Randhawa, Chowrasia finish on top, playoff tomorrow

New Delhi, Oct 22 (UNI) After four rounds of edge-of-the-seat drama failed to produce an outright winner, the Hero Honda Indian Open spilled over to its fifth day tomorrow when former winner Jyoti Randhawa locks horn with Asian Tour rookie SSP Chowrasia in the playoff of the 400,000 dollar event.

At the end of four rounds today, the Indian troika of Randhawa, Vijay Kumar and Chowrasia found themselves in a three-way lead at 18-under 270.

In the three-way playoff, both Randhawa and Chowrasia parred the first extra hole, whie Vijay fell by the wayside after he lost the ball in the jungle.

Randhawa and Chowrasia, however, were unable to continue their play-off action on the par-five 18th hole due to fading light at the Delhi Golf Club and resume the battle tomorrow.

Before the play-off debacle, it seemed a perfect tournament for Vijay Kumar, who led, along with Simon Dunn, after first round, shared it with Chowrasia in the second before surrendering it to Randhawa in the penultimate round.

Vijay's bogeys on the ninth and 16th holes today were clearly aberrations as he reeled off eight birdies, including four on the trot in a scintillating front nine, for a round of six-under 66 to soar into the lead again.

Randhawa, on the other hand, mixed five birdies and three bogeys, including two over three holes in his front nine, for his two-under 70, while SSP fired a hat-trick of birdies on his way back for a round of 69 and stake his claim for the title.

It was sparkling golf over four days by two defending champions -- Jyoti won it in 2000, while Vijay was the last Indian to lift the title in 2002 -- and Chowrasia, an exciting Asian Tour rookie and son of the gree keeper at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club with an unmistakable rustic charm about him.

Among others, pre-tournament favourite Simon Dyson (271) finished just a stroke behind the trio at tied fourth, while Gaurav Ghei (277) came tied seventh and Rahil Gangjee (280) stood tied 12th.

Defending champion Thaworn Wiratchant (282) came tied 16th, while Shiv Kapur (284) fumbled again and finished tied 21st after a final round of 74.

The only time a Monday finish was on the Asian Tour was in 2005 when Ernie Els won the BMW Asian Open in China.

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