JOIN USLocal lad Udayan Mane wrapped up a commanding pole-to-finish triumph in the Tata Steel Karnataka Amateur Golf Championship here on Friday.
Leading by three shots overnight, Mane completed victory by the same margin after he and his nearest rival, Syed Saqib Ahmed, shot matching two-under 70s at the Eagleton Golf Resort. Mane totalled 276 for the tournament.
Jaibir Singh (70), who shared the lead with Mane after the opening round, signed off third at 285 while Southern India Amateur Championship winner Samarth Dwivedi (73) finished fourth at 289.
In control
Unlike Thursday where he fought tooth and nail with Saqib before pulling clear just after the turn, Mane was in control of the proceedings for most of the day. He birdied whenever Saqib birdied, rarely allowing the pressure to get to him.
Making his intentions clear, Mane picked up a shot on the opening hole itself but dropped one on the third. Birdies on the fifth, sixth and eighth holes put him five shots ahead at the turn, giving him some breathing space.
After a bogey-birdie on the 12th and 13th, Mane played percentage golf for the remaining part of the round, safeguarding his four-shot lead, a bogey on the closing 18th causing no damage to his victory celebrations.
Leading scores (after 72 holes): 276: Udayan Mane (69, 68, 69, 70); 279: Syed Saqib Ahmed (74, 66, 69, 70); 285: Jaibir Singh (71, 72, 72, 70); 289: Samarth Dwivedi (72, 70, 74, 73); 290: Trishul Chinnappa (71, 74, 73, 72), Gagan Verma (74, 70, 74, 72); 291: Viraj Madappa (72, 78, 67, 74); 292: Yash Jindal (71, 69, 79, 73).