Mukesh Kumar does the 'trick'
On a day when not a single golfer managed to break
par, Mukesh Kumar cruised to yet another landmark in an amazing golfing
career, winning his third straight crown on the Hero Honda Golf Tour's 2002-03
season.
Mukesh, who himself managed only a three-over 75 on Saturday, was the
only golfer to aggregate a sub-par finish to the Cotton City Open, at
the par-72, Coimbatore Golf Club.
The Mhow golfer's tally stood at two-under 286, which was enough to earn him victory and a whopping Rs 1,37,700.
Kolkata's Feroz Ali, who carded a triple bogey on the 14th hole, finished
second with a level-par 288 aggregate, while another Kolkatan, SSP
Chowrasia, finished tied third with Delhi pro Rohtas Singh at three-over
291.
Yet another Kolkata golfer, Mohd. Salim retuned his best finish on the
Hero Honda Golf Tour to tie for the fifth position with last year's Cotton
City Open winner, Shiv Prakash, at five-over 293.
Mukesh, who took his place on the first tee with a two-stroke cushion today,
erred early on to drop a shot on his opening hole. A birdie on the third
was followed by another bogey on the fourth and the 36-year old moved into
his back-nine at one-over and one stroke ahead of Feroz Ali. Thereafter,
Mukesh went on to drop shots on the 11th, 13th and 18th, with a lone birdie
on the 14th, handing him a day's score of three-over 75.
"I am very happy to have registered a hat-trick of wins. I have never done well in my
previous attempts in the Southern Swing. Hence it is a special moment for
me," said a beaming Mukesh.
"I was tensed after that one-stroke difference
on the 13th, but was confident I would catch up. That mistake of Feroz's
won the tournament for me," admitted the champion.
Feroz Ali will remember the par-3 14th hole for as long as he lives. The
Kolkata golfer, one stroke ahead of Mukesh at that stage, found a tree on the
right of the fairway with his ball landing a few meters away from the tee
box. His second shot was wide on the left of the green. He then
criss-crossed twice, hitting over the green before finally putting it for a
triple bogey. Mukesh grabbed the opportunity and sunk a birdie but, most
importantly, gained a four-stroke advantage, which carried him to the title
win.
Feroz's day began with two pars before his first bogey of the day
materialized on the third. A birdie on the next hole was followed by another
bogey birdie combination on the eighth and ninth. On his back-nine, Feroz
dropped a shot on the 11th and birdied the 13th, to move one stroke ahead of
Mukesh Kumar at that stage. Then the fateful incident occurred on the 14th.
Feroz pocketed Rs 95,200.
Meanwhile, V Ramnarayan won the amateurs title with an aggregate of 316 while
P Sivamurthy finished second with a total of 323.
Scores (after 72 holes): 286_Mukesh Kumar(68,70,73,75); 288_Feroz
Ali(68,70,75,75); 291_Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia(73,74,71,73), Rohtas
Singh(72,70,73,76); 293_Shiv Prakash(68,72,78,75), Mohd. Salim(71,69,76,77);
296_Ashok Kumar(72,77,74,73); 298_C Muniyappa(75,75,71,77), Rahil
Gangjee(70,81,69,78); 299_Pappan(72,80,76,71), Ajay Gupta(73,71,74,81);
301_Monish Bindra(73,77,76,75).
Amateurs: 316_V Ramnarayan (84, 82, 76, 74);
323 Joseph Chakola (81, 75, 86, 81).
Earlier reports
Mukesh Kumar set to perform a 'trick'
Mukesh Kumar, Feroz Ali in joint lead
