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Digvijay Singh triumphs

Digvijay Singh, winner of the Color Plus Open golf tournament which concluded in Chennai on Friday, in action.

Chennai Aug. 23 It looked easy, there for the asking. But, in reality, it wasn't as easy as that. And Digvijay Singh perhaps knew that too from the moment he stepped on the first tee box on the last day of the Colorplus Open golf tournament at the Cosmo-TNGF course on Friday.

In front by six strokes, Digvijay, from Meerut, was predictably nervous and it showed where it quite often does on a golf course — on the greens — as the slender 30-year old pro missed an easy birdie on the first and then failed to sink two feet birdie putt on the second.

But, then, while challenge did emerge, it came from unlikely quarters — and not from the second placed Shamim Khan (74) or the third placed Mukesh Kumar (69) — and no matter Shiv Prakash's superb last round 65, Digvijay, with a par round of 72, still won the tournament by three strokes.

It was Digvijay's second win of the season following his triumph in the opening event of the Hero Honda tour in Srinagar.

``This is a memorable win for me. This course is good and I enjoy playing here. I am going to be back for The Hindu Open,'' said Digvijay, who finished with a four round aggregate of 275 even as Shiv Prakash finsihed runner up with 278.The journey out was a disaster for Digvijay as he lost a stroke apiece on the fourth and eighth holes. But he pulled up his socks and played well on the way back to sink birdies on the 12th, 14th and 16th before hitting to the left on the green on the 18th for a last hole bogey.

``I was a bit unlucky on a couple of holes today but that is part of the game. The third round proved decisive,'' said Digvijay.

Shiv Prakash shot back to back birdies on the first three holes, lost a stroke on the seventh where his drive hit a tree, birdied the eighth, and then again fired birdies on four holes on the way back.

``I was very happy with my game today. It was good the finish the way I did,'' said the veteran from Kanpur.

In the amateur event, Sandeep Syal just about managed to stay ahead of a red hot L.Selvadurai (ONGC), to win the event by a solitary stroke.

Selvadurai shot the best amateur round of the four days, a two under 70 but Syal, who was ahead by four strokes, fired a 73 today for an aggregate of 290, one more less than Selvadurai.

Mr.Rajendra Mudaliar, Managing Director, Colorplus, gave away the prizes. Mr.N.Srinivasan, President, TNGF, welcomed the gathering at the prize function.

Leading pro scores: 275 Digvijay Singh; 278 Shiv Prakash; 279 Mukesh Kumar; 281 Rafiq Ali; 283 Monish Bindra, Shamim Khan; 285 Uttam Singh Mundy; 286, Indrajit Bhalotia, Bhoop Singh, Md. Islam.

Amateurs: 290 Sandeep Syal; 291 L.Selvadurai.

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