Vijay records title-win

Chennai, Sept 4: If Calcutta's Feroz Ali thought making up a four-stroke was akin to a Sunday stroll on the golf course, then he had anot...

Chennai, Sept 4: If Calcutta8217;s Feroz Ali thought making up a four-stroke was akin to a Sunday stroll on the golf course, then he had another thing coming. For, when it mattered most, pressure got the better of him and his three consecutive bogeys on the back nine left in the bunker, as it were, as Vijay Kumar won the Cosmo-Hindu Open tournament today, sparing six strokes.

The 31-year old from Lucknow and winner of Mahindra Golfer of the Year award two years running, kept his nerve to see off Feroz8217;s charge on the front nine to finish the event at a four-round total of 14-under 274, and richer by Rs 1.13 lakh. Feroz and Amritinder Singh both 280 shared the second spot with Gaurav Ghei 281 finishing fourth.

Incidentally, Vijay Kumar8217;s total was a tournament record, bettering Ghei8217;s winning score of 275 last year. Though Vijay did not play as well as he did in the previous three rounds and managed only an one-under 71, Feroz fared far worse with a one-over 73, while Ghei had far too much to do at thestart and his two-under 70, including an eagle on the sixth, left him well adrift of the leaders.

Amritinder Singh, meanwhile, brought in the day8217;s best card of five-under 67 which helped him jump two places from his overnight fourth.

All was over bar the shouting much before the last batch of Vijay, Ghei and Feroz trooped into the club house, a little past noon. Feroz bogeyed the 13th, 14th and 15th, and it virtually destroyed his chances, and, if anything, he was no Houdini to pick up nearly seven strokes on the final three holes.

Among amateurs, local challenger CV Yudhvir came up trumps with a four-round total of 304, well clear of second placed Vivek Vijayaraghavan 316.

TOP SCORES

Professionals: 274 8211; Vijay Kumar 69,66,68,71; 280 8211; Amritinder Singh 70,70,73,67, Feroz Ali 70,70,67,73; 281 8211; Gaurav Ghei 67,74,70,70; 285 8211; Mukesh Kumar 70,74,73,68, Rejwan Ali 69,73,73,70; 286 8211; Basad Ali 73,73,69,71, Amit Dube 72,73,68,73, Uttam Singh Mundy 75,68,70,73, Shiv Prakash71,69,73,73; 287 8211; Bhoop Singh 71,72,73,71; 288 8211; Devendra Patel 70,75,73,70; 289 8211; Gast Ram 69,74,73,73; 291 8211; Ali Sher 65,77,74,75; 292 8211; Indrajit Bhalotia 73,75,72,72, Manohar Dike 72,71,75,74, Rohtas Singh 74,70,73,75, Sanjay Kumar 71,74,71,76.

Amateurs: 304 8211; CV Yudhvir 76,70,80,78; 316 8211; Vivek Vijayaraghavan 75,80,82,79; 322 8211; Gaurav Syal 76,77,81,88; 324 8211; D Nagaraj 76,78,83,87.