By Rahul Banerji
Matias Dominguez emerged a wire-to-wire Final Stage champion of the Tata Steel PGTI Q School in Jamshedpur by a massive seven-stroke margin on Friday.
The Chilean player posted a final round of 7-under 64 at the Golmuri Golf Course for a four-day total of 20-under 264, a measure of his domination over the rest of the field.
Mohammad Sanju (65-66-72-68) and amateurs Subash Tamang (67-66-71-67) of Nepal and India’s Anshul Kabthiyal (64-70-69-68) were the joint runners-up on 13-under 271, the PGTI said.
The cut in the final round went at 4-under 280 with the top 36 earning full cards for the 2024 Tata Steel PGTI season including six amateurs.
There were also 10 overseas qualifiers, three from Bangladesh and one each from Chile, Nepal, Italy, Czechia, Canada, South Korea and Japan among the 36 who earned their cards.
Dominguez (61-70-69-64), who either held the solo or the joint lead from day one, produced seven birdies during his flawless fourth round to make it a memorable first trip to India.
Breaking away
Leading overnight by three shots, the 31-year-old established himself as the sole leader early on with two birdies on the front nine.
The man from Santiago, Pre-Q III winner following his historic 59 last week just kept widening the gap to his chasers with five more birdies on the back nine with top-notch from tee to green.
The 2015 Latin America Amateur champion and PGA Tour Latinoamerica regular over the last few years, said, “I’m really happy about winning the Q-School on my very first visit to India.
“It’s been an unbelievable experience for me over the past one week having shot scores of 59 and 61 and winning the Pre-Q and the Final Stage.
“All aspects of my game have been top-notch and I’m now really excited about playing the 2024 PGTI season.”
Dominguez bagged the top prize cheque of Rs. 75,000 for his efforts.
Twenty-one-year-old Tamang recently made history when he became the first Nepal golfer to win the All India Amateur Championship in December 2023.
On Friday, his closing 67 featured six birdies and two bogeys that help fetch a joint runner-up finish.
Nineteen-year-old Anshul Kabthiyal was the other amateur who finished in the three-way tie for second place. He struck five birdies and two bogeys during his final round of 68.
Sanju, the third joint runner-up, too carded a 68 with six birdies, a bogey and a double.
Both SEPTA, Chandimandir golfers who shared the lead on days two and three, Umed Kumar (A) and Chandarjeet Yadav were amongst those earning their full cards.
Also read: Septa’s Yadav storms into joint lead at PGTI Final Qualifying
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