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Ashok Kumar wins TATA Open
India Blooms News Service
Jamshedpur, Nov 21 (IBNS) Delhi’s Ashok Kumar eased to a six-stroke win at the 9th TATA Open after returning a one over 70 in the final round on Sunday.
Ashok thus ended the tournament with a total of 16 under 160. Vijay Kumar finished as runner-up as he totaled 10 under 266.
Ashok Kumar’s win at Jamshedpur was his third of the season and it helped him climb from second position to first place in the 2010 Rolex Rankings as he took home the winner’s cheque worth Rs. 808,250.
The final round on Sunday had the same format as the third round. The entire field played nine holes each on both the courses, Beldih as well as Golmuri. While one half of the field teed off from Beldih, the other half began its round from Golmuri. Twenty-six golfers with the best scores at the end of round three teed off from Golmuri and finished at Beldih. The par for the combined courses was 69.
Ashok Kumar (59-65-66-70), the overnight leader by six strokes, was not at the top of his game in the final round but despite that he did not lose focus and managed to drive home the advantage with a sedate 70.
Ashok made eight pars and a bogey on the front nine to be one over at the turn. He then bogeyed the 10th as a result of missing a chip-putt and went two over for the day. Ashok thereafter shut the door on his nearest rivals with birdies on the 12th and 13th. The leader hit his tee shot out of bounds on the 16th and therefore dropped another bogey. However, he still managed to get home with a six-stroke cushion.
Ashok said, “I’m delighted to bag my third title of the year and be back on top in the Rolex Rankings. I was nowhere close to being at my best today. I struggled with my hitting and putting. I think the huge lead that I had built in the first two rounds got me home on the final day. I was also fortunate that Vijay Kumar and Manav Jaini, the other two top contenders, could not make a charge on the final day.”
Vijay Kumar (67-64-65-70) of Lucknow also shot a one over 70 on the final day to finish as the runner-up with a total of 10 under 266. Vijay’s last round included a birdie and two bogeys.
Delhi’s Vikrant Chopra (67-68-68-64), fired the day’s best score, a five under 64, to end the tournament in third place at nine under 267. Vikrant made six birdies against a lone bogey in round four.
Manav Jaini, another Delhi golfer, fired a three over 72 to secure fourth place as he totaled eight under 268 for the tournament.
Pune’s Gurki Shergill, the winner of the 8th TATA Open, finished in tied fifth along with Anura Rohana of Sri Lanka at six under 270.
Karan Taunk of Jamshedpur won the trophy for the best amateur score. Taunk, the lone amateur to make the cut, finished overall 35th, having totaled four over 280 for the tournament.
Navtez Singh of Jamshedpur secured tied 38th place at five over 281.
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