SSP Chawrasia Invitational: Experience Chouhan prevails in a close finish to win 4th title of season

Kolkata, Dec 10 (IANS) Om Prakash Chouhan brought all his experience to the fore by displaying nerves of steel and prevailing in a close finish to secure his 11th career title and fourth of the 2023 season at the INR 1 crore SSP Chawrasia Invitational 2023 golf championship at the historic Royal Calcutta Golf Club (RCGC) in Kolkata on Sunday. 

Chouhan (70-69-70-73), the overnight leader by four shots, was not at his best on Sunday as he shot a one-over 73 but closed out the match in style with a last-hole birdie to triumph by one shot at a total of six-under 282.

American rookie Varun Chopra (73-72-69-69) took the runner-up spot at five-under 283 after shooting the day’s joint-lowest score of 69.

The 37-year-old ‘OP’, as Om Prakash Chouhan is popularly known, walked away with the winning cheque worth INR 15 lakh that saw him become the first player to cross the INR 1 crore barrier in season’s earnings on the PGTI.

Chouhan, who originally hails from Mhow in Madhya Pradesh but is now attached to the Kalhaar Blues and Greens golf course in Ahmedabad, also further extended his lead in the TATA Steel PGTI Ranking as his season’s earnings moved to INR 1,13,80,559 giving him a lead of more than INR 39 lakh over second-placed Karan Pratap Singh.

Chouhan, who has stamped his authority through the season, began his day with a birdie on the first hole but then lost his way with four bogeys over the next 13 holes as he struggled with his putting, missing a few putts from short range and thereby conceding a one-shot lead to 24-year-old Varun Chopra.

However, Chouhan made a final push with a gallant effort on the closing stretch as he sank a 10-footer for birdie on the 15th and followed that up with a great chip-putt and another crucial 10-foot conversion for par on the 17th. Chouhan finally wrapped it up with a terrific approach shot on the 18th that landed four feet from the flag and set up the winning birdie for him.

US-based Varun Chopra bagged his second runner-up finish of the year and a cheque worth INR 10 lakh that moved him up from 31st to 16th position in the Order of Merit. 

Varun, who hit all the fairways on Sunday, picked up six birdies in exchange for two bogeys on the first 11 holes to draw level with Chouhan for the lead. 

Chopra, who briefly took the lead, ended the day in second place after he missed a short putt to drop bogey on the 14th and then missed the all-important 10-foot birdie conversion on the 18th.

Angad Cheema’s (70) consistent season continued as he finished third at four-under 284 and thus climbed two spots to ninth place in the money list. Udayan Mane and Rashid Khan claimed tied fourth place at two-under 286.

--IANS

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