Atwal wins Dubai Open to end four-year drought

Dubai, December 21

Arjun Atwal held his nerve to hole an up-and-down for a birdie on the 72nd hole and end a four-year title drought as he won the inaugural $500,000 Dubai Open at the Els Golf Club today.

Atwal won his first and only title on the PGA Tour for his last success on a pro Tour in 2010 and his last success on Asian Tour came in 2008.

Atwal has joined Jyoti Randhawa as the most successful Indian on the Asian Tour with eight titles. The season-closing victory also helped Atwal win an exemption to the Asian Tour.

Jeev Milkha Singh has six titles, while Gaganjeet Bhullar and Anirban Lahiri have five each.

A message from his best friend, Tiger Woods, a series of invites and finally his putting falling in place saw Atwal get back to the winners’ circle. “It’s actually as good (as PGA Tour win). I can’t believe that I’m saying that, comparing it to my lifetime goal of winning on the PGA Tour. To have won today; I think it’s maybe even a greater feeling. Because the way things went the last two years, I didn’t think I would play again or compete again.

“Especially when I had the back injury and the hip injury, I couldn’t walk. So it was really debilitating. So, yeah, it’s something else right now.”

Playing on his fifth straight invite this week, after losing status on the PGA Tour, the 41-year-old Atwal carded a final round of six-under 66 with eight birdies and two bogeys to total 16-under 272, pushing 19-year-old Korean Wang Jeung-hun (67) to second place.

Meanwhile, Shiv Kapur, who had a share of the four-way overnight lead, crumbled to a final round of even par 72 with three birdies and three bogeys to drop to tied 11th alongside Gaganjeet Bhullar (71).

Jeev Milkha Singh was tied 31st at six-under 282 with a final round of 68.

When Atwal and Wang came to the 18th, the Korean, who at one stage held a three-shot lead after 11 holes, was still ahead by one. On the par-5 18th, Wang bogeyed, just as he had on the previous. In contrast, the experienced Atwal, who had an up-and-down for a birdie, holed his final putt.

“Ecstatic. It is yet to sink in. It’s been a long time. There were times when I wanted to give up golf. Injuries and so on. My family, my kids and parents kept me going,” Atwal said.

Atwal also revealed that Woods sent him a message this morning. “I have been going through two years of struggle; he’s always been positive. I’ve spent some time with him in Jupiter (Wood’s home) and he’s always guided me towards the right way.

“In fact, today he texted me in the morning and told me, ‘Shoot 2 under a side; shoot 68 and you should be good.’ He was wrong (laughs). He’s always encouraging me.” — PTI