Date:24/06/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/06/24/stories/2006062408661800.htm

Sport - Golf

Anirbhan crowned champion

COIMBATORE: Anirbhan Lahiri played a brilliant back nine to win the GKD memorial Gold Cup golf tournament at the Coimbatore Golf Club in Chettipalayam on Friday.

The front nine saw Anirbhan in a dicey situation, as both Gagan Verma and Tarun Ghogale were only a few strokes behind. Anirbhan was confused whether to attack or defend. In the end, he decided to play it safe and waited for his opponents to make mistakes. And, they duly obliged.

Gagan triple bogeyed on the eighth hole, a par four 470-yard, and inched back by three strokes. If he messed up the eighth hole, Tarun did likewise on the 12th. Anirbhan capitalised on their mistakes and came up with three birdies on the back nine to seal the title. Sanjay Jayavarathanavelu, director of Lakshmi Machine Works Limited, gave away the prizes. The scores: Anirbhan Lahiri (72, 72, 76, 76) 296; Gagan Verma (74, 75, 74, 77) 300; Tarun Ghogale (73, 77, 74, 80) 304; Shaurya Singh, Jasjeet Singh, Rakesh Kumar 305; Simarjeet Singh 307; Joseph Chakola 308; Chirag Kumar 309; H.S. Kang 312. — Sports Reporter