By Rahul Banerji
On a day oftwists and turns, Udayan Mane turned in a gritty 3-under 69 that saw him win the PGTI’s season-ending Tata Steel Tour Championship by a one-shot margin in Jamshedpur on Sunday.
The Pune-based Olympian took it all as his second triumph at Jamshedpur also netted the PGTI Order of Merit title for the 2020-21 season, the PGTI said.
Mane (68-66-67-69) made six birdies, a bogey and a double for a tournament tally of 18-under 270 at the season’s showpiece event worth Rs. 1.5 crore played across the Beldih and Golmuri courses in Jamshedpur.
The tall and burly golfer, who made a 12-foot pressure putt for victory on the last hole, made it a year to remember as he followed up his Tokyo Olympics appearance with season’s earnings of Rs. 58,72,275.
Two-time Asian Tour winner Rashid Khan (70-72-66-63) matched the tournament’s lowest round of 9-under 63 on Sunday to climb 10 places and finish runner-up on 17-under 271.
Khan, who had an eagle and seven birdies on Sunday, gave himself a title opportunity and also a record fourth PGTI Order of Merit crown with a playoff looking likely at one stage.
Early push
Mane, overnight joint leader along with Shubhankar Sharma, seized the early initiative with three birdies in four holes that had two-putts on two par-5s.
A double-bogey on the eighth followed but Mane recovered with birdies on the 11th and 13th where he sank 10-feet putts.
Closest rivals Sharma and Veer Ahlawat dropped shots on the back nine to slip out of contention and Mane emerged outright favourite after a terrific up and down birdie from the bunker on 16 for a two-shot cushion at the top.
A bogey on 17 and an erratic drive on 18 gave Mane some anxious moments as clubhouse leader Rashid Khan was just one shot behind at that stage.
However, the 2019 Tata Steel Tour Championship winner produced a good approach shot and an ice-cool 12-foot par conversion on 18 to seal his 12th PGTI title and the Order of Merit crown.
Mane, who collected a winner’s purse of Rs. 22,50,000, leapfrogged Karandeep Kochhar and Chikkarangappa S. in the merit list based on season’s earnings.
He won an impressive four titles during the 2020-21 season and posted four other top-10s as well.
Mane said, “My mind was racing at the start of the day but I just calmed myself down by telling myself that it’s just another round of golf with my good pals Shubhankar and Veer and we’re just going to have a shootout.
“I had no idea about my Order of Merit chances until informed by Khalin Joshi and Chikkarangappa on the second day. It played in my mind but I knew that I still had to play good golf at the end of the day to win.
“On the final putt, I just had a simple mindset to start on my line and whatever happens it happens,
Tricky putt
“I just made sure to give it good speed. These putts can be tricky as they can just go by four to five feet so I was careful with the speed and gave it a good line. It came out perfect.
“I couldn’t believe that Rashid and me didn’t get into a playoff, because it felt like we were heading into one.
“I was able to put a good stroke on the winning putt and that’s when the entire cocktail of emotions that was brewing inside me through 18 holes just got released. It was a sweet feeling.
“The momentum changed on 10 where Shubhankar made a double-bogey, Veer made birdie and so Shubhankar was one behind me and Veer was one ahead. That’s when I felt that I had a really good chance.
“I thought my tee shot on 18 was heading out of bounds but luckily for me it hit a tree and fell back inside the rough, just 10 feet away from being out of bounds.
“But I had hit my wedges well all week so I trusted my wedge and putter for an up and down from 96 yards after I chipped-out of the rough.
“I like the courses here in Jamshedpur. That’s the reason I’ve won here twice. It’s a good test for the professionals to adapt from one course to another in the middle of the round.
“Winning the PGTI Order of Merit title is great for my confidence as I will head to the Asian Tour soon. I’d now like to carry this form to Asia,” added Udayan, who now wins a four-year exemption on the PGTI.
Rashid’s run
Rashid Khan, tied 30th after his first two rounds of 70 and 72, made a brilliant late run with scores of 66 and 63 in the last two rounds to make a strong comeback.
Rashid, who started with a 6-under on the front-nine at Golmuri on Sunday, added three more birdies on the back nine at Beldih during a flawless final round.
As a result of his runner-up finish, Khan jumped from ninth to fourth on the PGTI’s final money list.
Ahlawat (68-67-68-69), who was in the joint and outright lead for much of the day, made seven birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey during his last round of 69 to finish third on 16-under 272.
Veer was the joint leader with Udayan with three holes remaining but dropped out of the race with a bogey and double on 16 and 17 to finally finish fifth on the PGTI Rankings.
Two-time European Tour winner Shubhankar Sharma, overnight joint leader, shot a final round of 72 to take tied fourth place on 15-under 273 along with four-time European Tour winner S.S.P. Chawrasia (70).
Shubhankar’s challenge faded away on the back nine where he conceded three bogeys and a double in exchange for two birdies.
SSP’s nephew Sunit Chowrasia (69) finished tied sixth on 14-under 274 along with nine-time Asian Tour winner and defending champion Gaganjeet Bhullar (71).
Kochhar, winner of two events this season, finished T23 on 6-under 282 to take second place in the money list with earnings of Rs. 51,00,880.
Chikkarangappa was T12 in Jamshedpur with on 10-under 278 to finish third in the Order of Merit with season’s earnings of Rs. 48,07,880.
The two Jamshedpur-based professionals, Karan Taunk (6-over 294) and Kurush Heerjee (15-over 303), finished T63rd and 71st respectively.
Kartik is Emerging Player
Twenty-one-year-old Kartik Sharma won the PGTI Emerging Player of the Year title with season’s earnings of Rs. 18,22,750, the highest among the rookies.
The rangy left-hander trains at the DLF Golf Academy in Gurgaon.
Kartik, who claimed tied 47th place on even-par 288 at the season-ending event, clinched a creditable 18th place on the Order of Merit courtesy five top-10s in the season including a runner-up finish in Pune.
Also read: Sharma storms to a 63 for shared lead with Mane in Steel City
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