Shiv Prakash triumphs at Wills Northern Open

Shiv Prakash carded his second win in three events on the Wills Sport Golf Tour to win the Wills Northern Open with a tournament tally of 10-under 270.

The tournament was the ninth leg of the Wills Sport Golf Tour’s 2000-2001 season and was played at the par-70, 6,332-yard, Lucknow Club Golf course.

Mukesh Kumar finished second at Wills Northern Open with an aggregate of seven-under 273, while Sanjay Kumar at five-under 275 occupied the fourth spot. Vijay Kumar was placed fourth at four-under 276. Rahul Ganapathy and Bhoop Singh jointly finished fifth at two-under 278 at Wills Northern Leader’s Table. Uttam Singh Mundy, slipped from his overnight joint-second spot to occupy the seventh spot at one-under 279.

Shiv Prakash’s round of three-under 67, was a lesson in pressure management for all the young professionals participating. The Kanpur based golfer started his fourth day of Wills Northern Open with a three-stroke lead over the rest of the field and finished with the same margin with four birdies and one single bogey highlighting his day’s card.

The 41-year old started the day with two pared holes but found form on the 3rd, where he carded his first birdie of the day. This followed by another birdie on the following hole placed him at two-under at the stage. A birdie on the 7th, played its part in the eventual winner’s finishing his outward journey at three-under.

"I knew at this stage that there was no way I could lose," said the new leader on the Wills Sport Golf Tour’s Order of Merit.

On his back-nine, Shiv carded a birdie on the 12th, dropping his only shot of the day on the following hole, thanks to his three-putting from 15 feet.

"It feels simply great to win. It feels even better to be ranked as the number one golfer in the country," said the golfer who earned Rs 1,62,000 for his effort.

Mukesh Kumar’s three-under 67 was good but not good enough to help him in his title defence. Last season’s top ranked golfer on the Wills Sport Golf Tour, carded birdies on the 3rd and 7th on his front nine to make the turn at two-under. Back-to-back birdies on the first two holes of his back-nine were followed by a sea of pared holes, before a missed 10-feet par putt on the 18th, the final hole of his round, handed him his only bogey of the day.

"My putting was great today, but it requires a bit more than just that to beat Shiv on a day when he plays the way he did today," said the Mhow based golfer. Mukesh had to settle for the second prize of Rs 1,12,000.

Local lad Sanjay Kumar brought in a two-under 68 card at final day of Wills Northern Open. The golfer who equalled the Wills Sport Golf Tour record individual round score of nine-under in the second round of this event, failed to raise his game to a similar level today. Sanjay started the day, with a 12-feet birdie putt, following it up with one more birdie on the 5th, to enter his return journey at two-under. Birdies on the 12th and 16th with bogeys on the 15th and 17th handed him the third spot and a cheque of Rs 63,000.

"Both my bogeys were courtesy my failing to chip successfully out of bunkers," said Sanjay. "However, I am happy with my performance this week," he added.

Local favourite Vijay Kumar was a shadow of his usual self despite carding a Wills Northern Open final day’s score of two-under 68. The leader of the season ending Wills Sport Golf Tour Order of Merit for three years running had birdies on the 7th, 18th, 14th and 16th, bogeys on the 1st, 4th, 11th and 8th and an eagle on the 3rd, where he chipped in from 40-yards.

"I missed seven short putts today, six feet and under. This is terrible under any circumstance," was what Vijay had to say. "It is disappointing not to win in front of my home crowd, but that is life and one just has to take the good with the bad," said the golfer who pocketed a sum of Rs 51,000.

Rahul Ganapathy, the ‘Wills Man On Tour’ played exceedingly well for a Rookie golfer with his level-par 70 handing him the joint-fifth spot. "This is my first top five finish and I hope to card my first win by the end of the season," said the AV Thomas sponsored golfer.

Bhoop Singh played to two-over 72 to card his best finish this season. "I am a bit disappointed with today’s round. I feel I could have finished higher this week," said the local lad.

Khanna bags amateur title: Rishi Khanna carded a tally of 320 to win the amateur title by seven strokes. Khanan carded a 10-over 80 today. Seven strikes behind at second spot was Dr Kashmir Singh at 327. Dhruv Seth was placed third at 328.

SCORES (after 72 holes): 270_Shiv Prakash(69,69,65,67); 273_Mukesh Kumar(66,70,70,67); 275_Sanjay Kumar(73,61,73,68); 276_Vijay Kumar(69,67,72,68); 278_Rahul Ganapathy(70,67,71,70), Bhoop Singh(70,67,69,72); 279_Uttam Mundy(67,71,68,73); 280_Feroz Ali(71,70,69,70), Amish Jaitha(69,69,72,70), Yusuf Ali(71,68,70,71), DS Raghuvanshi(72,67,68,73); 283_GS Sethi(71,72,72,68), Vinod Kumar (D)(71,74,65,73), Basad Ali(67,71,71,74) Amateurs: 320_Rishi Khanna(82,76,82,80); 327_Dr Kashmir Singh(85,81,84,77); 328_Dhruv Seth(80,82,79,87); 334_A Khandelwal(80,85,82,87)