By Rahul Banerji
A day’s best of 7 under par 65 ensured John Parry would walk away a winner from the Delhi Challenge at the Classic Golf and Country Club near Gurgaon on Sunday.
It was a dramatic finish that sent the 37-year-old Englishman back to the top of the podium after a 14-year gap as he edged past countryman Jack Senior and Chris Paisley, and the UAE’s Joshua Grenville-Wood.
Parry returned cards of 66-69-68-65 on his way to 20 under par 268 total to win by one stroke after his triumph at the Vivendi Cup 2010 on the DP World Tour, the Challenge Tour said.
Honey Baisoya too finished strongly with a 5 under 67 for a share of 12th place on 14 under 274. The next best-placed Indians were Yashas Chandra M.S., Rahil Gangjee, Akshay Sharma and Udayan Mane on 12 under 276.
Parry was delighted to top the leaderboard again after 14 years.
“It’s fantastic,” he said. “It’s been a long time since I’ve won a Challenge Tour or DP World Tour event, so I’m really happy.
“I’ve had some real ups and downs. It is tough. When you’re on your low points, it’s really hard, but I just love playing golf.
“Knowing that I can still do it is really pleasing. I’ve put all the hard work in but it’s about coming out here and getting it done.
Finishing touches
“I knew my game was there, it was just putting everything together and holing putts at the right time.”
Parry was three shots behind the overnight leaders at the start on Sunday but was in title contention with three birdies by the time he made the turn.
At one point, there was a five-way tie at the top of the leaderboard but four gained strokes in a row between holes 13 and 16 and two closing pars helped Parry set the bar for the rest.
The result took Parry to the top of the Road to Mallorca Rankings and he said the win would be a boost to his ultimate target of graduating out of the Challenge Tour ranks and back to the DP World Tour.
“It takes a little bit of pressure off winning early in the season. It feels like it puts me in good stead so early on in the season.
“The most pleasing thing is that the practice I’ve put in over winter, which I felt like was working, has actually worked. I’m feeling in a comfortable position for the rest of the year.”
Frenchmen Martin Couvra and Oihan Guillamoundeguy shared fifth place on 18 under par, with countryman Alexander Levy and Welshman Oliver Farr a stroke behind in seventh.
Parry replaced Swede Mikael Lindberg in the rankings, with Welshman Rhys Enoch dropping one place to third. Couvra gained three places to seventh, and Paisley’s runner-up placing saw him rise ten places to eighth.
The second leg of the Challenge Tour’s India swing will be played at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club from March 21 to 24.
Final Indian placings
T12: 14-under 274 Honey Baisoya (71-68-68-67)
T22: 12-under 276 Yashas Chandra M.S. (71-69-66-70), Rahil Gangjee (72-67-70-67), Udayan Mane (71-68-69-68), Akshay Sharma (68-69-68-71)
T36: 10-under 278 Angad Cheema (71-66-70-710, Shamim Khan (69-70-68-71)
T44: 8 under 280 Sachin Baisoya (69-71-69-71)
T47: 7 under 281 Aadil Bedi (70-69-73-69)
T53: 5 under 283 Mohd Azhar (72-66-73-72), Shivendra Singh Sisodia (72-67-75-69)
58th: 1 under 287 Rohan Dhole Patil (71-69-71-76)
T59: 3 over 291 Samarth Dwivedi (71-69-72-79), Harsh Gangwar (72-68-73-78)
Also read: Akshay Sharma is top Indian as three share Delhi Challenge lead
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