Shamim 'ambush' Vinod to lift maiden career title at SRF golf

New Delhi, Apr 15 (UNI) Shamim Khan pipped Vinod Kumar to record his maiden title win as he claimed the Rs 12-Lakh SRF All-India Matchplay Golf championship here today.

Vinod Kumar fell victim to the notorious Delhi Golf Club 'bushes' in the 36-hole final as Shamim triumphed at a score-line of 3&2. The winner pocketed a whopping Rs 2,57,200, while Vinod as the runner-up got to take home Rs 1,25,000.

Meanwhile in the clash for the third and fourth positions, second seed Vijay Kumar beat top-seed Mukesh Kumar 2-up. Vijay and Mukesh earned Rs 75,000 and Rs 46,000 respectively.

The par-five first hole (19th of the contest) witnessed Shamim find the rough with a driver, four-iron combination. The subsequent bogey saw Vinod reduce the score-line to 1-up in Shamim's favour.

A bogey on the 21st after his six-iron found the green-side bunker saw Vinod draw level with Shamim. On the 24th (the par-four, sixth), Vinod dropped two shots after finding the rough and being obstructed by a tree.

Shamim birdied the 26th (eighth) and Vinod bogeyed the following hole and all of a sudden there was a three-stroke difference in Shamim Khan's favour.

After making the turn, Vinod nailed his second shot to six inches from the pin to birdie and win the 29th (11th).

Shamim pulled back with a superb 4-iron and six feet putt to birdie the following hole. Vinod won the 31st (13th) with a brilliant rescue shot from the fairway bunker which placed his ball a foot from the pin.

On that hole, the 32nd of the contest, Shamim's driver 4-iron combination placed his ball on the slope of the green-side bunker.

Vinod, in the right bunker in as many shots, chipped to a grip length from the pin.

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