Vijay Kumar wins

PUNE, Dec 13: The Poona Club golf course seems to be a happy hunting ground for 30-year-old Lucknow pro Vijay Kumar, who continued with h...

PUNE, Dec 13: The Poona Club golf course seems to be a happy hunting ground for 30-year-old Lucknow pro Vijay Kumar, who continued with his success saga in the city, defending the Wills Western Open title for the second year, today.

With a par-71 round on the final day, Vijay ended up with an aggregate of five-under 279 to add the third title of the season — after the Surya Nepal Open and Aravalli Open. Interestingly, Vijay last year too picked up his third title when he won the Western Open here.

The final winning margin was five-strokes as second placed Mukesh Kumar, who had a disastrous inward journey on the 54th hole on Saturday, today went one-over 72 for a 284 total and in the process finished joint second with seasoned campaigner Ali Sher who had an identical card as Mukesh.

Playing the outward-nine two under — with birdies on the 8th and 9th, Vijay, undid his good work on the par-4 13th with a bogey. A birdie on the 14th, thanks to a 18-foot putt effort, again helped him regain his two-stroke advantage which by then had virtually assured him the title however not before going through some anxious moments.

On the par-3 16th, a bad chip from the bunker fell just 10-feet shorter of the pin which failed to be sunk thereafter. The bad luck continued onto the 17th hole too for Vijay, as he simply failed putting an essay but tricky two-and-a-half foot putt — going straight on a pin position which needed to be negotiated from right to left, thus giving away the two-stroke advantage.

With Vijay, confirming victory on the par-5 18th, the focus was the second spot which was fought to the wire between Ali Sher and Mukesh Kumar.

Mukesh, keeping aside the 18th hole blues of Saturday, played his second shot past the water hazard to end up at the bottom edge of the mount, ahead of the green. His chip left Mukesh with a 20-yard putt which when negotiated on the gradient went beyond the pin for a four-feet return putt, which he parred.

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Ali, who toured the course alongside Vijay and Mukesh, on the otherhand was in with a big chance to pull abreast with Mukesh on the 72nd hole lining himself with a brilliant 15-feet putt for a birdie. The equation which he faced, prior to the putt read — a putt meant sharing the second spot, while a miss would relegate him to third spot.

“I was confident prior to the putt,” informed Ali and true to expectations he sunk the ball to a loud applause. In the end, the law of averages seemed to go against Mukesh as the sitter’ three foot putts he missed on the par-3 2nd and par-4 3rd did him in. For Ali it was a courageous last tour of the course, considering that he began dropping a stroke each on the first three holes, which he held up well later on. Vijay not only pocketed the Rs 99,960 cash prize, but also earned 20 points for his win which narrows the gap between him and Shiv Prakash (Kanpur; 178 points) to a lone point in current Mahindra golf rankings so far.

Rajeev Datar wins: Playing one-over for the day, Rajeev Datar pocked the amateur title scoring an aggregate of 306, with his high-point being a 35-yard putt on the 7th. Sandeep Phalnikar (336) finished runners-up.

Scores (72 holes; par 284)

Pros: 279 — V Kumar (Lucknow; 77, 74, 67, 67); 284 M Kumar (Mhow; 72, 73, 69, 70), A Sher (Delhi; 72, 71, 69, 72); 287 — A Singh (Chd; 71, 72, 74, 70); 292 — G Ram (Delhi; 77, 70, 74, 71); 296 — Y Ali (Cal; 78, 72, 74, 72), Dinesh Raghuvanshi (Pune; 72, 78, 70, 76); 297 — I Bhalotia (Cal; 76, 77, 68, 76), R Ali (Cal; 74, 77, 73, 73); B Ali (Cal; 71, 73, 75, 78).