Golf: Simarjeet scripts fairytale win

He carded a one-over-par 73 for the day to beat Viraj Madappa of Kolkata by one stroke by finishing at thirteen-over-par 301 for the week.

Reigning All India Amateur Champion Pratap Atwal brought in an even-par 72 for the day to clinch the second runner’s up place from Delhi’s Vikram Rana by finishing three strokes behind the winner at sixteen-over-par 304.

Hemendra Chaudhary and Syed Saqib Ahmed finished a further stroke behind at seventeen-over-par 305.  Pukhraj Singh Gill, who played a brilliant back to shoot two-under-par 70, registered the best card of the day and the week.

Simarjeet, who last won on the amateur tour 10 years ago, incidentally at the same course, made his charge on the back nine which seemed to put pressure on Viraj.

The Kolkata teenager had begun well with an even-par 36 front nine and by then was a clear leader by three strokes. He made costly mistakes which coupled with Simarjeet’s three birdies in four holes on the home stretch decided which way the title will go.

Despite a bogey 5 on the 18th, the Noida lad played a back nine of one-under-par 35 under pressure to seal the deal on the Tata Steel Tamil Nadu Amateur 2014.

“I am very ecstatic to win on the tour after such a long time even though I’ve been in contention more times than not. I could not stop thinking about the win after leading by two with one hole to play.” Said Simarjeet. “I hope this win could trigger a positive effect on my results in the future,” he said.

Top Scores – Final:

301 Simarjeet Singh (77,78,71,73); 302 Viraj Madappa (75,77,72,78); 304 Pratap Atwal (79,77,76,72), Vikram Rana (80,73,72,79); 305 Hemendra Chaudhary (84,72,74,75), Syed Saqib Ahmed (74,80,75,76); 306 Gagan Verma (75,78,76,77), Yuvraj Sandhu (74,80,75,76); 308 Pukhraj Singh Gill (77,80,81,70),  Arjun Sharma (75,78,79,76)