By Rahul Banerji
S. Chikkarangappa on Sunday carved out a playoff win over local favourite Karandeep Kochhar in a fitting finale to the first ever PGTI event to be named after an Indian golfer.
Chikka (70-66-68-72) came through in the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational after he ended 72 holes tied along with 19-year-old Karandeep (66-70-70-70) at 12-under-276 at the Chandigarh Golf Club.
The 25-year-old clinched his 11th title with a par on the first playoff hole of the Rs. 1.5 crore event even as Karandeep missed a par putt from two feet.
It ended a two-year title drought for the Bangalore player.
Strong start
Chikka, overnight leader by two shots, began with two birdies to extend his lead to four shots.
However, Karandeep reeled off three birdies to launch himself into a two-shot lead even as Chikka hit rough weather with as many bogeys thanks to some errant iron play.
The tide turned in Chikka’s favour once again when Kochhar dropped three shots in four holes to again concede a one-shot lead.
Both players birdied the 17th but Karandeep got back in the game with a superb birdie conversion from off the green on the 18th to take the match into a playoff.
Cool head
On the playoff hole, the more experienced Chikka kept his nerve by making par with a regulation two-putt while Kochhar missed par from two feet.
Chikka kept his unbeaten playoff record intact by winning his fourth title on the PGTI.
He took home the winner’s cheque of Rs. 24,24,750 and as a result climbed from 26th to third on the PGTI Order of Merit.
The 2015 PGTI Order of Merit champion later said, “I’ve been counting the days since I last won and today I can say that I won after a gap of 745 days.
‘Delighted’
“That is a long time and I’m quite relieved and delighted to have ended that winless streak.
“I’ve been through a rough patch over the last two years as I was winning regularly before that.
“Things just didn’t go right since 2017 as the changes that I made in my game didn’t seem to click. But I feel my swing is back now and so is my form.
Nine-time Asian Tour winner Jyoti Randhawa (70) claimed third place at 10-under-278.
Randhawa made a charge on the back-nine with four birdies but his challenge faded away when he found water on the last hole to drop a stroke.
Bangalore’s M. Dharma has a last round of 67 to ensure he finished fourth at nine-under-279.
Rookie Yashas Chandra M.S. (68) of Mysore was fifth at eight-under-280.
Two-time Indian Open winner S.S.P. Chawrasia was tied 34th at two-over-290.
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