In one of the most exciting finishes witnessed in the history of the US $400,000 Hero Honda Indian Open, one play-off hole was completed before bad light stopped play between India's Jyoti Randhawa, S S P Chowrasia and Vijay Kumar on Sunday. Randhawa had a golden opportunity to seal victory on the first extra hole but missed a four foot birdie on the 18th. Chowrasia saw his birdie attempt from 30 feet slip by while Kumar withdrew after he lost his tee shot.
"It was a poor putt. It was getting very dark but that was no excuse. I had a great chance there to walk off with my second Indian Open," said Randhawa, who is ranked 25th on the Asian Tour's UBS Order of Merit.
The 34 year old, who won this event in 2000 at the same venue, had started the day with a one stroke lead.
"I wasn't really firing today so I did well to finish in the play-off. It is certainly a special day for Indian golf to have three players in the play-off," added Randhawa.
Randhawa and Chowrasia will return to complete the play-off at 9:00am local time on Monday. They'll keep playing the 18th hole until a winner is decided. The victor will receive a cheque for US $63,400.
In what is thought to be the first time that three players from the same country have competed in a sudden-death play-off for their national Open, the Indian trio finished the tournament tied on 18-under-par 270.
Kumar carded a six-under-par 66, Chowrasia returned a 69 while Randhawa closed with a 70. Both Randhawa and Kumar birdied the 72nd hole while Chowrasia made a par.
With huge crowds following the final pairings, Randhawa, a five time winner on the Asian Tour, was the favourite to go the distance but the gallery roared with approval as Chowrasia and Kumar made held their own.
"I didn't give up at any time," said Chowrasia, who is a rookie on the Asian Tour this year. A multiple winner of titles in India, Chowrasia was second in the Indian Open in 1999 at Royal Calcutta Golf Club, the club where his father was green keeper and where he lived on the golf course.
Kumar, who has also claimed this title once before at Delhi Golf Club in 2002, saw his chance of victory disappear when his tee shot on the play-off hole disappeared into the jungle. There was a long delay when he tried to find his ball before he opted to concede.
This year's Hero Honda Indian Open also marks only the second occasion that an Asian Tour event has had to be completed on Monday. The first time this happened was in last year's BMW Asian Open, where the final round was completed on Monday before South African Ernie Els won in a sudden-death play-off.
England's Simon Dyson, a two time winner on the European Tour this year, closed with 68 to finish one shot shy of the play off.
Thailand's Prom Meesawat and Indian Mukesh Kumar claimed joint fifth place on 12 under.
The winner of this event will also qualify for the HSBC Champions tournament in China in November.
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