Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, who missed most of the 2004-05 Amby Valley PGAI Tour season due to fractured wrist, put that very wrist to brilliant use to romp home to a convincing win at the Rs One million Sir Padampat Singhania Open, at the par-72, Noida Golf Course on Saturday.
Chowrasia's tally of eight-under 280 courtesy a final round 73 was six better than friend and roommate Rafick Ali's aggregate of 286.
Chowrasia pocketed Rs 1,62,000 for his triumph while Rafick had to settle for Rs 1,12,000.
Rafick leapfrogged ahead of Sir Padampat Sighania Sports Academy-sponsored
Kanpur pro Shiv Prakash courtesy a round of 69. Shiv had to settle for tied-third position with Chandigarh's Ranjit Singh at one-under 287.
Another Chandigah golfer, Amritinder Singh finished fourth at level-par 288.
Chowrasia is a delighted man. Anybody who has had a forced lay-off from the sport for over six months would be if they managed a win in only their fifth come-back appearance. Surprisingly, Rafick Ali, who though forced into the second position, was actually a beneficiary of his friend's win. The duo, two of the best friends on the Amby Valley PGAI Tour have a unique deal going. The winner, on any Amby Valley PGAI Tour event, buys the other a flight ticket back home. This deal is slightly altered during a pro-am where the winner shares the prize-money with the other.
Coming back to the final round, Chowrasia was a shade tense before teeing off. Reason being, he had been in a similar position in May 2004, when after going into the final round of the PGAI-TSM Open at the same venue, with a four-stroke lead he was beaten to the post by a marvelous Ashok Kumar display.
"That did play on my mind for a while today but after the front nine, I was pretty certain that the title was in my pocket," said the 26-year old.
Chowrasia's round started with a birdie but he neutralized the good work with a dropped shot on the sixth. For most part of his outward journey, the Kolkatan led by eight or nine strokes. On his back-nine, Chowrasia bogeyed the 11th but made up with a birdie on the 14th. A bogey on the 17th followed but by that time the title was well and truly secured.
"It feels great winning and my confidence is now back to where it was last season," said the golfer, who finished third on the 2003-04 Order of Merit.
Rafick Ali, though happy for his friend, would have any day taken the winner's cheque. However, the 34-year old would be well and truly pleased with the way he fought back from nowhere to secure the second position.
Rafick had one game-plan today and that was to attack every pin that came within his sight. Two birdies resulted from his first two holes courtesy this game-plan. A bogey on the sixth was followed by a birdie finish to his outward journey. On his back-nine birdies on the 13th and 14th were followed by a bogey on the 17th.
There were tense moments when Rafick reached the 18th with Shiv Prakash breathing down his neck for the tied-second place.
Shiv's bogey finish and Rafick's par ensured the latter cruised ahead.
"I am happy with the way I played but I have three second place finishes to my credit this season and only one win. I would have liked to have won a few more," he added.
Shaurya Singh wins amateur title: Shaurya Singh won the amateur title by a huge margin of 15 strokes over Praveen Kumar. The winner tallied 305 for four days.
Scores (after 72 holes): 280 Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia(70,68,69,73); 286 Rafick Ali(71,72,74,69); 287 Shiv Prakash(72,72,73,70), Ranjit Singh(71,72,73,71); 288 Amritinder Singh(68,76,69,75); 290 Sanjay Kumar(71,71,77,71); 292 Randhir Ghotra(78,69,70,75); 293 Harinder Gupta(72,73,75,73), Mohd. Islam(67,75,78,73); 294 S Madhaiah(70,70,76,78); 295 Gast Ram(75,74,75,71), Gurki Shergill(75,75,72,73), R Srinivas(73,74,75,73), Amit Dube(74,71,75,75).
Amateurs: 305 Shaurya Singh(72,76,76,82); 320 Praveen Kumar(78,76,81,85).
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