Bengaluru: Young talent Viraj Madappa delighted the home crowd when he closed with a four-under-par 67 to claim a two-shot victory for his first Asian Tour title at the Take Solutions Masters yesterday.
Madappa, who came through the Asian Tour Qualifying School in January, became the youngest Indian, at the age of 20 years and nine months, to win on the Asian Tour following his breakthrough at the Karnataka Golf Association Golf Course.
Apart from becoming the youngest Asian Tour winner from India, Madappa is also the first rookie and youngest player to win on Tour this season. He took home the US$63,000 winner's cheque and earned a one-year exemption on the region's premier Tour.
Starting the final round two shots back, Madappa reeled in six pars before dropping a shot on the seventh. He bounced back brilliantly with five birdies to cap a winning total of 16-under-par 268 at the US$350,000 Asian Tour event.
"I am really surprised. It hasn't really sink in yet and I'm having a lot of emotions," said Madappa. "I don't know which one to feel. I don't know what to say. It's been a roller-coaster since I came through the Qualifying School. I was playing good golf then but I went through a slump after that.
"I really worked hard with my coach and my whole team, just to keep me going. I am very happy that I did all the work I could to win today. It has paid off."
Argentina's Miguel Carballo, who held a one-shot lead heading into the final round, rode on a birdie-par-eagle finish to sign for a 71, sharing second place with Zimbabwe's Scott Vincent (68), as well as Thailand's Danthai Boonma (70) and Suradit Yongcharoenchai (66).
Home favourites Khalin Joshi, Honey Baisoya and SSP Chawrasia settled for sixth place on 272 following respective rounds of 72, 70 and 70.
Thailand's Pasavee Lertvilai recorded the second ace of the week on the par-three fourth hole after hitting an 8-iron from 180 yards. It was the third time he made a hole-in-one in a professional tournament. Pasavee ended his campaign in tied-33rd place on 280 following a 70.
