Shamim rides to victory, Sujjan T-4th

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 26

Sujjan Singh carded a one-under in the final round to jump four places to tied-fourth fourth position on the concluding day of the Kolkata Classic.

The city golfer had good start to the day, carding birdies on the 1st, 4th and 5th holes. However, he gave away the advantage with a string of bogeys on the 7th, 9th and 12th. His lone birdie on the back-nine came at the 16th hole as he finished with a total of three-under 285, seven shots adrift of title winner Shamim Khan.

Shamim, the overnight leader, kept errors out on the final day and brought home a card of even-par 72 to emerge victorious at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) on Friday.

Shamim ended the Rs. 40 lakh event with a total of 10-under 278 to bag his 13th professional title and take home the winner’s cheque worth Rs. 6 lakh. He thus climbed from fourth position to first in the PGTI Order of Merit.

Reigning Indian Open champion and pre-tournament favourite SSP Chawrasia of Kolkata finished runner-up at five-under-283 after a final round of two-under 70.

Kolkata’s Shankar Das (72) claimed third place at four-under-284.

Mukesh Kumar, who was overnight second and three off the lead, slipped to tied-fourth at three-under-285 after a forgettable 76 that saw him drop six bogeys over a stretch of seven holes from the sixth to the 12th. He shared the fourth place with Sujjan Singh and Om Prakash Chouhan (71) of Mhow. Another city golfer Harendra Gupta (71) climbed three places to tied-7th position, while Feroz Singh Garewal finished in tied-10th place with a total of one-under 287.