Aadil Bedi’s magnificent play earns him maiden title in a thriller at Bengal Open 2020

Key Highlights:

→ Aadil Bedi’s magnificent play earns him maiden title in a thriller at Bengal Open 2020

→ Teenager Bedi triumphs in style with chip-in on sixth playoff hole ends Udayan Mane’s three-match winning streak

→ Longest-running playoff in PGTI history 

{Press Release}: Nineteen-year-old Aadil Bedi put up a lion-hearted performance to earn his maiden title in a thriller at the Bengal Open Golf Championship 2020, played at the Tollygunge Club in Kolkata.

Chandigarh-based Bedi triumphed in style with a chip-in birdie on the sixth playoff hole to end Pune golfer Udayan Mane’s incredible three-match winning streak on the TATA Steel PGTI.

The tournament worth Rs. 30 lakh witnessed the longest-running playoff on the PGTI. The previous record for the longest playoff was four holes which were set three times. The last event decided on the fourth playoff was the Jeev Milkha Singh Invitational 2019 where Ajeetesh Sandhu prevailed over Rashid Khan.

Aadil Bedi (65-65-67-69) and PGTI Order of Merit leader Udayan Mane (67-63-67-69), both joint leaders going into the final round, shot scores of 69 in round four on Sunday to be tied at the top after the regulation 72 holes with matching totals of 14-under-266.

Mane, on the other hand, was steady through the day as his round featured two birdies and a bogey and pars on the last eight holes.

The edge-of-the-seat playoff saw both contenders match each other shot for shot. 

However, Aadil displayed maturity beyond his years and nerves of steel to keep himself in the contest. Bedi sank a 35-footer for birdie on the third extra hole and a 10-footer for par on the fourth extra hole. Mane also had his moments as he too drained a tricky seven-footer for birdie on the third extra hole.

Finally, it was Aadil who came through with a sensational chip-in for birdie on the sixth extra hole. Udayan thus could not make it a record fourth straight title on the PGTI as his winning streak, which began in December last year in Jamshedpur, came to an end.

The first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth playoff holes were played on the par-3 18th while the third playoff hole was played on the par-4 first hole.

Aadil said, “It’s incredible to win my first title in such a manner. It was my first event of the year and I managed to get in the groove early in the first round which helped me build-up to the final round. I’m happy that I also managed to put behind the disappointment of missing out on my Asian Tour card at the Q School in Thailand.

Udayan Mane’s runner-up prize worth Rs. 3,34,950, helped him extend his lead to over Rs. 8 lakh in the PGTI Order of Merit as his total earnings for the season moved to Rs. 14,66,500. Gurugram’s Veer Ahlawat is in second place in the money list.

Kolkata’s Viraj Madappa, lying tied 11th and six off the lead after round three, posted the best score of the final day, a six-under-64, to finish the tourney in third place at 13-under-267. Viraj, playing at his home course, made an early charge with birdies on the second, third and fourth and a 12-feet eagle conversion on the seventh.

Veteran Mukesh Kumar (70) of Mhow took fourth place at 12-under-268.

Fifth position was jointly shared between Bengalureans Rahil Gangjee (67) and Khalin Joshi (70) and Mhow-based Om Prakash Chouhan (69) at 11-under-269.