Simarjeet leads NGC sweep of IGU all-India mid, senior titles

By Rahul Banerji

Simarjeet Singh of Noida Golf Course (NGC) led a title sweep at the IGU All-India Seniors and Mid-Amateur Golf Championship played at the Eagleton Golf Resort in Bidadi near Bangalore last week.

Other NGC members who came away with winner’s trophies from the prestigious event were Gangesh K. Khaitan, Amit Luthra and Vijay Kumar Badana, with Khaitan also adjudged the overall winner in the Seniors category.

Defending champion Simarjeet Singh’s aggregate of 290 over the four days of play was one better than that of UP’s Shakti Singh (291) in the closest competition of the four categories played. He had rounds of 77, 73, 68 and 72 at the sprawling and picturesque par-72 Eagleton layout.

Shakti handed in cards of 71, 70, 76 and 74 over the four days, Simarjeet effectively winning it on the very last day of the championship. Third place finisher H.S. Kang of Chandigarh (292) was also just one shot behind Shakti Singh.

Winning streak

For the 66-year-old Khaitan, it was a second IGU Senior Amateur crown in three years. According to his coach Monish Bindra of the IGPN Golf Academy, Khaitan has won or been runner-up in this competition nine times in the last nine years with his three wins and six second place finishes.

Khaitan won the Seniors (65 years and above) by a comfortable 27 shots with rounds of 75, 76 and 71 from Karnataka’s Alexander Vidyadhar Watkins (84, 80, 85).

His three-day aggregate was also good enough to see him top the overall Seniors competition three strokes ahead of Amit Luthra (225).

Gold medallist at the 1982 Asian Games, Luthra topped the Seniors (55 to 59 years) category with a seven-shot win over Ajai Singh Sirohi of Uttar Pradesh, 225 to 232.

Sirohi and Haryana’s Rishi Narain, also a member of the 1982 Asiad gold-winning squad, tied on aggregate with the former finishing ahead on the basis of a better final day card, 74 to 78.

Results:

Mid-Amateur category: 1. Simarjeet Singh 290 (77, 73, 68, 72); 2. Shakti Singh 291 (71, 70, 76, 74); 3. H.S. Kang 292 (71, 70, 77, 74).

Seniors 55-59 yrs category: 1. Amit Luthra 225 (71, 78, 76); 2. Ajai Singh Sirohi 232 (78, 80, 74); 3. Rishi Narain 232 (77, 77, 78).

Seniors 60-64 yrs category: 1. Vijay Kumar Badana 231 (76, 81, 74); 2. Satyaprasad M.K. 241 (81, 80, 80); 3. Nalin Kant 245 (82, 83, 80).

Seniors 65 yrs and above: 1. Gangesh K. Khaitan 222 (75, 76, 71); 2. Alexander Vidyadhar Watkins 249 (84, 80, 85); 3. Navneet Singh 250 (84, 83, 83).

Overall Seniors: 1. Gangesh K. Khaitan 222 (75, 76, 71); 2. Amit Luthra 225 (71, 78, 76); 3. Vijay Kumar Badana 231 (76, 81, 74).

Also read: 96th Albatross Junior Tournament held at Noida Golf Course