Ashok Kumar lifts title and biggest purse on offer

MUMBAI: Ashok Kumar is superstitious about red colour which he feels is lucky and which he wore on Sunday at the BPGC course, Chembur. He didn’t need it though as he took one step further towards a dramatic season when he expectedly and comfortably won the biggest booty on offer at the Indian Tour — the Rs 11,34,000 winner’s purse of the Crompton Greaves golf tournament.

His four-under 66 on the final day also landed him a total of 19-under for the tournament, a record, bettering the previous win by a good three strokes.

With this win and a bank balance of 38.5 lakhs for the season, Ashok is all set to conquer the Indian Order of Merit, unless he injures himself or misses out on the remaining three events and someone does really well.

That is unlikely because second-placed Jyoti Randhawa (21.06 lakhs) is only committed to play the next event — the DLF Masters next week. Besides, the DLF course is also Ashok’s favourite and considering the form he is in, he will pick up more greenbacks for sure.

A synonymous struggle was evident here too when early leader Gaganjeet Bhullar made a spirited fightback of five-under for the day and yet fell short by eight strokes to be placed second.

“Gaganjeet played very well today and his short game was excellent,” said Ashok. “However, I just played my own game. I was only thinking of winning with my own game which I was very happy about. I’m now looking forward to next week,” warned Kumar.

Bhullar started in equally good fashion with five birdies from the first six holes but a bogey on the eighth jarred a bit.

He came back refreshed with birdies on 11th, 12th and 13th but a double bogey on the 16th and a bogey on the next knocked the steam out of the fight though he did well to retain his composure for a birdie on the last hole.

Ashok started the day aggressively given his eight-stroke lead going into the final round. He got a birdie on the fourth but dropped a stroke on the fifth. However, birdies on the sixth and seventh holes resulted in a two-under-par 33 for his front nine. Back-to-back birdies on the 11th, 12th and 13th holes took him to 20-under-par for the tournament but after a bogey on the 14th he decided to play safe for his fourth win this season.

Scores: 261— Ashok Kumar (67,64,64,66); 268— Gaganjeet Bhullar (64,69,70,65); 274— Shamim Khan (70,67,68,69); 277— Uttam Singh Mundy (68,68,72,69), Vijay Kumar (64,76,70,67); 280— Md. Islam (71,69,71,69)

Mukesh vows to hit back

The Indian Tour title may be slipping out of everyone’s hands but one man is determined to fight for every inch of the three courses — the venues of the remaining three tournaments on the calendar. Defending champion Mukesh Kumar is known as ‘Tiger’ on the circuit for his fighting qualities and determination to prove everyone wrong. But interestingly, he has been languishing in the 30s on the Order of Merit this year. The seven-time winner had a lacklustre round here too when he finished 12th. “I am just not getting into my rhythm and I am not able to concentrate at all,” says Mukesh.

The only reason he can think of is that the tournaments are being held at nearly a month’s gap each. “It is indeed but we are starting this year’s calendar from scratch and couldn’t help it,” says the newly formed Professional Golfers Tour of India (PGTI) commissioner Ajai Gupta.

The other reason which he is loathe to admit is that Mukesh missed out on the first three events because he delayed his entry to the PGTI after it became the new governing body from the erstwhile Professional Golfers Association of India late last year. But Mukesh promises to catch up. “People are saying, ‘the tiger is growing old.’ But I will be back,” he signs off with a wry smile. We hope he does.