The Hindu : Sport / Golf : Sanjay tames Mundy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, May 02, 2005

Sport

Sport - Golf

Sanjay tames Mundy

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Excitement was at a premium during the final of the All India SRF matchplay golf championship as Sanjay Kumar kept at off-colour Uttam Singh Mundy at bay to win the 36-hole title-match 6 and 5 at the Delhi Golf Club course here on Sunday.

Sanjay, a 33-year-old pro from Lucknow, led from the start and finished the job with a 20-foot birdie on the 31st hole for the winner's cheque of Rs. 2.25 lakh.

This was Sanjay's biggest cheque of his professional career that began in 1987. Mundy, who was looking for his season's first title, received Rs. 1.10 lakh.

If the final turned one-sided it had more to do with Mundy's listless display. His putts just did not drop on this day. Sanjay knew the reasons for his victory and said, "I expected a tougher fight but Mundy did not play well. My hitting was good and I am very pleased to win after such a long time." Sanjay's previous triumphs on the Indian Tour came in the 1998 Color Plus Open in Chennai and the 2000 Servo Masters championship at Digboi.

Heart-breaking miss

Mundy's exasperation was understandable. He tried very hard, read the line of his putts right but faltered with the length on most occasions. The most painful `miss' came on the 29th hole when Mundy's putt from under three feet lipped the cup and stayed out.This was heart-breaking for Mundy since it came after he raised visions of a fightback by winning the two previous holes and reduced Sanjay's lead to four. A hole later, Sanjay came up with the day's longest birdie to claim the title.

Mundy did not have to search for reasons for the defeat. "The ball did not role for me today. I was looking for birdies but did not get them. I could not bring Sanjay under pressure and that made the difference,' said Mundy, who began the day with a bogey and never managed to catch up with the eventual winner.

Leading by a hole, Sanjay was well poised for a par-putt from about eight feet on the third when Mundy double bogeyed and gave up the hole. Sanjay went three-up on the seventh hole with a 14-foot birdie that followed his steady perfect 6-iron shot.

Lone birdie

Then came Mundy's lone birdie of the day that sliced Sanjay's lead to two after eight holes. On the 12th hole, Mundy three-putted and then bogeyed the 14th to trail by four. After a break, the players resumed the battle and again it was Sanjay who made the first move with a 14-foot birdie on the 22nd hole. Two holes later, Sanjay chipped in for another birdie to go six up. Mundy desperately needed to raise the level of his game in order to keep alive his chances.

There was some excitement when Sanjay bogeyed the 27th and 28th holes to let Mundy close the gap to four holes. But Mundy's missed short par-putt on the 29th hole and Sanjay's finishing birdie on the 31st made sure the no-contest ended with five holes to spare.

The results: Final: Sanjay Kumar bt Uttam Singh Mundy 6 and 5; For third place: Rafick Ali bt Harinder Gupta (withdrawn after four holes).

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