Vijay Kumar proved once again that experience has no substitute as he hardly broke sweat while clinching the inaugural Hutchison Essar Open title at the par-70 Bombay Presidency Golf Club course on Friday.
The Lucknow golfer, who won the Hero Honda Open West in Pune earlier this year, closed the 54-hole tournament with a final round of one-under 69 for a tally of nine-under 201.
Yusuf Ali, who beat Vijay in a play-off to win the Air Canada Forest Hill Open last month, finished runner-up at seven-under 203 following a round of 69, while Ashok Kumar brought in the day's best card of five-under 65 to climb to third place.
The victory was worth Rs 1,21,500 for Vijay, who will be looking forward to regaining his title at the US$-300,000 Indian Open later this month at the Delhi Golf Club.
It will also take him up to second position in the Order of Merit supremacy. Yusuf had to be satisfied with a cheque of Rs 84,000. Ashok's brilliant finish ensured his stay at the top of the Merit list.
Gaurav Ghei of Delhi shot a two-under 68 and joined veteran Shiv Prakash of Kanpur in tied fourth place at five-under 205. There was a three-way tie for the sixth place at 207 between Jumman (Lucknow), Uttam Singh Mundy (Kolkata) and Mukesh Kumar (Mhow).
Amit Nigam, the only amateur to make the pro cut, was adjudged the best amateur with score of 11-over 221. He received a Titleist golf bag.
Mr Suresh Sunderam, Director, Essar Group distributed the prizes.
The only hiccup for Vijay came on the fourth hole, where he made a bogey, while Yusuf made a birdie and tied for the lead. But he regained lead with a birdie on the very next hole, and when Yusuf bogied the seventh, it was just the opening Vijay as looking for to shut the door on the competition.
"I am very happy with the way I won. I was rarely in trouble and that was because I was hitting the ball so well. This victory will definitely boost my confidence as I get ready for the Indian Open," said the burly golfer.
Result: (after 54 holes): 201 _ Vijay Kumar (64,68,69); 203 _ Yusuf Ali (67,67,69); 204 _ Ashok Kumar (64,75,65); 205 _ Gaurav Ghei (71,66,68), Shiv Prakash (69,66,70); 207 _ Uttam Singh Mundy (69,68,70), Mukesh Kumar (68,69,70), Jumman (69,67,71); 209 _ Ranjit Singh (64,73,72); 210 _ Mohd Islam (69,69,72), Rafiq Ali (69,72,69), Feroz Ali (75,68,67); 211 _ Digvijay Singh (75,68,68); 212 _ Jagdish Angre (72,70,70); 214 _ S Madaiah (72,74,68), Shamim Khan (70,71,73); 215 _ Amit Dube (71,73,71), Sanjay Kumar (70,70,75).
