Mukesh Kumar cruises to season's fifth win
Mukesh Kumar returned his fourth straight score in the
sixties to successfully defend his title at the Servo Masters 2002, played
at the par-72, Digboi Club Golf links, on Saturday.
His final round five-under 67 handed him a tournament tally of 20-under 268 and his fifth triumph in his last six outings on the Hero Honda Golf Tour's 2002-03 season. For his efforts,
the Mhow-based golfer pocketed the handsome amount of Rs 1,37,700.
Mysore's Rahul Ganapathy, riding on his tremendous third round performance,
shot a final round score identical to the winner's thereby failing to erase
the overnight four-stroke difference. Ganapathy, with a tally of 16-under
272, finished second and took home Rs 95,200. Delhi's Shamim Khan finished
third with a final aggregate of 277.
Sanjay Kumar shot the best round of
the day returning a card of six-under 66 which catapulted him to the joint
fourth position along with Ashok Kumar at 279. Digvijay Singh and Rafiq Ali
shared the joint sixth spot at 281 while Feroz Ali finished eighth at 283.
Mukesh Kumar, who went into the final round armed with a four-stroke lead,
played aggressive golf on his front nine which brought him successive
birdies on the third and fourth and then again on the eighth and ninth.
Playing his return journey in a more circumspect manner, he made do with
a single birdie which proved more than sufficient to hand him the title.
"I am thrilled to defend my title a the Servo Masters. I have been playing
really hot golf this season and feel the time is ripe for me to try out for
the APGA Tour," said the thrice-champion golfer of the year award winner,
who plans to participate in the Asian PGA Tour Qualifying School in January
2003.
Rahul Ganapathy, who scorched the Digboi Golf Club links with a record
12-under 60 on Friday, received an early jolt when he missed a three-feet
putt to bogey his opening hole. However, the 24-year-old Bangalorean made
amends by birdying the third, fifth, seventh and ninth on his outward
journey. With the title almost in Mukesh's grip, the fight for the second
place grabbed center stage with Shamim Khan giving Ganapathy a run for his
money. The latter, suffered another set-back when he dropped a shot on the
11th but thereafter, he turned in three more birdies to quell Shamim's
challenge.
Meanwhile, oblivious to the proceedings, Sanjay Kumar who was in the joint
sixth position overnight shot a bogey-free round for his 66.
Barua wins amateur title: Ajay Barua won the amateurs title with a total of
310 while Utpal Deka emerged as the runner up with an aggregate of 325.
Top scores (after 72 holes):
Pros: 268_Mukesh Kumar (68,64,69,67); 272_Rahul
Ganapathy (74,71,60,67); 277_Shamim Khan (69,70,67,71); 279_ Sanjay Kumar
(74, 70, 69,66), Ashok Kumar (71,68,70,70); 281_Rafiq Ali (72,69,72,68),
Digvijay Singh (69,71,73,68); 283_Feroz Ali (72,69,72,70); 284_Ajay Gupta
(75,69,70,70), Ali Sher (74, 71, 68, 71); 285_Yusuf Ali (71,71,70,73);
286_Rohtas Singh (76,66,74,70), GS Sethi (73,68,75,70); 287_Devendra Patel
(73,74,70,70), Mohd. Islam (69,73,73,72), Sheeraz Kalra (72,70,71,74).
Amateurs: 310_Ajay Barua (78,76,82,74); 325_Utpal Deka (85,81,81,78);
372_Amar Choudhury (96,96,94,86).
