Rawat on top, Jalandhar’s Victor finishes second

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 12 

Rajesh Kumar Rawat delivered a sublime final round of 6-under 64 to grab the victory with an impressive five-shot margin at the PGTI Feeder Tour event at The Palms Golf Club and Resort in Lucknow on Thursday.

The 44-year-old Lucknow golfer (64-69-64), who was in second place at the start of the last round, carded a total of 13-under 197 at the season-ending event to secure his second career title.

Victor Hans (70-66-66) of Jalandhar produced a second straight 66 to gain five spots and finish tied second. Noida’s Dipankar Kaushal (62-69-71), the round two leader, took a share of second spot at 8-under 202 as a result of his third round of 71.

Delhi’s Pawan Verma (68) claimed fifth place at 6-under 204 to emerge Feeder Tour Order of Merit champion at the sixth and last event of the season. Verma recorded the highest earnings Rs 2,78,987 for the season.

Verma, who posted four top-10s in the season, including two runner-up finishes, has now earned an exemption for the 2019 PGTI season (main tour).

Rawat, who had earlier won on the Feeder Tour back in 2011, enjoyed a terrific start on day three as he sank three birdies on the first four holes with conversions from a range of six to 20 feet.

Rawat carried on the good work in the middle stages of his round by adding three more birdies on the ninth, 12th and 14th that put him in the driver’s seat, even as his nearest rivals struggled to keep pace with him. Rawat’s tap-in birdie on the 14th was followed by four steady pars that saw him end up with the day’s best score of 64.

The win lifted Rawat from 10th to fifth position in the Feeder Tour Order of Merit and also helped him earn a direct entry into the Final Stage of Qualifying for the 2019 PGTI season.

“I brought all my experience into play today. I knew that a score of five to six under in the final round would be good enough for me to win,” Rawat said after the day’s play.

Victor Hans mixed six birdies with two bogeys during his last round of 66 that gave him his second top-10 finish of the season.

Dipankar Kaushal, the leader in the first two rounds, seemed to be coasting to his maiden title after he drained four birdies over the first six holes. However, six bogeys from the ninth to the 17th put paid to his title hopes.

Ajay Baisoya (7-under 203) and Pawan Verma (6-under 204) finished fourth and fifth respectively.

Verma, even-par for the day till the 17th, signed off with a 40-feet eagle conversion on the par-5 18th before emerging as the Order of Merit champion.

“I was very consistent through the season and quite often in contention even though I didn’t win this year. The Feeder Tour experience has once again instilled self-belief in me. I’m confident of carrying the positives from here onto the main tour,” said Verma.

Kapurthala’s Ashbeer Saini, who finished tied 22nd at even-par 210, secured second place on the Order of Merit with earnings of Rs 2,46,624. He claimed five top-10s in the season including one victory.