Mulligans edge Aces in tense final to lift Chandigarh Golf League trophy

The Mulligans edged Punjab Aces in a keenly contested final to clinch the Chandigarh Golf League (CGL) trophy. After splitting their regular seven games 3.5 each, Himmat Singh and Angad Sangha prevailed 1-Up in the three-hole play-off to help the team lift the title.

Meanwhile, Captain’s 18 finished third after beating Sultans of Swing 5-2 in the bronze medal play-off.

The final started out as a cagey affair with both teams treading with caution. The Aces held the early leads but could not convert them into winning formula. The Mulligans held strong and their pairs held steady after Rao Birender Sidhu and Mivaan Singh won their singles games. Rao Birender won 6-4, while Mivaan Singh completed a tight 2-1 win. Amrinder Singh and Jaskeerat Kaur Matharoo continued their winning streak with a 4-3 win in the first four-ball game to which Sultan Singh Matharoo and Col Harjeet Singh followed up with the same scoreline to level the match.

After Gauhar Pruthi and Surinder Jit Singh tied their game against TS Grewal and Akshay Verma of Aces, it boiled down to the last two games. Rupinder Singh and Jaskirat Dulet won 2-1 to bring it down to the final game. After just about clearing the tank on the 18th Himmat Singh saved par to put the Mulligans into a play-off.

Himmat and Angad Sangha teed it up for a three-hole play-off against Rao Birender Sidhu and Mivaan Singh of the Aces. Birender had a great chance to birdie the first hole but missed it after Himmat’s up and down for a par. All square going into the second hole, Himmat and Mivaan leaked right off the fairway from where Himmat chipped out while Mivaan found the sand trap. Birender and Angad were also in the trap.

With Himmat sinking a clutch long downhill putt for birdie and Mivaan missing his by a whisker, The Mulligans went in 1-Up with one to play.

The Aces had to win the third play-off hole to extend the final. Birender put his tee shot on the green and it became a game of near misses as the Aces could only register a par. After Angad could not save a par from the trap, it came down to Himmat again. He did not disappoint the crowds in the gallery by saving par that any professional would be proud of.

Captain’s 18 finish third

In the third place play-off, Captain’s 18 proved too strong in the end as Padamjit Sandhu and HS Kang won their singles 1-Up and the pairs of Col AS Bajwa and Raminder Singh, alongwith Bhupinder Singh Mundh and Rajiv Moudgil ensured they locked the bronze medals. They won 4-3 and 3-1 respectively. Randeep Singh and RS Mann extended the lead with a 2-Up of their own.

For Sultans, Rabbin Saini and Col PS Mangat put up the first point 4-3, while Dilsher Sukhija and Sampat Singh closed out a big 6-5 win.

Notably, the Mulligans complete their redemption arc this season by getting over their semifinal and play-off hurdles.