By Rahul Banerji
Mukesh Kumar used his years of tour experience on the final day of the Rs. 30 lakh Tata Steel PGTI Players Championship to uncork a error-free final round of 7-under 65 that was good enough to fetch him a one-shot win over at the Panchkula Golf Club on Friday.
The 53-year-old from Mhow, with over a hundred titles to his name also set a PGTI record of 20 wins with a total of 15-under-273 (70-67-71-65).
The veteran, who has been swinging his clubs as a professional for the last 35 years thus ended a two-year winless streak. The former Asian Tour winner had secured his last victory at the PGTI Cochin Masters in April 2017.
It was also Mukesh’s first triumph at the Panchkula Golf Club. His winner’s cheque of Rs. 4,84,950 lifted him from 11th to fourth place in the PGTI Order of Merit.
Angad Cheema (67-67-75-65), playing on his home course, delivered an equally impressive 65 in round four to finish runner-up on 14-under-274.
Day’s best
Delhi-based teenager Kshitij Naveed Kaul, a recent winner on the PGTI, fired the tournament’s best round of 64 to take third place at 12-under-276.
Mukesh, tied third two off the lead after day three, put early pressure on those ahead with three birdies in his first five holes and quickly overtook overnight leader Yashas Chandra of Mysore.
Kumar backed his strong short game and began to truly stamp his authority when he holed his third shot from 100 yards for an eagle on the par-5 seventh. He was then relentless on the back nine playing two more brilliant wedge shots to set up birdies on the 11th and 15th.
Mukesh managed to keep his nose ahead of a surging Angad Cheema with pars on the last two holes thanks to accurate ball-striking with his short irons.
Planned round
Mukesh said, “I planned my round really well today and played within my limitations. I knew I had to be accurate since I don’t have as much distance as the youngsters I was competing with.
“My iron-play was exceptional today and holing out from 100 yards for eagle on the seventh was a huge morale-booster. The birdie on the 15th was the turning point for me as it gave me a comfortable two-shot cushion over Angad with just three holes to play. I made 17 greens in regulation.
“It’s great to be back among the winners after two years. It’s special to win in Panchkula for the first time and that too in such tough conditions.”
Cheema struggled initially as he was one-over through four holes. The 29-year-old, looking to end a five-year winless streak, then made a valiant comeback by sinking eight birdies between the fifth and the 17th to give Mukesh a run for his money.
Kshitij Naveed Kaul’s red-hot putting saw him make five birdie conversions from a range of 10 to 35 feet during his round of 64 while Chandra dropped to tied fourth place on 11-under-277.
Noida’s Gaurav Pratap Singh (69), the only other player besides Mukesh Kumar to shoot four sub-par rounds this week, also finished tied fourth.
Delhi’s Rashid Khan (68) was a further shot back in sixth.
Lahiri’s under pressure at Byron Nelson
In Dallas,Anirban Lahiri missed a bunch of putts to finish on 1-under 70 in the first round of the AT&T Byron Nelson and in a tie for 81st place that could put him under pressure in the second round to make the cut.
Denny McCarthy shot a career-low 8-under 63 with 10 birdies over a 12-hole stretch to take a one-shot lead over Tyler Duncan and Tom Hoge. Three-time major champion Brooks Koepka, no. 3 in the world, was among nine players at 65.
Lahiri hit 14 of 18 greens in regulation had five birdies but also dropped four shots at the Trinity Forest course.
Sharma, Bhullar are par at British Masters
In Southport, Shubhankar Sharma, Gaganjeet Bhullar and S.S.P. Chawrasia all ran into rough weather even as 23-year-old invitee Matthew Jordan of England shot a stunning bogey free 63 to open up a two-shot lead over Marcus Kinhult and Matt Wallace on the opening day of the British Masters.
Tournament host, Tommy Fleetwood, who won the pre-event Hero Challenge, also got off to a fine start with a 68, but was still five behind Jordan. Fleetwood was one of the 10 players at T10.
On a cold day, Sharma birdied one of his final holes but missed the next one to give himself a chance to go into the weekend rounds as did Bhullar three birdies and three bogeys while two-time Indian Open winner Chawrasia shot a 76.
“I gave away some soft shots, though I did not hit bad. It was cold, but the weather during Pro-Am was colder. That last putt, if it had fallen, would have been nice, but I think I can pull back some tomorrow,” said British Masters debutant Sharma.
Also read: Moliwood’s Tommy to headline Hero Challenge on Liverpool waterfront
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