Vijay Kumar wins TNGF Open
Vijay Kumar, riding on his new-found confidence, bagged his
second successive title on the Hero Honda Golf Tour with a three-stroke win
at the Rs One million TNGF Open, at the Cosmo-TNGF golf course on Saturday.
Vijay, who had annexed the Hero Honda Open South crown last week in Bangalore, played to
two-over 74 on Saturday with his tournament tally standing at 12-under 276.
The Lucknow golfer pocketed Rs 1,62,000 for his win, which propelled him to the
top spot on the Order of Merit for the current season.
Thrice 'Champion Golfer of the Year' award winner Mhow's Mukesh Kumar was
forced to share the tied-second position with Kolkata's SSP Chaurasia,
courtesy a splendid final round 68 by the latter.
The duo, who each aggregated nine-under 279, earned Rs 87,500 apiece. Two other Kolkatans,
Feroz Ali and Uttam Singh Mundy, shared the joint fourth spot with a score
of eight-under 280. Chandigarh's Ranjit Singh finished sixth at 281 while
Delhi's Pappan occupied the seventh spot at 282.
Vijay began with a birdie and fired another one on the seventh. However, the
33-year-old pro who won the Hindu Open on this very course in 2000, suddenly
bogeyed the fifth, eighth, 14th and 15th.
"I was disgusted with my putting today. In a way I should thank Mukesh who also had problems with his
putting," said the Indian Open 2002 winner. "I am now aiming for a hat-trick
of wins," chuckled the winner.
Mukesh Kumar, known for his consistency, could have grabbed the opportunity.
However, luck was not on his side as the ball kissed the edge of the hole on
a couple of occasions where he could have scored a birdie.
"It was a big lead. I wasn't putting well," said Mukesh, who had just two birdies on the
second and 18th with bogeys on the 13th, 14th and the par-three 17th in his
score of one-over 73.
"I missed some easy putts but there is always a next time," said the ever-smiling golfer from Mhow.
Sharing the honours with Mukesh was SSP Chaurasia who could have possibly
made his own the sole second spot had he not missed an easy par on the 16th.
"It was a good round. I am happy with my hitting and putting," said the
24-year-old who had birdies on the first, eighth, 11, 14th and 18th with a
bogey on the 16th.
"I want to take tournament by tournament," said the
Sharada Plywood sponsored Chowrasia, who won the Sir Padampat Singhania Open
in 2001 and finished runner-up in the Indian Open in 1999.
Meanwhile amateur Sandeep Syal returned a card of one-under to win the
amateur title at two-under 286. Syal also finished a commendable joint 11th
overall.
SCORES (after 72 holes): 276 Vijay Kumar (64, 68, 70, 74); 279 Mukesh Kumar
(69, 67, 70, 73); SSP Chaurasia (71, 69, 71, 68); 280 Feroz Ali ((72, 67,
73, 68), Uttam Singh Mundy (67, 70, 70, 73); 281 Ranjit Singh (74, 66, 73,
68); 282 Pappan (67, 73, 70, 72); 283 S Madaiah (72, 72, 70, 69); 284 Ali
Sher (72, 72, 71, 69), Digvijay Singh (71, 74, 69, 70).
Amateurs: 286 Sandeep Syal (71, 73, 71, 71); 297 C Yudhvir (76, 77, 72, 72);
299 B Gurunath (76, 75, 71, 77); 304 L Selvadurai (76, 75, 77, 76).
