Remarkable Rohtas reigns supreme

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, DEC. 22. The great Martina Navratilova, one of the legends of modern sport, used to say that age was all in the mind, that a person is as old as he thinks he is. As if to prove that, the remarkable lady won a record ninth Wimbledon title in 1990, three months short of her 34th birthday.

Golf, of course, is rather less punishing on the ageing compared to tennis. Yet, Rohtas Singh, the evergreen Delhi pro who won the inaugural TNGF Open tournament at the Cosmopolitan Club course on Friday, is a pure one-off.

The charismatic 45-year old who began his quest on the Indian pro tour more than 25 years ago, fired a superb five-under 67 to take the Rs. 1,21,500 top prize in the Rs.7.5 lakh event. He finished with an aggregate of 10-under 278, a good four strokes clear of the two men who shared the second spot, Shiv Prakash and Basad Ali.

And with three veterans, Rohtas, Basad and Shiv Prakash at the top of the board, the tournament has certainly underlined the virtues of experience and endurance.

B. Gurunath, who shot a superb 68 in the amateur event on Thursday, predictably won the trophy after a fourth round two- under 70. He finished with an aggregate of 290, a record for an amateur on the course.

Rohtas's first birdie came only on the sixth hole today, but from there he was almost unstoppable. In all he shot five birdies in this bogey-free round. The birdies on the 13th and 15th saw Rohtas pull some way ahead but it was not until Basad double bogeyed the 18th that Rohtas could be sure about winning the tournament.

``It's a great feeling to win my first tournament of the year. Hope I can go on to win some more,'' said Rohtas.

Basad, who shot a 70, saw his tee shot on the 18th hit a tree and then go into a water hazard. He was rather dejected because he couldn't force a playoff with Rohtas. Basad and Shiv Prakash, who had a poor back nine with three bogeys, and ended up with a 72, each took home Rs. 65,625.

Among the amateurs, Gurunath was all alone. He drove the ball as well as he might have wanted to but did have a few problems now and again on the greens, especially on the 17th where he 3-putted for a second day in a row.

But he has been a sort of a revelation in this tournament and his victory should spur Gurunath on to bigger things. He finished with a four day aggregate of 290, 18 strokes ahead of the second placed C.V. Yudvir.

Rahul Dravid, Test cricketer, presided and gave away the main prizes.

Leading pro scores: Rohtas Singh: 68, 73, 70, 67 - 278; Shiv Prakash: 71, 68, 71, 72 - 282; Basad Ali: 72, 72, 68, 70 - 282; Vishal Singh: 71, 72, 69, 71 - 283; Rafiq Ali: 70, 68, 74, 74 - 286; Feroz Ali: 74, 71, 73 - 70 - 288; D.S. Raghuvanshi: 72, 73, 72, 71 - 288; SSP Chowrasia: 69, 74, 73, 72 - 288; Sanjay Kumar: 74, 69, 71, 74 - 288; Mukesh Kumar: 72, 72, 73, 72 - 289; Harmeet Kahlon: 71, 71, 73, 74 - 289.

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