The regulars at the Delhi Golf Club may have a two-time Asian Tour winner practicing among them next year. After the 24-year-old rookie Rikard Karlberg won the Indian Open with a 11-under 277 his second title at the DGC in nine months the Swede confessed the course was so special for him that he might just shift base and practice here. I cant tell you how overwhelming it is,the SAIL Open here marked my first ever Tour win,and now this big title,what this golf course has given me is a turnover in my life, Karlberg said. More than anything it is the way in which Karlberg finished his round that makes him an exceptional rookie. Ardent spectators mulled over a play-off after he hit an errant tee shot on the deciding 18th hole that landed out of the fairway. To add to his woes his next shot went to the rough from where he hit outside the course and into the stands. After taking a drop,Karlberg walked to the ball with a defeated look but it was a guise to his thoughts that were visualising the putt. And from the fringes,Karlberg managed to chip a 17-footer for a birdie to roar into celebrations. With his prize money cheque $1,98,125,his family,Karlberg says,can expect some big Christmas presents. But the biggest gift he has given himself before the festivities begin is the three-year exemption from the Asian Tour,for which the Swede says he owes the DGC repeated visits. The tale of another rookie And what ended as a dream run for one rookie,pushed another rookie Baek Seuk-hyun to the second spot with a nine-under 279. Inexperience and nerves seemed to get the better of the 20-year-old as he couldnt consolidate on his overnight lead despite an eagle on the back nine. I missed an easy putt at the very first hole and since then I was nervous till the par five where I made the eagle but I again bogeyed the next and with Rikards fantastic play,you cant catch up after that, Baek said. But apart from the trophy that he failed to clinch,the nobody on the circuit even Tour officials claim hes a name theyve never heard before has not only secured a one year exemption but this week has given him a fighting spirit and a belief in his game. Jainis near miss That way,the tournament has been life giving for several others. And Sunday specially,could have recorded another winner,and that too an Indian one had Manav Jaini held on to his 11-under lead. With three back-to-back birdies to begin with Jainis card was bogey free on the front nine. And then came the 16th hole Jainis trouble area for the whole week where he bogeyed and followed it up with another on the next. The heartbreak of the two shots he dropped could be well be the reason for a close putt missed on the last hole which made him finish tied third with a eight-under 280. Slowly but steadily,Arjun Atwal also moved towards the top with a seven-under 281 to finish tied fifth along with PGTI rankings leader Ashok Kumar and the 45-year old Mukesh Kumar,who chipped from the rough for a birdie on the 18th. That was a putt worth at least five lakhs for me. I had to put my 30 years of playing golf into it, Mukesh said. Meanwhile,Shiv Kapur,after struggling with his putting for the whole week,turned on the heat with a five-under 67,the day's best round,to finish tied third anothe near miss at home for the 28-year-old after finishing second at SAIL Open behind,of course,Karlberg. Final scores 277 Rikard Karlberg (Sweden); 279 Baek Seuk-hyun (Korea); 280 Manav Jaini,Shiv Kapur (both India); 281 Mukesh Kumar,Ashok Kumar,Arjun Atwal (all India),Marcus Both (Aus),Siddikur (Bangladesh); 282 Unho Park (Aus),Jbe Kruger (SAfrica),Prayad Marksaeng (Thailand)
