Chandigarh golfers’ team wins Mixed Pro Challenge

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 6

Team of Chandigarh’s Aadil Bedi, Ankur Chadha and Hitaashee Bakshi has won the inaugural Mixed Pro Challenge Golf Championship held at DLF Golf and Country Club, Gurugram.

Bedi, Chadha and Hitaashee’s (131-138) team, leaders by two shots after round one, drove home the advantage with a score of 6-under 138 in the second and final round to end up with a gross score of 19-under 269 for the week to lift the trophy and take home the winning cheque of Rs7 lakh at the 36-hole tournament, a first-of-its-kind men’s and women’s mixed event played in India.

The 17-year-old Hitaashee, playing at her home course, was the best performer for her team for the second day in succession as she followed up her 66 in round one with a 69 in round two. The team consisting of Yuvraj Singh Sandhu, Sunit Chowrasia and Gaurika Bishnoi (133-138) finished runners-up with a gross score of 17-under 271 after firing a 6-under 138 in round two.

It was a Team Strokeplay event with 18 teams participating. The total prize purse was Rs30 lakh. All players were to hole out on every hole. The two best scores out of three on each hole (hole by hole) were counted towards the team score.

Hitaashee mixed six birdies with a bogey and a double-bogey on the final day. Bakshi, who has won three events on the WGAI since turning professional in December last year, made two early birdies, sinking a 12-footer on the third and tapping-in on the fifth. Later, it was Bedi who gave the early breakthroughs to the winning team as he scored a chip-in birdie on the first hole followed by two more birdies on the third and fourth. Bedi, a winner on the PGTI, then conceded five bogeys to end up with a 74 in round two. Chadha, who posted a score of 69 on day one, signed for a 78 on day two. Besides Hitaashee’s 66, his 69 in round one was also crucial to his team’s solid start on Tuesday.

The team of Sunit Chowrasia (74), Gaurika Bishnoi (76) and Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (81) held on to their overnight second position on Wednesday. Chowrasia’s eagle on the closing par-5 18th was instrumental in helping his team finish second. Honey Baisoya, also playing at his home course, shot the day’s best individual score of 68 that played a vital role in his team finishing tied third at 16-under 272. Honey’s team-mates were Mani Ram and Jahanvi Bakshi who is Hitaashee’s elder sister. The other team that finished tied third comprised Khalin Joshi, Kartik Sharma and Oviya Reddi.

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