PGTI Championship | Mukesh Kumar secures title after two years
53-year-old Mukesh Kumar had a flawless final day at the TATA Steel PGTI Players Championship on Friday as he clinched the title with a total of 15-under-273. Local Angad Cheema (67-67-75-65) finished second on the day with an impressive 65 in round four to finish runner-up at 14-under-274.
The former Asian Tour winner, over a span of a 35-year-long career, has earned more than 100 titles and was at his clinical best to lift a record 20th title on the PGTI circuit bringing an end to his winless streak. Mukesh (70-67-71-65) produced an impeccable last round of seven-under-65 coming through by a shot with a total of 15-under-273.
Prior to this, Mukesh had last won back in April 2017 at the PGTI Cochin Masters in Kochi, which had lifted him from 11th to fourth place in the PGTI Order of Merit. Mukesh was followed by Cheema, who was playing on his home course.
The third place in the tournament was taken by Delhi-based teenager Kshitij Naveed Kaul, who recently won the PGTI, shot round of 64 on Friday at 12-under-276. Over the night, Kumar stayed tied third and two off the lead being the favourite to win the title from the very start. He scored early birdies on the second, third and fifth thanks to some world class wedge-play that helped him overtake leader Yashas Chandra of Mysuru.
Kumar’s true genius came to the fore when he holed his third shot from 100 yards aiming for an eagle on the par-5 seventh. Following that, he was unstoppable on the back-nine playing two more brilliant wedge shots to set up birdies on the 11th and 15th.
Kumar kept leading Cheema with pars on the last two holes as some accurate ball-striking was exhibited with his short-irons. The fourth place was taken by round three leader Yashas Chandra of Mysuru, who shot a 71 to drop to tied fourth place at 11-under-277.