HYDERABAD: Manu Gandas survived a scare on the final hole to defend his title with a four-day aggregate score of 23-under 257 in the IRA Telangana Golconda Masters golf championship at the HGA Golf Course (Golconda) in Hyderabad on Saturday.
Despite a double-bogey on the final hole, Manu finished two strokes ahead of second-placed Yuvraj Singh Sandhu.
By virtue of this show, Gurugram-based Manu Gandas (63-60-65-69) moved to the second position on the PGTI Order of Merit. Chandigarh’s Yuvraj (64-65-65-65) also moved up one spot and now tops the rankings.
Manu was richer by ₹6 lakhs while Yuvraj got ₹4 lakh. Both have won four times on the tour this year.
“This tournament has a special place for me because this is where my breakthrough win came last year. It feels good and quite satisfying to have defended my title,” Manu said.
Manu, the overnight leader by six shots, was well on course to the title till the 17th hole having led by four shots over Yuvraj. Manu’s excellent driving, approach shots and chipping earned him five birdies in exchange for two bogeys over 17 holes.
However, he found the bunker with his drive on the 18th and then couldn’t get it out with his second shot. He finally landed it just short of the green with his fourth shot and left himself a tricky 12-feet conversion for double-bogey after his chip.
Manu then displayed steely resolve to sink the 12-feet pressure putt to seal the title.
Bengaluru’s Syed Saqib Ahmed (70) took the third place at 13-under 267 while the Chandigarh duo of Jairaj Singh Sandhu (12-under 268) and Angad Cheema (11-under 269) finished fourth and fifth respectively.
The 17-year-old Milind Soni of Hyderabad won the trophy for the best performing amateur after tying for 17th place at five-under 275 with two others teammates — Mohd. Azhar and Hardik Chawda.
