Shamim Khan wins Servo Masters

Report by Anand Datla

November 22, 2014: Shamim Khan held steady in the final round of the IndianOil Servo Masters Golf 2014 to clinch victory by a massive margin of five shots. The Delhi golfer needed just 71 to consolidate his grip over the lead and claim his 10th PGTI title. Shankar Das sett;led for second after finishing at 8-under 280, but the Kolkata golfer went past the eranings of Rashid Khan to take the top spot on the Rolex rankings.

Khan earned a handy Rs. 484,950 for his victory whilst Das took home a cheque for 334,950. C Muniyappa was one shot behind Das, closing his week at 7-under 281 to collect a cheque for Rs. 187,950. N Thangaraja finished fourth at 6-under to earn a prize worth 151,950.

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Khan dropped a shot when he made his second boegy of the round at the ninth hole. The Delhi golfer made six at the par-5 ninth to make the turn in 37 shots. Khan though recovered from the setback immediately, scoring a birdie at the tenth to get back to even par for the round.

Another birdie at the 14th ensured that Khan ended his tournament with a below par score to nail victory by a handsome margin. Shankar Das courted disaster very early in the day. The Kolkata golfer gave away four shots in the first three holes – making a sequence of two bogeys and a double bogey.

A bogey at the eighth ensued before he completed his front nine in 41 strokes. Birdies at the 11th and 14th saved him further embarassment, but he signed off with one more bogey at the 17th to see his card read a painful 76. His four over effort for the final round slipped his overall score to 8-under, which was five off the pace set by Khan.

Muniyappa made five birdies and four bogeys in his 71, but Thangaraja managed just a solitary birdie to his four bogeys as he slotted behind Muniyappa in fourth.