Date:15/03/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/03/15/stories/2008031557162200.htm

Sport - Golf

Arjun to play Shamim in final

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Arjun Singh and Shamim Khan will meet in the final of the SRF all-India match-play golf championship at the Delhi Golf Club course here on Saturday.

In the semifinals on Friday, Arjun beat Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing 2 and 1 while veteran Ali Sher took Khan to the second play-off hole.

The final will be played over 36 holes. “In a 36-hole match one needs to be consistent throughout the day,” said Arjun about the prospects of fighting in the final on Saturday.

Eight birdies

Arjun was seven under after 17 holes, made eight birdies and dropped only one shot. But Lam Chih Bing also played really well to stretch the contest to the 17th.

Arjun won the fifth, 10th, 15th and 17th while the Singapore player took the seventh and ninth holes.

A family affair

In the other semifinal, a family affair, Ali Sher finally could not match his nephew Khan when the latter pulled off a 10-foot putt on the 20th hole. It was all square after 18 holes with Khan winning the first, sixth and seventh and Ali Sher claiming the fifth, eighth and tenth.

The two birdied the first play-off hole before Khan, the 2006 champion, clinched another birdie to settle the issue.

Khan is fifth on the PGTI Order of Merit with four top 10 finishes out of five starts while Arjun is 11th on the list with two top 10 finishes out of three starts.

The third-place match between Ali Sher and Lam Chih Bing will also be played on Saturday over 18 holes.