By Rahul Banerji
It took a special effort from Aadil Bedi to halt the Udayan Mane juggernaut but 19-year-old pulled out all the stops to earn his maiden title with the Bengal Open at Tollygunge Club in Kolkata on Sunday.
Chandigarh-based Bedi won a titanic six-hole play-off with a chip-in birdie to end Pune golfer Mane’s three-match winning streak on the Tata Steel PGTI as the curtains came down for now on professional golf worldwide.
The Bengal Open was the last event to be decided in the wake of the curtailed seasons around the globe from the growing corona-virus threat.
The Rs 30 lakh tournament witnessed the longest-running playoff on the PGTI beating the four-hole shootout record, which has happened thrice in the past.
The last event decided on the fourth playoff hole was at the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational 2019 where Ajeetesh Sandhu prevailed over Rashid Khan.
Neck and neck
Bedi (65-65-67-69) and PGTI Order of Merit leader Mane (67-63-67-69), tied overnight atop the leader-board, shot scores of 69 in round four on Sunday finish the regulation 72 holes with matching totals of 14-under-266.
Bedi had a quiet front nine as he dropped two shots against one birdie. But he fared much better on the back nine making three birdies and a bogey.
Mane on the other hand, was steady through the day as his round featured two birdies and a bogey and pars over the last eight holes.
The edge-of-the-seat playoff saw both contenders match each other shot for shot. However, Bedi displayed maturity beyond his years and nerves of steel to keep himself in the contest.
The teenager sank a 35-footer for birdie on the third extra hole and a 10-footer for par on the fourth. Mane also had his moments as he too drained a tricky seven-footer for birdie on the third extra hole.
Sensational finish
Finally, it was Aadil who came through with a sensational chip-in for birdie on the sixth extra hole. Udayan thus could not make it a record fourth straight title on the PGTI as it ended his winning streak, which began in December last year in Jamshedpur.
The first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth playoff holes were played on the par-3 18th while the third playoff hole was played on the par-4 first hole.
“It’s incredible to win my first title in such a manner,” Bedi said later. “It was my first event of the year and I managed to get in the groove early in the first round which helped me build up to the final round.
“I’m happy that I also managed to put behind the disappointment of missing out on my Asian Tour card at the Q-School in Thailand.
“I handled the pressure really well. I was a little nervous at the start of the playoff but then got into a good zone mentally. I tried to play my own game and didn’t think too far ahead during the playoff.
‘Killer instinct’
“I feel my killer instinct came in when I tried to play some tough shots which I would not play otherwise. I managed to raise my game just at the right time.
“I guess having been in such situations before at the junior and amateur level also helped. The fact that I have won twice at Tolly as a junior was another factor that weighed in my favour.
“But Udayan played like a true champion. I knew I’ll have to pull out my best to beat him.
“I’d like to thank my father Harry Bedi for being my pillar of strength,” added Aadil, who took home a cheque of Rs. 4,84,950.
Mane’s runner-up prize worth Rs. 3,34,950, helped him extend his lead to over Rs. 8 lakh in the PGTI Order of Merit as his total earnings for the season moved to Rs. 14,66,500. Gurugram’s Veer Ahlawat is in second place in the money list.
Hot run
Kolkata’s Viraj Madappa, tied 11th and six off the lead after round three, posted the score of the final day, a six-under-64, to finish in third place on 13-under-267.
Viraj, playing at his home course, made an early charge with birdies on the second, third and fourth and a 12-feet eagle conversion on the seventh.
However, he missed at least four putts within 10 feet on Sunday and slowed down on the back nine making three birdies at the cost of two bogeys.
Veteran Mukesh Kumar (70) of Mhow took fourth place on 12-under-268.
Fifth position was shared by Bangaloreans Rahil Gangjee (67) and Khalin Joshi (70), and Mhow-based Om Prakash Chouhan (69) on 11-under-269.
Also read: Bedi, Mane set up final day duel in Bengal Open as Mukesh lurks
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