SSP Chawrasia wins Indian Open by two strokes after thrilling finale
Sunday 20 March 2016 16:53, UK
SSP Chawrasia held his nerve down the final hole to win the Hero Indian Open for the first time after four times finishing as runner-up.
The home favourite was involved in a battle with compatriot Anirban Lahiri, the defending champion, for most of the final round but the tournament was not decided until the 72nd hole in New Delhi.
Chawrasia struggled for much of Sunday, dropping shots at the sixth and 10th, and he was quickly caught by playing partner Lahiri, who got off to a flying start by carding birdies at the first three holes.
But Lahiri stumbled at the ninth and he was only able to make up that dropped shot at the long 14th to get back within a shot of the leader, who had birdied the 13th to return to level-par for the round.
Chawrasia scrambled well to make pars at the 15th, 16th and 17th and, with Lahiri unable to better those scores, he took a single stroke advantage on to the tee at the par-five closing hole.
The 37-year-old, twice a winner of co-sanctioned European Tour events, found the fairway with his drive but hooked his second, which took a slightly fortuitous bounce into the light rough.
Lahiri missed the green with his approach and Chawrasia produced a superb pitch to within five feet, his playing partner giving him a round of applause, such was the quality of the shot.
Lahiri missed his birdie putt to hand the title to Chawrasia, who holed for birdie to make the final winning margin two shots over Lahiri and Korea's Jeunghun Wang.
"I was a four-time runner-up in this event and I was thinking for a very long time, I have to win this tournament," Chawrasia told Sky Sports. "That's my dream and I got it."
Wang produced one of the rounds of the day to move up three spots, his 68 including four birdies, but he was unable to make the most of a very lucky bounce on the last, where his second shot bounced into the fairway after appearing to be heading into the jungle.
Fourth place was a tie between Brazil's Adilson da Silva and Angelo Que of the Philippines, who made the biggest move on Sunday thanks to a round of 65 that included seven birdies.
But it was another disappointing day for Australian Terry Pilkadaris, the halfway leader, who closed with a four-over round of 76 to finish six strokes off the pace.
