Delhi golfer Harshjeet Singh Sethie fired five-under 67, the eventful final day’s lowest score, that took him into a playoff where he upstaged the experienced Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow by driving his way to his maiden title at the Rs. 1 crore Coimbatore Open here on Friday.
The 21-year-old Harshjeet (69-67-72-67), who stands tall at a towering height of six feet and seven inches, collected the winning cheque worth Rs. 15,00,000 to skyrocket 70 spots from 81st to 11th position in the TATA Steel PGTI Rankings.
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Om Prakash Chouhan (67-71-68-69), who like Sethie also totaled 13-under 275 for the week before losing out on the second playoff hole to the latter, further consolidated his lead on the PGTI’s money list with his runner-up finish that earned him a cheque worth Rs. 10,00,000.
Harshjeet lying overnight fifth and four off the lead, began his day with a bogey-birdie on the first two holes before he made one and all sit up and take notice with his eagle on the 11th and birdies on the ninth, 10th and 13th. The pro from the Delhi Golf Club drove the par-4 11th green before sinking a 15-footer there for an eagle-two. After a bogey on the 14th, he drove the green on the par-4 15th to set up another birdie.
Harshjeet , then met PGTI Order of Merit leader Om Prakash Chouhan in the playoff who had shot five birdies and two bogeys for his 69 on Friday.
After both players made pars on the first playoff hole, the second playoff hole saw Harshjeet unleash yet another sensational drive on the par-4 18th that found the green where the yardage read 395 yards. .
He finally registered a huge upset when he made a two-putt for birdie to win even as Chouhan, the favourite going into the playoff, missed his birdie putt from six feet. Om Prakash has now lost two playoffs out of two, both at Coimbatore. The 2023 PGTI season as a result got its 10th winner in as many events.
Sri Lankan N Thangaraja (71), Bengalureans Mari Muthu R (71) and Aryan Roopa Anand (74) as well as Delhi-based Saptak Talwar (73) took tied third place at eight-under 280.
Gurugram’s Manish Thakran, the third round leader by two shots, finished 10th at four-under 284.
