Golf: Yuvraj Singh Sandhu clinches maiden PGTI title

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Digboi, Nov 20 (IANS) After knocking on the door several times earlier this season, Chandigarhs Yuvraj Singh Sandhu finally pushed the door open by clinching his maiden title on the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) in style with a dominating final round performance of eight-under 64 at the Rs. 60 lakh IndianOil SERVO Masters Golf 2021.

Sandhu's (66-68-67-64) tournament tally of 23-under 265 set the record for the lowest winning total at the Digboi Golf Links on Saturday as he registered a thumping six-shot victory with Bengaluru's M Dharma (69-68-68-66) finishing runner-up at 17-under 271 following his last round of six-under 66.

The 24-year-old Sandhu, the overnight leader by two shots, came up with an eagle, eight birdies, and two bogeys in round four to pick up the winning cheque worth Rs. 9,69,900 and thus zoom from 11th place to sixth position in the PGTI Order of Merit for 2020-2021 with his season's earnings moving to a total of Rs. 33,69,400.

Sandhu, the son of an Army officer, had enjoyed an exceptional season before landing in Digboi with nine previous top-10s including six in the last seven events. The two-time winner on the PGTI Feeder Tour began the day with a bogey on the first but soon regained ground with birdies on the third, fifth, and seventh. He chipped in on the fifth.

From the third till the eighth hole, M Dharma was breathing down Sandhu's neck as the former sank five birdies to trail the latter by just one shot. However, a couple of erratic shots led to Dharma's double-bogey on the ninth.

Sandhu then made a crucial chip-putt birdie on the 11th to seize the momentum as he got on a hot streak making three birdies, an eagle, and a birdie on the next five holes that stretched his lead to seven shots and sealed the deal for him. Sandhu, the 2019 PGTI Feeder Tour Order of Merit champion, produced two excellent drives, a 30-feet conversion, and two 10-feet conversions during his dream run from the 11th to the 16th.

Sandhu's bogey on the 17th didn't change the equation as his nearest rival Dharma was a fair distance away with just three birdies on the back-nine. Sandhu's 23-under 265 bettered the previous lowest winning total of 20-under 268 at the Digboi Golf Links achieved by Mukesh Kumar in 2002, Shankar Das in 2015, and Honey Baisoya in 2016.

Delhi's Sachin Baisoya (66) matched his career-best finish of tied third as he totaled 15-under 273 for the week. Om Prakash Chouhan (70) of Mhow also claimed tied third place along with Baisoya.

Chandigarh's Harendra Gupta (69) finished fifth at 14-under 274. Local golfer Deepraj Chetia (69-71-72-76) took tied 33rd place at even-par 288.

--IANS

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