and Sharma were joined by Abhijit Singh Chadha (69-72-70-72), another Chandigarh golfer and Panchkula’s Angad Cheema (73-72-70-68) in tied fourth place. While Abhijit returned a 72 on the final day, Angad submitted a card of 68.

Photo caption: Rahil Gangjee receives the winner's cheque from G S Sandhu, president, Chandigarh Golf Club. The prize presentation party also comprises of (in the background from left to right) Padamjit Sandhu, director, PGTI, Sandeep Sandhu, captain, Chandigarh Golf Club and Uttam Singh Mundy, director, PGTI.

Press release