Shiv, Mukesh in summit clash

“I played very good golf today but somehow it slipped out of my hand,” said Bhalotia who was one of the hot favourites, even though he his going through a lean season thanks to a swing change.

Infact the Calcutta pro was almost in line for an encore after leading by a stroke after 13 holes. And had it not been for an out of bounds shot with the second shot on the 16th, Bhalotia probably would not have been playing for the third-place play-off tomorrow.

I t isinteresting to note that Bhalotia had almost committed the mistake in the quarter-final yesterday. But he was lucky to come to rest just inside the wall using a 1-iron which at approximately 220-yards was ideal with a 2-iron. Bhalotia decided to go still more easy with the 1-iron today, as he does not carry a 2-iron with him, but failed to control the shot.

Not to take credit from Mukesh who played one of his best games of the season. “I played solidly today,” said the Mhow pro who had a bogey free three-under par round studded with an eagle on the 494-yard par-5 fourth.

The match came to an end on the par-three 17th when Bhalotia teed way to the left. But he doughed the second to land in the bunker and it was curtains for him.

It was a confidence personified Shiv Prakash today as he marched he marches his way into the final. Incidentally, Shiv had lost to eventual winner Bhalotia in the semi-final last year. And after squandering a two stroke lead to let Johl move into the lead on the 13th, manymight have imagined him to go the same way this year.

But the see-saw game continued with ultimately both going all-square on the final greens. Johl then needed to sink a 15-feet putt for a birdie which he two-putted. Prakash was comfortably placed with a six feet putt for a birdie. And the Kanpur pro generally makes no mistakes with those.

RESULTS (Semi-finals)

5-Mukesh Kumar bt 8-Indrajit Bhalotia 2/1, 2-Shiv Prakash bt 14-Amandeep Johl 1 up.