Gurugram’s Manu Gandas came up with a brilliant performance to clinch his maiden professional trophy — the Vooty & Haldi-sponsored Golconda Masters Telangana Open golf championship at the Hyderabad Golf Association course here on Sunday.
Gandas (64-58-64-64), the overnight leader by five shots, turned in a two-under 64 featuring four birdies and two bogeys to end with a tally of 22-under 250 and thus prevail by an impressive three strokes at the ₹40 lakh event which marked the resumption of the 2020-21 PGTI season after a six-month forced break due to COVID.
The 25-year-old Gandas collected a cheque worth ₹6,46,600 to move up from eighth to fourth in the PGTI Order of Merit. His total earnings for the season is now ₹24,12,350.
Chandigarh’s Karandeep Singh Kochhar (67-64-63-59) shot the day’s best score of seven-under 59 to jump three spots and finish runner-up at 19-under 253. The 22-year-old Kochhar has now further extended his lead in the PGTI Order of Merit with a season’s earnings of ₹42,95,130.
Bengaluru’s Chikkarangappa (67-63-61-63), the 2019 winner, ended third at 18-under 254 following a final round score of three-under 63.
“I feel relieved and happy to have finally won a title after coming close on a few occasions before. I’ve waited a long time for this. The way I was playing this season, I knew that a win was just around the corner,” Gandas said later.
Kochhar’s flawless round, the lowest of the day, saw him make all greens in regulation. The two-time winner this season sank a 30-feet birdie on the 15th and landed his tee shot within two feet of the pin for a tap-in birdie on the 18th.
Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi (61) and Noida’s Amardeep Malik (65) claimed tied fourth place at 16-under 256.
Local professional Mohd Azhar finished tied 24th at five-under 267.
Hyderabad’s Milind Soni won the trophy for the best performance by an amateur as he ended tied 38th at one-under 271. Tej Gangavarapu, the other amateur to make the cut, closed the week in 51st place at five-over 277.
