Rashid Wins Telangana Open Golf to End 7-Year Wait for Title

Vikarabad: Veteran golfer Rashid Khan ended a seven-year wait for victory with a closing five-under 67 that handed him the Telangana Open title here on Friday.

The 35-year-old Delhi golfer (66-67-65-67) finished at 23-under 265 to secure his 15th professional title.

The three-stroke win at the Vooty Golf County was his 11th victory on the DP World PGTI. He collected Rs 15 lakh and moved up to sixth on the PGTI Order of Merit, taking his season earnings to `44,95,509.

Delhi’s Honey Baisoya (72-65-66-65) produced the best final-round score among the leading contenders, making nine birdies and two bogeys in a seven-under 65. He finished runner-up at 20-under 268.

Baisoya, winner of the World Players Championship in February, earned `10 lakh for his runner-up finish. He now occupies third place in the season rankings with total earnings of `51,72,092.

Gurugram’s Veer Ahlawat (68-68-68-65) also closed with a 65 to share third place at 19-under 269 with overnight leader Angad Cheema (70-61-65-73).

Rashid’s previous PGTI victory came at the Players Championship in 2019.

After enduring a difficult seven-year spell, the two-time Asian Tour winner and three-time PGTI Order of Merit champion described his return to the winner’s circle as an emotional moment.

“I can’t describe how I’m feeling right now. It has been seven years since my last win, and I struggled a lot with my game during that period. I went through many ups and downs, but I also learned a great deal. Once you come through a phase like that, you understand what you need to do,” said Rashid.

Rashid began the final round two shots behind Cheema and endured an inauspicious start with bogeys on the opening two holes. He responded emphatically, making three consecutive birdies from the third through the fifth before another birdie on the eighth put him in control.

Cheema, meanwhile, made three bogeys on the front nine. The momentum shift allowed Rashid to take a three-shot advantage into the turn.

Rashid tightened his grip on the tournament with three consecutive birdies from the 10th through the 12th. After making pars on the next two holes, he produced what he considered the decisive moment on the 15th.

Cheema managed two birdies after the turn, but his one-over 73 dropped him into a share of third place, four strokes behind Rashid.

Windy conditions added to the challenge during the closing stretch, but Rashid remained composed. Despite the intensity of the title battle, he enjoyed sharing the final group with Cheema and Jairaj Singh Sandhu.

Current PGTI Rankings leader Saptak Talwar (72-68-71-70) finished tied 24th at seven-under 281.