JOIN USChiragh pips Lahiri for title
Leading by five strokes after the end of round three, Anirban’s plans went haywire, and his fortunes took a turn and he wrapped up the day with a score of four-over 76 to finish joint second with Vikrant, who brought home a one-under 71 for an aggregate of 14-under 274.
As the mist enveloping the Jaypee greens made way for a shiny day, the final round turned into a thrilling plot as Vikrant raised his claim for the trophy while Anirban’s game crumbled.
Overnight placed second, Vikrant hit five birdies but a triple bogey at the 14th and a penaltydrop at the last hole culminated into a bogey to spoil his day after a brilliant morning.
Anirban succumbed to a series of mistakes and had 19 putts in his back nine and was left ruing his luck when he dropped a bogey at the par-3 17th hole and his last hole birdie putt lipped out, robbing him of a chance to go for a play-off with Chiragh, who curved his way into competition after a 17th hole birdie.
Slow and steady, Chiragh, who had finished second in the Indian Open at DGC recently, brought home a bogey-free round, studded with five birdies, four of which came at the back nine to win by a stroke with a total 273.
The Delhi golfer picked up a stroke at the seventh hole with a 30-feet putt and then hit consecutive birdies at the 10th and 11th. He parred the next three and gained another stroke at the 15th hole but it was the 50-feet birdie putt at the 17th that set the game for him.
Veteran Gaurav Ghei and Shamim Khan turned in a matching 67 to finish tied fourth at 275, while two-time winner Jyoti Randhawa finished sixth after carding 70 two strokes down. Ashok Kumar (71) signed off at 10th place. Om Prakash Chouhan (69) and Mithun Perera (69) signed off at tied seventh at 278. Himmat Rai (71) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (75) finished 11th and 22nd respectively with totals of 280 and 286.