Om Prakash Chouhan shoots 7-under to grab first international title

Bengaluru, March 26

Om Prakash Chouhan showed nerves of steel to fire a 7-under 65 on the final day and earn his first international title at the $300,000 Duncan Taylor Black Bull Challenge here today.

The 36-year-old won the event co-sanctioned by the European Challenge Tour and PGTI by two shots to the delight of the home crowd.

I’m thrilled. It’s a huge achievement for me. This win opens a lot of doors for me. I just wanted to focus on my strengths. I’ve worked a lot on the mental aspect of my game lately. Om Prakash Chouhan

Chouhan (70-67-66-65), who hails from Mhow in Madhya Pradesh, fired the last day’s best score to total 20-under 268. Ashley Chesters (67-68-68-67) of England and Victor Pastor (72-64-67-67) of Spain finished tied-2nd. Aman Raj (67-68-71-70) finished tied-eighth at 12-under.

Chouhan’s eighth professional win helped him secure his Challenge Tour card and claim his biggest prize money cheque of $48,000. The win catapulted him from 16th to first position in the PGTI Rankings. Chouhan became the third Indian to win on the Challenge Tour, following the likes of Gaganjeet Bhullar (won in 2011) and Shiv Kapur (won two titles in 2013).

It was also the first win by an Indian on Indian soil since Khalin Joshi’s triumph at the Panasonic Open India in October 2018.

Chouhan saved his best for last as he went error-free with three birdies on the front-nine and four more on the back-nine. — PTI

Ahlawat finishes 8th, rookie Kho wins title

Hong Kong: India’s Veer Ahlawat shot a 4-under 66 to finish tied-eighth at the inaugural World City Championship here today. With rounds of 71-67-66, Ahlawat totalled 6-under 204 in the weather-hit event reduced to three rounds. Taichi Kho became the first player from Hong Kong to win an Asian Tour event. S Chikkarangappa was tied-18th, Gaganjeet Bhullar finished tied-24th, while Shiv Kapur (69) was tied-31st. Jeev Milkha Singh and SSP Chawrasia finished tied-39th, Karandeep Kochhar (70) tied-45th and Honey Baisoya (77) ended tied-70th.