Udayan is the Man(e)
Pune’s Udayan Mane reigned supreme at the Hyderabad Golf Club on Saturday as he posted a clinical four-under-67 to make it back-to-back titles on the PGTI with victory at the Golconda Masters golf championship.
Mane, who closed the week with a total of 17under-267, bagged his ninth professional title with a two-shot margin at the season-opening `40 lakh event. It was the 28year-old’s second win at the Golconda Masters following his 2018 triumph. Udayan had also won PGTI’s last event, the 2019 season-ending Tour Championship in Jamshedpur in December.
Bengaluru’s Viraj Madappa delivered a scintillating nine-under-62, the week’s best score, to clinch the joint runner’s up spot at a total of 15under-269 along with Patna’s Aman Raj who fired a last round of fiveunder-66.
Round three leader Veer Ahlawat dropped to fourth at 13-under-271 after his final round of 72.
Delhi’s Rashid Khan, the
2019 PGTI Order of Merit champion, took a share of seventh place at nineunder-275. Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi was a further shot back in tied 10th place.
Gurugram’s Abhishek Kuhar made a hole-in-one on the 11th during his round of 72. He finished tied 40th at five-over-289.
Hyderabad-based professional Venkkat Gautham, who carded a last round of 75, also finished tied 40th.
Mane (68-67-65-67), lying one off the lead in second place after round three, was off to a steady start in the final round making pars on the first five holes. Round three leader Veer Ahlawat of Gurugram dropped bogeys on the fourth and fifth to concede the lead to Mane.
Udayan began to pull away from the rest with a birdie and an eagle on the
par-5s sixth and eighth respectively sinking a 30footer on the latter. The strapping Mane then produced a couple of accurate tee shots on the par-3s ninth and 11th to pick up birdies from a range of four feet and build a commanding four-shot lead with seven holes to play.
Mane’s only bogey of the day came on the 13th as a result of a three-putt. However, he held on to his lead with pars on the last five holes despite late surges from Viraj Madappa and Aman Raj.
Udayan said, “Back-toback wins are always special and it feels awesome to have achieved it. I would love to take this form forward into the next events. It’s also good to win at the HGC for the second time. It’s turning out to be my happy hunting ground. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season.”
Viraj Madappa (69-68-7062), lying tied 10th and eight off the lead ahead of the final round, had a rather quiet first eight holes.