By Rahul Banerji
Shiv Kapur won his first-ever PGTI title, beating Rashid Khan in a playoff at the Rs. 1.5 crore Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational 2021 in Chandigarh on Sunday.
The tournament was decided in a playoff for the fourth year in succession.
Dubai-based Kapur (64-68-67-70) and Delhi’s Khan (65-67-69-68) were locked at 19-under 269 after regulation play having shot final rounds of 70 and 68 respectively at the Chandigarh Golf Club.
Tokyo Olympian Udayan Mane (69-68-67-67) took third place on 17-under 271 with a second straight 67.
Shiv, a six time international winner, who also has two previous wins on the Indian domestic tour pre-PGTI, came up with a brilliant second shot from the rough to make a two-putt for par on the playoff hole.
Two-time Asian Tour winner Rashid hit his second shot into the water to effectively end his challenge after a fine run on the day, the PGTI said.
Rough start
Kapur, the overnight leader by one shot, struggled with his hitting and dropped three shots on the front nine against just one birdie.
A monster 50-foot birdie conversion on 11 was to be the defining moment of the day for him.
Thereafter, Kapur kept landing it within six feet to pick up birdies on 13, 16 and 17.
He missed a four-footer for birdie and outright victory on 18 but came back in the playoff to lift the title at his close friend Jeev Milkha Singh’s event and take home the winning cheque worth Rs. 24,24,750.
Shiv said, “It was not my prettiest round of golf. I had no rhythm and was all over the place, to begin with. The first bit of good luck I had was with the long putt on 11.
“That’s when I told my caddie that this is like the fourth quarter of a basketball game and we can get back.
“I then had a good back nine and am proud of the way I came back and won despite not having my A-game. I was pretty happy with the way I played the last three holes.
“Heading into the playoff, one doesn’t have much time to think. You have to go for broke as it’s like a match-play situation.
Going for it
“I hit my driver a bit left in the rough. I knew I had to make a birdie there so I went for the flag and ended up hitting a great second shot. It has to be one of my special wins, as it’s my first on the PGTI.
“Winning Jeev’s event is also special since he’s like my elder brother and his family is like my second family. Without Jeev’s guidance, I wouldn’t be half the player I am.
“There could be no better preparation for the upcoming Asian Tour events as I put myself in contention, felt the pressure coming down the stretch and then closed out a win.
“The season’s just begun for me. All the effort in practice and at the gym is paying off,” added Kapur, who last won at the Chandigarh Golf Club as a 15-year-old junior golfer.
Rashid Khan, two shots off the lead at the start of the day, was steady on the front nine with two birdies and a bogey before emerging as a contender with a much better back nine that saw him make three birdies.
Rashid, a three-time PGTI Order of Merit champion, sank a 30-foot birdie putt on 17. He made par on 18 but found the water with his second shot on the playoff hole from a bad lie.
Missing out again
Khan had earlier lost out in a marathon playoff to local lad Ajeetesh Sandhu at the 2019 edition of the event.
Rashid took home a cheque worth Rs. 16,74,750 to climb from 16th to seventh in the PGTI Order of Merit.
While Pune-based Mane ended third, two shots behind the winner, Chandigarh’s Aadil Bedi, overnight second one off the lead, closed the week in fourth after a final round of 72 took his tally to 16-under 272.
Kshitij Naveed Kaul of Delhi was fifth on 15-under 273.
Four other Chandigarh golfers finished inside the top-10 — Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (T6 on 12-under 276), Abhijit Singh Chadha (eighth on 11-under 277), former champion Ajeetesh Sandhu and last year’s champion Karandeep Kochhar (T10 on 9-under 279).
Kochhar stays the PGTI Order of Merit leader with season’s earnings of Rs. 49,59,880.
Gaganjeet Bhullar shot the day’s best score of 66 to finish tied 13th on 8-under 280, S.S.P. Chawrasia and former champion Chikkarangappa S. were T16 on 7-under 281 while Jyoti Randhawa was T33 on 3-under 285.
US-based Varun Chopra won the trophy for the best amateur as he closed the week in tied 26th on 4-under 284.
Also read: Kapur holds an edge in final round of Jeev Invitational 2021
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