Ashbeer scrapes through

Bangalore’s Khalin Joshi almost caught up with Ashbeer but a three-putt from just off the green on the final hole cost him the chance to take the tie into a playoff. Khalin carded a round of four-over 75 and had to be content with a runner-up finish at 13-over 297.

While the junior most category saw a very close finish,it wasn’t expected to be that tight in Category A,as Ashbeer went into the final day with a seemingly unassailable seven-shot lead. Despite a five-over 40 on the front-nine,Ashbeer still enjoyed a cushion of five strokes. He consolidated on that lead with a birdie on the short par-4 10th but after that his game suddenly came apart.

A string of bogeys,whittled down his lead to just three shots going into the last two holes. A double bogey on the par-4 17th,reduced the margin to just two shots. Despite the scare,it looked like he had done enough to clinch the title but more drama followed on the final hole with Ashbeer making bogey again and giving Khalin a shot at redemption.

With his second shot almost making it on to the green,Khalin needed to negotiate a tricky downhill putt,and two putts from there would have been good enough to get into a playoff with Ashbeer.

But after having secured a thrilling win earlier in the season,where he came back with three consecutive birdies on the last three holes to beat Ashbeer,a late charge was not going to repeat itself. His first putt went by a few feet and he missed the return putt to settle with a par,finishing one behind the eventual winner.