Ashok survives Chowrasia scare, lifts golf title in Bangalore

Bangalore , Fe 25 (UNI) Ashok Kumar survived SSP Chowrasia's late surge and carded a final round of six-under 64 to lift the title at the Rs 60 Lakh Solaris Global Green Open Golf here today.

Chowrasia dazzled on the final day at the Bangalore Golf Club and came up with his best show of the week, threatening to pull the rug from under Ashok's feet. In the end, Ashok, however, pipped the Kolkata pro with a four-day total of 266, while Chowrasia finished just one stroke behind.

Ashok was his aggressively self as he fired a birdie on the second and two more on the fifth and seventh holes to get to three-under before dropping a shot on the ninth.

His back nine was an eventful affair with birdies on the 10th, 13th and 15th with a bogey and an eagle in between and that proved just enough to walk away with the winner's cheque of Rs.9,72,000.

''SSP Chowrasia played well but I played my own game, which helped. I tried my best to hit the greens and make birdies but I did not want to loose any pars. The 14th hole was the turning point and it pumped me up,'' Ashok said after triumph.

Chowrasia, on his part, played some excellent golf to finish a close second. Birdies on the first, second and third and bogies on the fifth, seventh and eighth holes saw him make the turn at level-par but it was his back nine which saw the real drama.

The Kolkata pro reeled off seven birdies in the back nine -- on 10th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 17th and 18th -- to card the best round of the day.

''My hitting was excellent today. However, I need to maintain my rhythm over all four days, which is what I am working hard to achieve and am slowing getting there,'' said the ever smiling golfer.

Sanjay Kumar carded six-under 64 to tie for third place alongside Vivek Bhandari who shot 65. Kunal Bhasin finished sole fifth while Jaiveer Virk, C Muniyappa and Rahul Ganapthy finished a stroke further behind in a tie for sixth place.

Abhishek Jha won the amateur trophy with a total of 288 while S Chikkarangappa finished runners-up.

Scores: 266: Ashok Kumar (64,70,68,64) 267: SSP Chowrasia (69,66,69,63) 270: Sanjay Kumar (74,64,68,64), Vivek Bhandari (67,67,71,65) 271: Kunal Bhasin (67,70,68,66) 273: Jaiveer Virk (72,69,65,67), C Muniyappa (68,68,68,69), Rahul Ganapathy (67,70,66,70) 274: Anura Rohana (70,67,68,69), Digvijay Singh (67,70,68,69) 275: Shankar Das (68,70,70,67) 276: Yusuf Ali (68,69,69,70) 277: Amardip Sinh Malik (72,66,72,67) 278: Rafick Ali (68,71,72,67), Harinder Gupta (71,72,66,69), Davendra Patel (69,72,69,68), Sujjan Singh (69,75,64,72) 279: Gaganjeet Bhullar (68,72,72,67), Harmeet Kahlon (66,75,67,71) 280: Craig McLean (69,72,71,68), Pappan (69,69,72,70), Shiv Prakash (70,71,69,70), Ranjit Singh (68,70,70,72), AS Lehal (76,68,70,66) UNI