Randhawa keeps up an Indian streak

GURGAON, MARCH 19: There is a strange chemistry between Jyoti Randhawa and the South African Sammy Daniels, and the Indian isbeginning to ...

GURGAON, MARCH 19: There is a strange chemistry between Jyoti Randhawa and the South African Sammy Daniels, and the Indian isbeginning to relish it. But if things continue the waythey did here at the Wills Indian Open 2000 — andbefore that at the Hero Honda Masters in 1999 –Daniels is not going to be too pleased about it.

For the second time in a row, Daniels was pipped atthe post by Randhawa, who with a win in the secondplay-off hole, won his third Davidoff APGA title in amatter of 18 months. It also meant that no foreignerhas won on Indian soil in any APGA event for fiveevents in a row. Randhawa had his biggest payday withthe winner’s cheque of US$50,010 as two otherIndians, Gaurav Ghei (tied for third) and Yusuf Ali(tied for tenth) finished in the top 10.

Randhawa carded a final day 69 for his 15-under 273,while Daniels whipped up a seven-under 65 for his 273.Gaurav Ghei, always a danger man on the final day, maywell have got into the play-off but for a botched 18thhole, where he messed his drive. He only parred ahole, which on today’s form could have been a birdiefor him. He carded a six-under 66 and tied for thethird place with five others, Mike Cunning, FelixCasas, Trevor Immelman and Gilberto Morales.

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The end when it came for Daniels was almost ananti-climax. After playing brilliant golf for most theday, he ruined it all at one hole, the 18th not oncebut twice. First he bogeyed in normal play and then inthe first play-off hole which was again at the 18th,he first parred to halve it. In the second play-offhole, again on the 18th, he went out of bounds in theleft bushes to be docked two strokes. It was all over.Randhawa calmly but safely brought home the IndianOpen for the third year in a row after Firoze Ali andArjun Atwal before him.

"I felt a bit sorry for Daniels," said Randhawa, whoalso pipped him at the Hero Honda Masters last year.Then Daniels had been distracted on the final putt bya unruly spectator, and this time he messed ithimself. The Randhawa-Daniels association began withthe Singapore Open last year, when both tied for thethird place. Thereafter Randhawa has had the better ofhim. "Maybe I am lucky when I have to fight it outwith him," added Randhawa, who has now won all fourtimes he has teed off on Indian soil in this seasonbeginning from the Hero Honda Masters in October 1999."I am really proud of it and to me winning theNational Open of your country is really a greatfeeling," he added.

On a day, when overnight leaders, Cunning, Casas andYusuf Ali, apart, there were some sparkling golf fromDaniels and Ghei, who were in the same three-ball.Then there was Randhawa, who displayed a great deal ofmaturity as he sensed a probable win as he came closeto the 18th green. "Avoiding greediness is a virtue ofthe champions is what my coach, Kel Llewellyn told meonce. And that’s why I wanted to play safe, once Iknew I only had to par to win comfortably," saidRandhawa of Daniels’ misfortunes on the second hole ofthe play-off. When the steady Randhawa finished his round atthree-under 69 for the day, he was 15-under for thetournament, the same score as Daniels, who had burntup the course with his six under front nine. The bigburly South African had another birdie on the tenthand then cooled off to finish at seven-under 65. On agreat day, when he tamed this huge course, which alsosome wind for the first time, it was the 18th thattripped him not once but twice.

In the regulation play, Daniels three-putted from 10feet and dropped a hole. "I thought going 17-underwould win me the title," he said. Instead the man, whoonce shot a final day 61 to rocket up from 40th tosecond place in an event in Kenya, finished 15-under."But maybe I should be happy with second as I did notput myelf in a position to win after three days,"mused Daniels. But losing the play-off did hit himhard.

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Meanwhile Randhawa, wh has putted well the wholeweek, birdied the 14th to go 15-under kept his cooland stayed there. "I did not know I needed a birdiefor a win. Sammy’s name was not there on the board atthe 18th tee, but when I reached the green, I saw onthe other giant leaderboard that he had finished15-under. But I could do nothing. I had played safe andnow I could only par to go into the play-off," saidRandhawa of the situation.

Yusuf Ali finished with a 73 and ended joint tenth,while Vivek Bhandari was the next best Indian at10-under 278 with a final day 71. Defending championArjun Atwal had a par round and finished at nine-under279 and tied for the 20th place, a disappointingfinish for a man who was in contention after two days.

Final scores

1-2. 273 – Jyoti Randhawa (Ind) 66, 68, 70, 69; SammyDaniels (RSA) 68, 71, 69, 65 (Jyoti Randhawa won on the second hole in play-off). 3-6. 274 – Andrew Bonhomme (Aus) 70, 70, 68, 66; FelixCasas (Phi) 66, 65, 72, 71; Gaurav Ghei (Ind) 70, 69,69, 66; Mike Cunning (US) 68, 67, 66, 73; TrevorImmelman (RSA) 70, 67, 67, 70; Gilberto Morales (Ven)72, 67, 66, 69. 9. 275 – Jim Rutledge (Can) 68, 71, 68, 68.10-14. 276 – Prayad Marksaeng (Tha) 68, 70, 68, 70;Yeh Wei Tze (Tpe) 70, 68, 70, 68; Danny Zarate (Phi)68, 71, 71, 66; Yusuf Ali (Ind) 70, 66, 67, 73; JamesKingston (RSA) 70, 70, 68, 68. 15-16. 277 – Hendrik Buhrmann (RSA) 70, 66, 69, 72; Nico Van Resnburg (RSA) 68, 66, 74, 68. 17-20. 278 – Vivek Bhandari (Ind) 70, 68, 69, 71; Justin Hobday (RSA) 69, 69, 68, 72; Ross Bain (Sco)70, 70, 68, 70; Andre Cruse (RSA) 69, 69, 68, 72. 21-26. 279 – Arjun Atwal (Ind) 68, 66, 73, 72; Thammanoon Sriroj (Tha) 71, 72, 69, 67; Lin Fu-Chin(Tpe) 70, 65, 75, 69; Robert Huxtable (US) 67, 71, 70,71; Nam Young Woo (Kor) 69, 70, 69, 71; Simon Dyson(Eng) 66, 74, 68, 71. 27-28. 280 – Gary Rusnak (US) 68, 70, 72, 70; DesvondeBotes (RSA) 73, 66, 72, 69. 29-33. 281- Chung Joon (Kor) 67, 70, 72, 72; Thongchai Jaidee (Tha) 70, 70, 65, 76; Adrian Percey (Aus) 68,70, 72, 71; Shinchi Akiba (Jpn) 70, 70, 72, 69; BradWilson (US) 67, 70, 74, 70. 34-36. 282 – Richard Kaplan (RSA) 68, 71, 71, 72;Mardan Mamat (Sin) 70, 70, 69, 73; Chris Williams(RSA) 70, 69, 71, 72