New Delhi, April 4, 2009: Ashok Kumar registered an emphatic 5 & 4 win against Rahul Ganapathy in the final of the SRF All India Professional Golf Matchplay Championship 2009 at the Delhi Golf Club on Saturday. Ashok’s sixth title win on the Aircel PGTI ended his two-year long title drought and also helped him set the record for the maximum number of wins on the tour. It was in fact, the Delhi-based professional’s first victory at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC).

Vivek Bhandari defeated Anura Rohana on the 20th hole to win the playoff for third place.

Ashok Kumar seemed to be running away with the match as he was nine ahead after the first 18 holes. Ashok won 10 holes and lost one on the first 18. He began strongly winning the first, second and fourth holes and then picked up two more wins on the seventh and eighth after losing the sixth to Ganapathy. After being four up at the turn, the 2006-07 PGTI Order of Merit winner bagged five straight holes from the 13th to the 17th to establish a nine up lead.

Ashok Kumar

Rahul Ganapathy then fought back on the first nine of the second 18 to close the gap to five up. Ganapathy sank some long putts as he won the second (birdie), fourth (par), sixth (par) and eighth (birdie). Thereafter, Ashok pocketed the 11th hole with a 30 feet birdie putt before Rahul went on to win the 13th with a birdie. Ashok sealed the victory after the two finalists halved the 14th with pars.

Ashok, who bagged the winner’s cheque worth Rs. 5,20,000, said, “It feels great to win my first title in almost two years. The win is all the more special because it’s my first at the DGC. I established a healthy lead on the first 18 since Rahul’s hitting was off the mark and I was playing safe and making regulations. I made pars in six out of my ten wins on the first 18.”

“I then took it a little easy on the second 18 and Rahul managed to reduce the deficit on the first nine. From the seventh hole onwards, I too started going for birdies and a crucial 30 feet birdie putt on the 11th brought me very close to victory. My strategy through the week was to let the opponent attack and that seemed to work for me. I am playing the best golf of my life at the moment and will now focus to perform well on the Asian Tour,” added Ashok, who has now climbed from 16th to third on the Aircel PGTI Order of Merit.

Rahul Ganapathy said, “The first 18 was a disaster for me today. My putting was poor and hitting left a lot to be desired. However, I picked up my putting on the second 18 and got a little more aggressive. My club selection was also better. I feel that despite struggling on the first 18, I ended the tournament on a positive note as I shot three under on the last 14.”

In the playoff for third place, Vivek Bhandari beat Anura Rohana on the 20th hole. Bhandari and Rohana had won five holes each in the regulation 18 holes before heading for the sudden-death playoff.

Day One >> 
Day Two >> 
Day Three >> 
Semi-Final >>