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Events |
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DLF Masters 2008
September 21, 2008
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Jyoti
Randhawa retained his DLF
Masters crown when he edged out
veteran Mukesh Kumar by one
stroke at the DLF Golf & Country
Club on Sunday. Randhawa shot a
one under 71 in round four to
total eight under 280 for the
tournament. Mukesh Kumar, on the
other hand produced a fabulous
round of five under 67 to finish
one stroke behind Randhawa at
seven under 281.
Randhawa has now registered four
wins out of four starts on the
PGTI and has also climbed to
10th on the PGTI Order of Merit
after taking home the winner's
cheque of Rs. 12,93,200. Mukesh
Kumar is the current leader on
the PGTI Order of Merit as a
result of his second place
finish at the DLF Masters. He
was third on the order of merit
prior to the DLF Masters 2008.
Jyoti Randhawa (72, 68, 69, 71)
recorded his first win since the
2007 Indian Open thanks to a
solid final round of one under
71 at his home course. Randhawa
began poorly with a double bogey
on the second where he landed
his tee shot in the left rough.
He soon recovered by sinking a
birdie on the third. The
defending champion made another
birdie on the ninth to make the
turn at even par. He then made
pars all the way till the 14th.
Mukesh Kumar in the meantime,
had caught up with Randhawa as
both had totals of seven under.
Jyoti once again took the
outright lead when he knocked
down a birdie on the 15th. He
slipped back into the joint lead
with Mukesh for a brief period
after dropping a bogey on the
17th and then sealed his win by
making a 20 feet two-putt for
birdie on the 18th.
Randhawa, elated after his
long-awaited win said, "This win
is of great significance for me
because I have not been in the
best of form recently. I think I
was trying too hard to win in
the early part of the tournament
and that's why I was not at the
top of my game. But today I felt
great in the morning while
practicing and knew that a solid
performance was round the
corner.
"Mukesh gave me a tough fight
and I did get a little nervy
towards the end. But all said
and done I am glad that I came
through. This win is a good
return to form for me."
Randhawa added, "I always feel
highly motivated when I am
playing in India because people
expect a lot from me. At DLF the
home course advantage also
weighed in my favour."
Mukesh Kumar (72, 72, 70, 67)
ended a creditable second after
shooting the day's best round.
The four time winner on the PGTI
in the 2007-08 season began his
round with a birdie on the
first. He then sank two more
birdies on the sixth and seventh
to make the turn at three under.
Thereafter, back-to-back birdies
on the 10th and 11th brought him
on level terms with Randhawa at
seven under.
Mukesh dropped back into second
when he bogeyed the 12th. He
then birdied the 15th to be the
joint leader once again. The
professional from Mhow parred
the last three holes even as
Randhawa shot ahead with two
birdies and a bogey on his last
four holes.
Mukesh said, "I played a good
round today as I hit all the
fairways. However, my putting
let me down because I missed two
three feet putts for birdie and
a four feet putt for eagle on
the sixth. I gave myself a
number of chances but could not
convert them. The biggest
disappointment was my third shot
on the 18th. I hit a chip shot
from the left edge of the 18th
green which went over the green.
Had I hit that shot closer to
the pin, I would have had a
great birdie opportunity. A
birdie at that stage would have
put the pressure back on
Randhawa."
Mukesh added, "Even though I
lost out on the title, it feels
great to be back on top in the
PGTI Order of Merit."
Ashok Kumar (72, 73, 70, 68)
capped his week with a brilliant
68 to finish third at five under
283. Ashok sank two eagles and
four birdies while he dropped
strokes with two bogeys and a
double bogey.
Gaganjeet Bhullar (67, 72, 72,
75) and Shamim Khan (72, 70, 69,
75) were both tied fourth at two
under 286.
Arjun Singh (71, 72, 70, 78)
secured seventh place with an
overall score of three over 291.
Rahul Ganapathy (73, 73, 76, 74)
and Harmeet Kahlon's (68, 76,
74, 78) matching totals of eight
over 296 helped them finish tied
15th.
Harendra Gupta (71, 74, 74, 79)
was two strokes behind Ganapathy
in tied 22nd place.
Digvijay Singh (73, 74, 77, 78)
ended the tournament at 14 over
302 and secured a share of 32nd
place.
In the team championship, Ashok
Kumar (professional), Mukesh
Kumar (professional) and Mr.
Gagan Verma's (amateur) team
emerged victorious with a net
score of 133.
The team comprising of Pappan
(professional), Chiragh Kumar
(professional) and Mr. Varun
Verma (amateur) came in second
with a net score of 135.
In the closest to the pin
contest for the amateurs, Mr.
Sharad Misra emerged victorious
as his tee shot landed merely
four feet nine inches short of
the pin on the par three 11th
hole.
Amateur golfer Ms. Neelam Pratap
Rudy won the longest drive
contest for amateurs on the 12th
hole. Her drive measured 252
yards.
The straight drive contest was
also at stake for the amateurs
on the fifth hole. Mr. Steward
Baker won this competition as
his drive was just four feet
five inches away from the centre
of the fairway.
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Results: Final Round |
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Results: Round 3 |
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Results: Round 2 |
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Results: Round 1 |
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