JAMSHEDPUR, DEC 6 : Shamim Khan of Delhi expectedly claimed the 6th TATA Open here on Saturday. It was his maiden title on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI). Shamim returned an even par 70 in the final round to take home the winner’s cheque of Rs. 3,23,300. He totaled 10 under 272 for the tournament, having shot 68, 66 and 68 in the previous three rounds. Mukesh Kumar and C Muniyappa finished joint runners-up at five under 277.
The entire field played nine holes each on both the courses, Beldih as well as Golmuri. While one half of the field teed off from Beldih, the other half began its round from Golmuri. Thirty two golfers with the best scores at the end of round three teed off from Golmuri and finished at Beldih. The par for the combined courses was 70.
Shamim Khan, who led the field for the last two days, finally emerged victorious with a five-stroke margin. The Delhi Golf Club professional came up with a consistent performance on the final day to record his third professional win.
Shamim did not get off to a great start, having missed a couple of short putts that led to consecutive bogeys on the third and fourth holes.
The 30-year-old then birdied the fifth, made six consecutive pars up to the 11th and sank another birdie on the 12th to take control of the situation. He was unperturbed even as his nearest rivals C Muniyappa and Mandeo Singh Pathania slowly slipped out of contention on the back nine. Khan’s birdie on the 15th sealed the win for him. The bogey on the 18th meant that he finished the tournament at 10 under.
Defending champion Mukesh Kumar (71, 74, 66, 66) fired four under 66 for the second successive day to climb from overnight tied 13th to tied second. Mukesh sank birdies on the fourth, sixth, 11th, 12th, 16th and dropped a lone bogey on the 13th.
C Muniyappa (73, 68, 67, 69) joined Mukesh in tied second at five under 277. Muniyappa birdied the second, third, sixth, eighth, 11th and conceded bogeys on the first, 15th, 17th and 18th.
Feroz Ali Mollah, Ajeetesh Sandhu and Shankar Das were tied for fourth place at three under 279. Harendra Gupta was a further stroke behind in seventh place.
Uttam Singh Mundy, Mohd Siddikur Rahman and Mandeo Singh Pathania shared eighth place with identical totals of one under 281.
Karan Taunk (73, 74, 71, 66) of Jamshedpur won the amateur title as he finished with the best amateur total of two over 284. Taunk was tied 14th in the overall standings.
Chandigarh’s Harmeet Kahlon with three over 285 helped him tied 19th place.