Mukesh lifts ONGC Noida Open title

NOIDA, Apr 28 (UNI) Mukesh Kumar fired his fourth straight under-par card with a final round 68 to win Rs 10-lakh ONGC Noida Open Golf here today.

The Mhow golfer's tournament tally of 16 under 272 earned him the winner's cheque of Rs 1,58,200.

This win took Mukesh's tally of victories on the 2005-06 Aamby Valley PGAI Tour season to five.

Kolkata's Uttam Mundy, who began the day tied for the lead with the eventual winner, shot a one-over 73 and, at an aggregate of 11-under 277, pocketed Rs 1,08,700 for finishing second.

Local favourite Jasjeet Singh, with a tally of nine-under 279, finished third amongst a full-strength professional field.

The quartet of Vijay Kumar (Lucknow), Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia (Kolkata), Harinder Gupta (Chandigarh ) and Ashok Kumar (DLF Golf&Country Club) shared the fourth position at eight-under 280.

Mukesh's last round commenced with a driver four iron combination and a chip to one foot seeing him drain the birdie putt. He then fired birdies on the 4th and 7th holes.

Mukesh birdied the 13th to open up a six-stroke lead over Mundy.

A bogey, his only one of the day, came on the 16th but Mukesh made up with a birdie on the 17th and a par on his closing hole to emerge triumphant.

Mundy missed an easy chip for birdie on the first and followed it up with another messed-up birdie putt on the second. He went on to drop shots on the fifth and ninth -- on both the occasions, he overshot the green. On the tenth, Mundy's tee shot found the green-side water body costing him another shot. For the record, he went on to birdie the 14th and 17th which helped him secure the second position for the third time this season.

GAIL employee Jasjeet Singh fired a final round 70 to return a tournament tally of nine-under 279. This fetched the local golfer both the amateur title as well as a career best third place finish in an Aamby Valley PGAI Tour event.

Jasjeet's elder bother Simarjeet Singh finished second at 291.

Score (after 72 holes): 272 Mukesh Kumar; 277 Uttam Mundy; 279 Jasjeet Singh; 280 Vijay Kumar, SSP Chowrasia, Harinder Gupta, Ashok Kumar; 282 Ranjit Singh, Feroz Ali, Arjun Singh UNI HSB PDS KN1617