Golf: Manu Gandas clinches Vooty Masters title
Manu Gandas of Gurugram sealed a thumping four-shot win after a nerveless final round display of six-under 66 at the inaugural Vooty Masters
Hyderabad: Manu Gandas of Gurugram sealed a thumping four-shot win after a nerveless final round display of six-under 66 at the inaugural Vooty Masters, at the Vooty Golf County in Vikarabad on Sunday.
Gandas (63-68-67-66), the overnight leader by one shot, totalled 24-under 264 for the week to register his fifth win of 2022 and thus matched the PGTI record for most wins in a season, a record previously jointly held by Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (2022), Gaganjeet Bhullar (2009) and Ashok Kumar (2006-07).
In the process, Gandas also equalled the PGTI record for the lowest winning total (24-under 264) set earlier by Anirban Lahiri, Rashid Khan and Akshay Sharma. Gandas took home the winning cheque worth Rs. 15 lakh to consolidate his second position in the PGTI Ranking as his prize money earnings for the season moved to Rs. 65,78,938.
Om Prakash Chouhan (66-63-73-66) of Mhow finished runner-up at 20-under 268 following his last round of 66. Delhi’s Shamim Khan shot a fine 64 on Sunday to secure third place at 16-under 272.
Chandigarh’s Yuvraj Singh Sandhu continues to lead the PGTI Order of Merit thanks to his sensational last round effort of nine-under 63 which matched the course record set previously in the week by Gandas and Chouhan.
Yuvraj gained 25 spots to finish fourth at 14-under 274 which took his season’s earnings to Rs. 67,39,568. “I took one shot at a time and stayed in the present. I had a bad start on the back-nine but was steady thereafter and set up a lot of birdie opportunities for myself. Overall, it was a solid round barring a couple of mistakes,” said Gandas.
“I’m quite pleased with the records added to my name but my focus is more on taking my game to the next level. This win gives me the momentum for the final two events of the season.” Chouhan made six birdies on a day he went error-free. He was briefly in contention on the back-nine when he got within two shots of the lead. Shamim Khan made nine birdies and a bogey during his outstanding 64. Yuvraj’s extraordinary 63 featured an eagle on the 16th, eight birdies and a bogey.
The Chandigarh duo of Abhijit Singh Chadha (65) and Angad Cheema (76) claimed tied fifth place at 13-under 275. Chandigarh’s Ajeetesh Sandhu finished tied 34th at three-under 285.
Fifteen-year-old Noida-based amateur Aarav D Shah, an Australian national, took the trophy for the best performing amateur after he too ended the week in tied 34th place.
