Udayan lifts Golconda Masters Golf C'ship trophy

Hyderabad: Pune's Udayan Mane reigned supreme at the Hyderabad Golf Club (HGC) on Saturday as he posted a clinical four-under-67 to make it back-to-back titles on the TATA Steel PGTI with victory at the Vooty & Haldi Presents Golconda Masters Golf Championship 2020 powered by Telangana Tourism.

Udayan, who closed the week with a total of 17-under-267, bagged his ninth professional title with a two-shot margin at the season-opening Rs. 40 lakh event.

It was the 28-year-old's second win at the Golconda Masters following his triumph in 2018. Udayan had also won PGTI's last event, the 2019 season-ending Tour Championship in Jamshedpur in December.

Bengaluru's Viraj Madappa delivered a scintillating nine-under-62, the week's best score, to clinch the joint runner's up spot with a total of 15-under-269 along with Patna's Aman Raj who fired a last round five-under-66.

Udayan Mane (68-67-65-67), lying one off the lead in second place after round three, was off to a steady start in the final round making pars on the first five holes. Round three leader Veer Ahlawat of Gurugram dropped bogeys on the fourth and fifth to concede the lead to Mane.

Udayan said, "Back-to-back wins are always special and it feels awesome to have achieved it. I would love to take this form forward into the next events. It's also good to win at the HGC for the second time. It's turning out to be my happy hunting ground." Udaya took home the winning cheque of Rs. 6,46,600.

Mane has now become the seventh player to win back-to-back titles on the PGTI following in the footsteps of Ashok Kumar, Gaganjeet Bhullar, Shamim Khan, Anirban Lahiri, Mithun Perera and Honey Baisoya. Honey Baisoya was the last player to win back-to-back titles on the PGTI when he bagged the Pune Open and Delhi-NCR Open in April 2018.

Viraj Madappa (69-68-70-62), lying tied 10th and eight off the lead ahead of the final round, had a rather quiet first eight holes with two birdies and a bogey. Asian Tour regular Viraj then went on a rampage with eight birdies between the ninth and the 18th courtesy a hot putter.

The 22-year-old Madappa had an incredible run of birdies on the last five holes. He sank a 25-feet birdie putt on the ninth and made 15-feet birdie conversions on the first, 14th, 16th and 17th.

Round three leader Veer Ahlawat of Gurugram dropped to fourth at 13-under-271 after his final round of 72.

Delhi's Rashid Khan, the 2019 PGTI Order of Merit champion, took a share of seventh place at nine-under-275.

Bengaluru's Khalin Joshi was a further shot back in tied 10th place.

Gurugram's Abhishek Kuhar made a hole-in-one on the 11th during his round of 72. He finished tied 40th at five-over-289.

Hyderabad-based professional Venkkat Gautham, who carded a last round of 75, finished tied 40th.