Khalin Joshi receives his Nava Raipur Open trophy and winner’s cheque from Chhattisgarh deputy chief minister Arun Sao (second from left) at the Fairway Golf and Lake Resort on Friday. Image courtesy DP World PGTI.
By Rahul Banerji
Khalin Joshi capped his flag to wire run with victory at the inaugural Rs 1 crore Nava Raipur Open at the Fairway Golf and Lake Resort in Chhattisgarh on Friday.
Joshi produced a closing bogey-free 3 under par 31 to win by one stroke from the hard-charging Om Prakash Chouhan, Anshul Patel and Raunil Kumar, the DP World PGTI said.
Joshi (29-30-33-31) began the final round with a one-shot advantage, and made three consecutive birdies from the third hole of the nine-hole round to finish on 13 under 123.
It was a third victory of the season for the 34-year-old from Bangalore following triumphs at the Andhra Open in April and the J&K Open in August, and his ninth overall on the DP World PGTI.
Joshi, who claimed his maiden Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open India in 2018, collected Rs 15 lakh to climb from 12th to seventh in the Race to DP World India Championship with earnings of Rs 52,34,225.
Persistent rain left the course unsuitable for 18-hole rounds forcing a reduction to nine holes over the four days over the back nine.
The final round was also suspended for several hours, leaving Joshi uncertain whether play would resume.
Staying focussed
“After the delay, the course did not appear playable and we heard that the final round might be abandoned,” Joshi said later.
“I had to regain my focus and prepare mentally in case play resumed. I stayed calm and composed, and I’m delighted with how I handled the situation.”
Mhow’s Chouhan (34-29-32-29) had the joint-low card of the day and was joined in second place by Raunil Kukar (31-30-33-30), who briefly held the lead before play was halted, and Anshul Patel (32-31-31-30) of Ahmedabad.
The three joint runners-up earned Rs 6,99,867 each with Mhow’s Chouhan rising to eighth place in the Race to DP World India Championship with season earnings of Rs 51,88,201.
Panchkula’s Kukar climbed from 102nd to 54th on Rs 8,93,660, while Ahmedabad golfer Patel rose from 84th to 47th with Rs 10,24,442.
By moving inside the top 60, both have secured their 2027 playing status and avoided a return to Qualifying School next month.
Kolkata’s Divyanshu Bajaj (33-32-30-30), Pritish Singh Karayat (34-31-29-31) of Delhi and Chandigarh’s Angad Cheema (34-29-30-32) shared fifth place on 11 under 125.
Reflecting on his three victories this season, Joshi credited greater confidence and a present-focused approach.
Growing confidence
“My mindset has not changed dramatically over my 14 seasons as a professional, but I have become more confident,” he said.
“My mind used to race, particularly in the final group. I now understand the importance of staying in the present, remaining calm and enjoying the moment.”
Joshi will next compete at the Karnataka Golf Association, his home course since childhood.
“I haven’t been home for seven weeks, so I’m looking forward to returning to Bengaluru,” he said.
“I’ve been associated with KGA since I was four and know the course extremely well. My girlfriend will also be caddying for me, so it should be a special week.”
The victory also strengthened Joshi’s prospects ahead of the DP World India Championship at the Delhi Golf Club.
“I love that course because I recorded my first international victory there in 2018,” Joshi said. “It is a major tournament for all the Indian players. Hopefully, I can put myself in contention.”
Also read: Joshi sees Nava Raipur Open lead trimmed by Angad Cheema
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