Rahul claims maiden title with LG Jaypee Amateur

Greater Noida, May 2 (UNI) Rahul Bajaj stunned three round leader Gagan Verma to win the LG Jaypee Amateur Golf title here today.

Rahul submitted a card of 2-over 74, courtesy a nervous bogey on the final hole to finish with a four day total of level par 288.

Yet he managed to stay one shot ahead of Gagan Verma who begun the day with a stroke ahead of him and his day's score of 4-over 76 did not help him either.

Manav Das submitted the only sub-card of 1-under 71 to finish third at 290. Karan Vasudeva was fourth at 219 while Arshdeep Tiwana was fifth at 294. Moin Malak and Kapil Kumar shared the sixth spot at 295 while Tarun Ghogale and Saurabh Bahuguna were tied for the eighth spot.

Gagan Verma began in the right earnest making three pars in a row while Rahul made a bogey on the second and immediately rectified with a birdie on the third.

In a see-saw battle, Rahul bogeyed the next hole as did Gagan who went on to bogey the next three holes to give Rahul a two-stroke advantage after the first nine.

However the match was decided on the par-5 13th hole where Gagan missed a 2-footer birdie putt while Rahul made a sandy birdie after being in the rough on his drive. Rahul who was leading by one consolidated his lead to two and in an amazing recovery, made a par on the par-4 15th after driving into the deep fairway bunker and later overdrove the green. However he chipped to three feet and made par.

Both made bogey on the 17th as the status quo remained when both reached the greenside on the finishing hole. The youngster's ball was in the pitch mark on the collar of the green but was not allowed a drop, the resultant of which was a bogey 5. Nevertheless he was a one-shot winner.

UNI HSB RAR RN1933