Chikkarangappa wins CG Open

Report by Anand Datla

December 5, 2014: Consistency is a mantra that seldom fails to serve its master well. S Chikkarangappa learnt the value of this virtue when he edged past a soaring Om Prakash Chouhan to defend the CG Open title. The golfer from Bengaluru shot his second 66 of the week to complete a one shot victory over a field that remained close through the tournament. Chouhan eclipsed C Muniyappa, whose course record 61 stood for just a single day to take second spot. The 28 year old missed out narrowly on his second PGTI victory of the season, despite notching a sensational 60 in the final round.

Chikka won his third tournament of the season when he held his nerve to make two birdies in the final three holes to pocket the title. The 21 year old has been in terrific form this season and victory at the Bombay Presidency Golf Club will move the young man from Bengaluru to within touching distance of the two men at the top of the Rolex Rankings. Shankar Das and Rashid Khan are sitting atop the PGTI Order of Merit.

Chouhan will be ruing his terrible third round effort after standing aside and watching his younger colleague celebrate his success in Mumbai today. The Mhow based golfer stumbled badly on Friday, after getting through the first two rounds in a score of 10-under, having made a forgettable 74. He tried to make amends on Saturday, but despite finishing with a sequence of birdie-birdie-eagle at the final three holes, he found himself painstakingly short of victory in Mumbai.

Muniyappa, who lit up the tournament yesterday with fireworks, including a hole in one at the 8th hole on Friday, found the going relatively tougher on the final day. The Bengaluru lad had to content himself with just two birdies and a bogey as he shot 69 to take third place, two shots behind the winner.

Sanjay Kumar, Shamim Khan and Mukesh Kumar completed the top five at the penultimate super series event on the PGTI calendar.