Ashok Kumar wins Crompton Greaves Open with tournament record

Mumbai, May 6 (UNI) Ashok Kumar carded a final round four-under 66 to win the inaugural Rs. 70 Lakh Crompton Greaves Open and set a new tournament record of 19-under 261 at the par-70 Bombay Presidency Golf Club here today.

Ashok took home the winner's cheque of Rs.11,34,000 for his fourth title of the season. He is currently the highest earner on the PGTI tour this season with total earnings of over Rs.38,50,000 so far.

Going into the final round with an eight-stroke lead, Ashok missed a two-footer for birdie on the first, but a birdie on the fourth, a dropped shot on the fifth and birdies on the sixth and seventh holes resulted in a two-under 33 for his front nine.

In the return journey, he fired back-to-back birdies on the 11th, 12th and 13th holes but a bogey on the par-four 14th followed by pars on the last four holes were good enough to give him his fourth win this season with a record tournament total of 19-under 261 for the BPGC surpassing the earlier mark of 16-under-par.

Second-placed Gaganjeet Bhullar played some brilliant golf to card five under 65 but failed to give Ashok much of a competition given the eight stroke gap between the two pros.

The 19-year-old Gaganjeet earned Rs. 7,84,000, his highest paycheck as a pro.

Shamim Khan carded a one-under 69 to finish sole third at six-under 274, while Uttam Singh Mundy and Vijay Kumar finished tied fourth at three-under 277.

Scores after Round Four (72 holes): 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); 281. BG Lalith Kumara (70, 70, 67, 74), Digvijay Singh (70, 71, 67, 73), Arjun Singh (70, 68, 73, 70), SK Ahmed Ali (72, 70, 70, 69), Harmeet Kahlon (68, 73, 72, 68) UNI