It’s ‘Rash-Id’ all the way

Despite firing a final round 7-over, Delhi youngster wins title by a 14-stroke margin

MUMBAI: The Bakri-Id celebrations were on at his home. Thousands of miles away from his loved ones, at the BPGC course here, young Rashid Khan made it look like it was ‘Rush-Id’ as he shot a final round seven-over par 77, after three days of near-flawless golf. Yet he walked away with the winner’s trophy at the Sunfeast Western India Junior/Sub-Junior golf championship on Friday.

Rashid, who was 14-under par for three days and was aiming to break the all-time high of 19-under at the BPGC, ended with a final tally seven-under par 273. Chikkarangappa, meanwhile, not only emerged as the champion in the ‘B’ category but was also placed third overall (A & B combined). The results of the second place has been withheld by the IGU. Khalin Joshi (Category A) and Ashbeer Saini (Category B) were joint fourth at 295.

Sixteen-year-old Delhi lad Rashid, who held a 13-stroke advantage over the rest of the field, began the final day with a solid birdie on the par-5 opening hole. But he found the going tough thereafter as he made three bogeys on the fifth, eighth and ninth even as a motley holiday crowd was following the leader. On the back nine, he over-shot the par-4 11th and made a double bogey.

A little later, he lost one more stroke on the 14th, missing a five-footer par putt. A birdie on the 12th came as a solace but did not last long as on the par-3 17th, he three-putted for a bogey. However, he was docked two strokes for moving the flag stick which was about to obstruct his playing partner Chikkarangappa’s putt while the ball was in motion. He ended up with a treble for a final round of 77.