Udayan Mane bags TATA Steel Tour C'ship

 The 2019 TATA Steel PGTI season had a fitting finale as the battle for the season-ending TATA Steel Tour Championship went down to the wire at the Golmuri Golf Course with multiple contenders in the fray in the dying stages of the tournament. But it was the Pune-based Udayan Manes "steely resolve' that helped him triumph in 'Steel City' at the Rs. 1.5 crore event by a slim one-shot margin.

Mane's (67-66-64-65) determined final round effort of seven-under-65 saw him establish a new PGTI record for the lowest tournament total as he closed the week with a jaw-dropping 26-under-262.

It was Mane's eighth professional title and his second win on the PGTI this season. The impressive winning cheque worth Rs 22,50,000 catapulted Mane from ninth to third place in the Final PGTI Order of Merit for 2019.

Kolkata-based Indian star SSP Chawrasia (63-67-65-68), who was leading by two shots till the 14th hole, carded a 68 on day four and thus had to settle for second place with another outstanding total score of 25-under-263.

An ecstatic Udayan, said: "I'm pretty pleased with the entire season having registered two wins. I started the year well but then had a rocky road from March to September. But that lean phase helped me learn a lot about myself and my golf swing and that in turn led to my better performances late in the year at Kensville (PGTI) and in Mauritius (Asian Tour)."

Chiragh Kumar's flawless 67 helped him gain two spots and finish tied third, two strokes behind Chawrasia. Aman Raj also took a share of third after an eventful 71 that saw him make an eagle, five birdies, a bogey, a double-bogey and a triple-bogey.IANS