By Rahul Banerji
A stunning final day round of 9-under par 63 gave India’s Arjun Bhati the title in the boys’ 13-14 age group event of the 11th FCG Callaway Junior World Golf Championship in California’s Palm Desert on Wednesday.
The Greater Noida-based teen, coached by Monish Bindra at the Jaypee facility, returned a blemish-free final day card to finish on 17-under 199 on the par-72 Westin Mission Hills course in Rancho Mirage.
He was three shots ahead of Taiwan’s Jeremy Chen (202) and seven better than Joshua Bao of New Zealand in the full field that saw 75 finishers.
In all, Arjun’s three-day card (70, 66, 63) included an eagle (on day 2), 20 birdies, 29 pars against just three bogeys (two of them on the first day) and a double, a highly-impressive display of strength and precision.
Catching up
Arjun started the final day five shots adrift of Chen (64, 67, 71) and while the Taiwanese junior could only manage a 1-under 71 with an eagle, three birdies and four bogeys, Bhati went on a tear.
He ripped six birdies on the front nine including three in a row and then added a further three on his way back, shutting the door on his nearest rival with a birdie-birdie finish. It was his best score to date, according to reports.
Of the other Indians in the various age groups among the 637 entered for the tournament, Hyderabad’s Shreya Pal finished best, tied 13th in the girls 15-18 group on 4-over 218, six shots behind category winner Apelila Galeai of the USA, who came in with a 2 under 214 aggregate.
Delhi boy Raghav Chugh was T35th in the boys 15-18 event with a 2-over total with Mexico’s Alejandro Alonso winning on 15-under 201.
In the boys 11-12 years section, Jai Gupta of Chandigarh was 54th while the USA’s Nicholas Gross topped with the tournament’s best card of 19-under 197.
Aarav (Arow) Shah of Melbourne, but currently based in Noida, was tied for 10th place in this group on 5-over par 221 that included rounds of 77, 72 and 72.
Ronin Banerjee of the USA topped the boys 9-10 years event with a 1-under aggregate, Elyssa Abdullah of the US won the girls 11-12 years category and Clarisa Temelo of Mexico topped the girls 13-14 years section.
Sheoran is 2nd round leader
Meanwhile, defending champion Dhruv Sheoran took the second round lead at the Tata Steel PGTI Feeder Tour at the BSF Golf Course, in Chhawla, New Delhi, on Thursday.
Delhi-based Sheoran produced a 4-under-31 on Thursday to take his total to 7-under-92 on yet another rain-reduced day of golf.
Sachin Chouhan of Mhow was in second place on 6-under-93, equaling Sheoran’s round of 31.
Rain delayed play by three hours and also rendered nine holes unplayable. The cut fell at 2-over 101. The top 37 of the total field of 72 will contest the final round on Friday.
Tied third overnight, Sheoran powered ahead on the day with a bogey-free round.
Dhruv, who won two back-to-back Feeder Tour titles last season, was accurate off the tee and with his approach shots as he left himself a couple of tap-in birdie conversions and one from five feet. He is in only his second season as a professional.
The 24-year-old from the DLF Golf & Country Club, said, “A nine-hole round is like a shootout.
Aggressive approach
“So to make the most of it my game-plan was to play more aggressively today. Thus I tried to make more birdies as compared to yesterday. The plan worked well for me. I also putted better today.
“I’d been working on my alignment in the lead up to this tournament. I feel those changes are now settling in well with my game. One good swing in round one gave me the much-needed momentum and confidence for this week.
“The good memories of winning at this venue last year will also help my cause going into the final round.”
Sachin Chouhan too came up with an error-free 31 on Thursday to climb five spots from his overnight tied seventh to second.
Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma, Mumbai’s Anil Bajrang Mane and the Delhi duo of Ajay Baisoya and Ikramuddin Shah were all tied third at 5-under-94.
Round one leader Kushal Singh (36) of Gurugram dropped to tied seventh at 4-under-95. Delhi’s Rashid Khan (32) was also tied seventh.
Also read: Top Indian junior golfer Bhati to play Malaysia, Singapore events
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