IGPL Mumbai: Pranavi makes history by beating men and winning title

Mumbai: Pranavi Urs got the better of overnight leader Karandeep Kochhar, producing a brilliant performance when it mattered most, and made history by winning the IGPL Mumbai Invitation, becoming the first Indian woman golfer to win a professional golf tournament while playing alongside men on the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL) Tour.

Pranavi carded a stunning 8-under 60, which was the week’s best card, at the par-68 Bombay Presidency Golf Club on the final day of the IGPL Invitational Mumbai.

Making her IGPL debut, Pranavi, who was trailing her boyfriend Kochhar by two shots overnight, played efficient and solid golf with eight birdies, the last of which appropriately came on the 18th to finish 14-under for the week as against Kochhar’s 64, which ended with his second eagle of the day. Kochhar totalled 12-under.

Kochhar was generous in his praise of Pranavi, “I had this feeling that she would win as she was playing so well. She outplayed us all, and even early in the round I realised I would have to play out of my skin to get the better of her.”

On beating the boys, Pranavi laughed and added, “I can’t describe the feeling, but right now I feel like I’m still numb and I still haven’t soaked it in that I’ve actually won. As for beating the boys, this is a great format and platform, and it is great to be able to play with the boys and see where your game is at with the boys.

“And as I also mentioned earlier, the girls are doing a lot better than the boys internationally. So I think getting that experience back home is, you know, an advantage for me,” she added.

Kochhar, on his own game, added, “I think I played really well today. I think I had really good putts today, but they just did not fall.
I had good looks, even in the end, like the 15th and the 17th. Just couldn’t putt today. But I don’t think it still would have mattered. I think Pranavi just outplayed all of us, not just me.”

“To be leading by one and shooting a 4-under on the final day, and yet to lose by 2 shots. There’s no shame in that. You simply just have to tip your hat sometimes, and Pranavi was just amazing out there.”

Sachin Baisoya, still seeking his maiden IGPL title, was third yet again. This was the fourth time he had finished third in seven IGPL starts.

Baisoya, after a rather frustrating front nine during which he had just one birdie, had three more pars before finding some putting form. He birdied three times between the 13th and the 16th. On his back nine, he had five birdies in the last six holes, including four in the last four holes, for 6-under 62 to finish at 11-under.

Winner of the last IGPL event in Jamshedpur, Pukhraj Singh Gill (67) was one under for the day, and an early double bogey did him in. Despite a closing eagle, he totalled 8-under and was fourth.

Amateur Ranveer Mitroo, who recently represented India at the Asia Pacific Amateurs in Dubai, conjured up one of his best rounds in professional company with a 7-under 61 and finished a very creditable fifth.

Pranavi, playing in the lead group for the second straight day, opened her birdie count with a gain on the second hole, which brought her one closer to Kochhar. Pranavi then made her move with back-to-back birdies on the fourth and the fifth. She went to four-under for the front nine with yet another birdie on the seventh. On the second nine, she did not take her foot off the pedal and birdied the 10th and the 12th.

After opening a three-shot lead early on the back nine, Pranavi neither relented nor erred, and her birdie on the Par-5 16th virtually sealed her win as she maintained her three-shot advantage. Her pursuers, Kochhar and Baisoya, also birdied the 16th and all three parred the Par-3 17th.

Pranavi, who was bogey-free all day, made no mistakes on the Par-5 18th, which she birdied for a fine finish to grab the Trophy and the winner’s cheque of Rs. 22.50,000. Kochhar won Rs. 15 lakhs as the runner-up.

Kochhar, who was tied 4th at Jaypee Greens, in his only IGPL appearance before this week, finished second at 12-under.

Pranavi was happy that she had come back after her wrist injury, which interrupted the early part of her season. She said, “Yes, I had a tear in my wrist, so it was a bit unfortunate because it was mid-season and the season was peaking in Europe. But after that, I did well to come back. I made most of the cuts and put myself in a good position to secure my LET card for the next year.”

Kochhar, looking for a fast start, seemed to have got it with an eagle on the Par-5 fourth, but he dropped a shot on the sixth. There were no more birdies till the 12th, by which time Pranavi had made big gains and moved ahead. Kochhar’s birdie on the 12th was negated by a dropped shot on the 14th. By then, Pranavi had moved three shots clear.

Kochhar finished the week with yet another eagle before Pranavi sealed the final birdie and won by two shots to hoist her hands up, signalling a landmark win.

Indian-American Manav Shah (68) had a tough day, and the Asian Tour player, whose family originally hails from Gujarat, finished sole sixth at 5-under total. IGPL debutant, Vani Kapoor (64), with her 4-under, finally found some decent form and was Tied-seventh with the experienced M Dharma (65) and Olympian Udayan Mane (69).

IGPL Order of Merit leader, Aman Raj (70), legendary SSP Chawrasia (68), Sunhit Bishnoi (66), Shaurya Binu (69), and Tushar Pannu (69) were tied for tenth place at 2-under total.

IANS