Udayan Mane’s wire to wire win

Bengaluru, June 27: Udayan Mane has been in charge from the word go at the Tata Steel Karnataka Amateurs. It was no surprise then that it only took a 70 to clinch the title. Mane needed three strokes lesser than Syed Saqib Ahmed, the runner-up. Ahmed carded a 70 as well, but his 9-under 279 was only good enough to surpass Jaibir Singh, who finished third. There was daylight between Singh and the top two, after he ended with an overall score of 3-under 285. The event was played at the Par-72 Eagleton Golf Resort in Bengaluru.

Samarth Dwivedi, who won the Southern India Amateur winner last week finished 1-over 289 to take fourth place. Trishul Chinnappa and Gagan Verma tied for the fifth place a further stroke behind at two-over par 290. Young Viraj Madappa came in seventh at three-over par 291 while Delhi’s Yash Jindal was eighth by a stroke at four-over par 292.

The final day was essentially a two way race between Mane and Saqib. A birdie at the first hole consolidated Mane’s grip to four strokes over Saqib. A bogey on the fourth cost Saqib another stroke, but both men made three birdies in four holes between 5^th through 8^th to begin the final stretch five shots apart.

Saqib was enthused for a bit when he birdied the 11^th and Mane made a bogey soon after at the next hole to cut the gap to just three strokes. The leader cushioned himself with a birdie at the par-5 15^th hole to stretch the lead back to four strokes. That is the margin he retained when they reached the 18^th and Mane clinched the title with a bogey at the final hole.

Mane, who also won the Western India Amateur earlier this season, was thrilled for his wire to wire victory in Bengaluru. “It feels great to win again on the tour especially in front of my home crowd,” said the local golfer. “All my focus is now on the Asian Games trials and to make the Indian squad which would be the proudest moment for me.”

Scores:

276 Udayan Mane (69,68,69,70);

279 Syed Saqib Ahmed (74,66,69,70)

285 Jaibir Singh (71,72,72,70)

289 Samarth Dwivedi (72,70,74,73)

290 Trishul Chinnappa (71,74,73,72), Gagan Verma (74,70,74,72)

291 Viraj Madappa (72,78,67,74)

292 Yash Jindal (71,69,79,73)

Reporting by Anand Datla

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