Hyderabad: Ahmedabad-based Udayan Mane is making a habit of finishing off tournaments with clinical precision. Mane, who had won a couple of close encounters with solid final round performances last year, repeated the feat at the Golconda Masters at the Hyderabad Golf Association course.
Udayan (68) emerged winner in a four-way playoff at the 4th edition of the Golconda Masters on Sunday to take home his sixth professional trophy. Udayan outclassed Shamim Khan (67), Abhijit Singh Chadha (67) and Sri Lankan N. Thangaraja (68) in the playoff after the quartet had ended the regulation 72 holes with identical totals of 14-under-270.
Udayan (67-66-69-68), lying one off the lead in tied second at the start of round four, was even-par for the day through seven holes after an early birdie and bogey. But he began his title charge with birdies on the eighth, 10th and 11th. Udayan came up with recovery on the 10th as his approach from a different fairway landed within 20 feet of the pin for eagle. He made two putts to pick up a birdie there. A long conversion followed on the next hole.
Udayan’s three-putt bogey on the 16th almost dashed his title hopes. But he came roaring back with his best drive of the day on the 17th that set up another birdie for him. Udayan finally came home the champion after his immaculate ball-striking on the playoff hole left him a three foot birdie putt for victory.
N. Thangaraja, Shamim Khan and Abhijit Singh Chadha had to make longer birdie conversions but missed out. Udayan, who took home a cheque worth Rs 4.5 lakh has now climbed from 39th place to third position in the 2018 PGTI Order of Merit.
Joint runners-up Shamim Khan (67-68-68-67), Abhijit Singh Chadha (70-65-68-67) and N. Thangaraja (65-69-68-68) were all in with a chance towards the latter stages of the day. However, during the playoff Shamim Khan and Abhijit Singh Chadha missed their birdie putts from a range of 15 to 17 feet while Thangaraja hit it over the green and missed the chip for birdie.
