Shannon Tan of Singapose poses with her Hero Women’s Indian Open trophy at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurgaon on Sunday. The result also sealed her climb to the top of the Ladies European Tour’s season-long Order of Merit. Image courtesy HWIO.
By Rahul Banerji
Shannon Tan pulled off a surprise victory in the Hero Women’s Indian Open on Sunday without even being involved in the closing minutes at Gurgaon’s DLF Golf and Country Club.
Sitting in the clubhouse on a tournament total of 7 under par 271 and waiting for Alice Hewson to complete the formalities of victory, the 21-year-old instead saw the title literally fall into her lap as the Englishwoman double-bogeyed the final hole.
Tan (68-73-73-67) had arrived at the course on Sunday morning seven shots off the lead.
She left for Singapore in the evening as the Hero Women’s Indian Open champion, an outcome she would not realistically have expected even with the day’s best round.
It was a disappointing end to overnight leader Hitaashee Bakshi’s hopes of a first hone win in the national Open in nine years which would have brought her a plethora of benefits.
Instead, her challenge evaporated inside the first nine holes with a flurry of bogeys and a controversial double-bogey on the par-5 hole 8 when her tee shot was adjudged to have slipped into the adjoining water body.
Long gap
After close to 25 minutes needed to take a decision, Hitaashee (76) had to trudge back to the tee box for her third shot a resultant seven that effectively ended her chances.
A third place finish was however, some consolation, and the news that she did well enough to secure playing rights on the Ladies European Tour for next year.
Pranavi Urs (72) was a solid fourth on 4 under 284 and LET rookie Avani Prashanth (71) was tied for fifth on 3 under 285.
Vani Kapoor (74) took a share of tenth place to give India its best-ever finish at the national women’s Open with three in teh top five and four in the top 10.
For Tan, though, the day had only happy tidings. The Singapore player has had a stellar year with a win and a host of top 10 finishes before travelling to India.
The DLF result confirmed her climb to the top of the Ladies European Tour Order of Merit as well, displacing season-long leader Mimi Rhodes of England, who leaves India second in the rankings.
“I think I’m still pretty much in shock about what happened,” Tan said holding her trophy. “I didn’t know what was happening back there. Someone then said I’m still in the race and I asked what’s going on and figured out what happened back there.”
Off line
Hewson’s drive was off line and her second shot found the rough, which needed a penalty drop. She still had a chance to force a playoff with a five-foot bogey putt but saw the ball slide past the cup, and the title slip away.
“I had a really solid day overall,” the Englishwoman (72), who brought in her third straight finish inside the top 12 on the DLF course, said.
“I had a couple of loose tee shots out there today, but fought hard throughout the round and made some really nice par putts..
“It was just one loose drive on 18, which unfortunately led to a double bogey, but I couldn’t be happier for Shannon. If you can’t win yourself, it’s always good when you see one of your mates win out here too.”
In the dark
Added Tan, “I didn’t really know what was going on in the group behind me until maybe hole 15 and I was like, I’m really back and knowing DLF, the closing holes can be quite challenging.
“So I just told myself to just keep sticking to the game plan and try give myself more chances.”
For DLF home player Hitaashee, it was not the ending she had hoped for. “Honestly, since yesterday, my mind was only on number one. But it’s okay, I mean that’s golf, right?
“You can be playing your best golf ever, but not get the result you want and this was one of those days.
“On the other hand, I’ve just been told that I have kind of secured my full card on the European Tour for next year and that sounds really nice.
“I’m being given a spot on the Taiwan Open and I’m going to see if I will be playing that or not, haven’t confirmed it yet. Maybe that’s the next one that I play.”
Among the other Indians to make the cut, amateur Zara Anand (74) was tied for 15th and Amandeep Drall (76) was in a share of 20th p;ace. Diksha Dagar (79) finished T41.
Also read: Hitaashee takes three-shot lead into Title Sunday on home track
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