The Hindu : Hat-trick of wins for Mukesh Kumar

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 22, 2002

Sport

Sport - Golf

Hat-trick of wins for Mukesh Kumar

By Our Sports Reporter

Mukesh Kumar, who won, tees off in the Cotton City Open golf tournament in Coimbatore on Saturday.

COIMBATORE Sept. 21. Mukesh Kumar completed a hat-trick of wins when he won the Cotton City Open at the par 72, 6793-yard Coimbatore Golf Club here on Saturday. His three-in-a-row was the first since 1988 achieved by Brandon de Souza.

Veterans Basad Ali and Rohtas Singh have also completed this feat but that was long before Brandon's achievement. According to veterans on the tour Basad Ali is reputed to have once won 10 tournaments on the trot.

Mukesh found the going tough on the final day. A birdie on the third was his best effort on the first nine. He also had a bogey on the first and fourth to be 37 for the first nine. Feroz Ali also did not have a good first nine but managed to reduce the lead by one stroke scoring 36 for the trip out.

On the 13th hole Feroz Ali managed to overtake Mukesh Kumar. Mukesh took an adventurous route through the trees from the tee off but only succeeded in scoring a double bogey whereas Feroz played safe and ended up scoring a birdie.

"I was slightly worried when Feroz took the lead but seeing the terrific winds blowing and knowing how unpredictable the game of golf can be I knew anything could happen. Feroz had a bad 14th hole and I was back in the lead,'' Mukesh said prior to the prize distribution.

The 14th hole proved to be a disaster for Feroz. His one stroke lead was short-lived as he triple bogeyed. Hitting repeatedly off the greens Feroz was so disgusted with his performance that he threw away the ball he was playing with.

After the 14th hole Mukesh had his win completely sewn up. However Mukesh had a relatively poor card finishing three over 75 for the day. Both Mukesh and Feroz Ali will head for Malaysia to participate in the World Cup qualifying tournament after the Delhi event of the Hero Honda tour.

The only sub par of the day was carded by Delhi's Pappan who returned a one under 71. All other cards were over par which speaks volumes on how difficult the course was for the final day.

The amateurs' event was bagged by V Ramnarayan, who ended up seven strokes ahead of P. Sivamurthi and Joseph Chakola, who finished a joint second.

Mukesh Kumar received a cheque for Rs. 1,37,700 while Feroz received Rs. 95,200. The Coimbatore Golf Club also presented Mukesh with a Grey Jacket, a feature the club started last year, which they believe will become a tradition in the years to come. Mr. V. Lakshminarayan the largest sponsor for the Cotton City Open put the grey jacket on Mukesh Kumar.

The results: 1. Mukesh Kumar (68, 70, 73, 75) 286; 2. Feroz Ali (68, 70, 75, 75) 288; 3. S.S.P. Chourasia (73, 74, 71, 73) and Rohtas Singh (72, 70, 73, 76); 5. Shiv Prakash (68, 72, 78, 75) 293.

Amateurs: 1. V. Ramnarayan (84, 82, 76, 74) 316; 2. P. Sivamurthi (79, 83, 82, 79) and Joseph Chakola (81, 75, 86, 81) 323 each.

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