Udayan Mane beats Veer Ahlawat in a playoff to win Players Championship

Key Highlights -

→ Udayan Mane continues sizzling form with playoff victory against Veer Ahlawat at Eagleton

→ Mane becomes only second player after Ashok Kumar to win three consecutive events on PGTI

→ Mane likely to make a significant jump in the world ranking from his current 303

{Press Release}: Pune-based Udayan Mane continued his dynamic form and claims a playoff victory against Gurugram’s Veer Ahlawat at the TATA Steel PGTI Players Championship 2020.

Mane, who also won the last two PGTI events, the TATA Steel Tour Championship 2019 and the Golconda Masters 2020, has now become only the second player after Delhi-based Ashok Kumar to have won three consecutive events on the TATA Steel PGTI. Ashok had achieved the feat during the PGTI’s inaugural 2006-07 season.

Udayan Mane (68-67-67-66) fired a fiery last round of 66 to be tied at the top with Veer Ahlawat (67-65-65-71) at a total of 20-under-268 after the regulation 72 holes. The two players then went into a playoff where Mane prevailed on the second extra hole to bag his 10th professional title.

Mane and Ahlawat made pars on the first playoff hole. However, on the second, Ahlawat bogeyed after missing a five-footer for par while Mane walked away with a par and as a consequence the title.

Udayan said, “This is turning out to be an unbelievable run for me. My hard work seems to be paying off. I feel I drove it better last week in Hyderabad, but this week I hit my approach shots, irons, and wedges much better.

Mane followed in the footsteps of Ashok Kumar who also won three titles on the trot, the IndianOil XtraPremium Masters, Solaris Global Green Open Golf and SRF All India Professional Golf Matchplay Championship, between February and March in 2007.

When the updated world rankings are out on Monday, Udayan is likely to make a significant jump in the world rankings from his current 303rd position.

Veer, who finished fourth at last week’s Golconda Masters, thus continued with his consistent run as he moved up from fourth to second in the PGTI’s money list with season’s earnings of Rs. 5,37,550.

Ahlawat said, “My game has been in good shape since the back-half of last season. However, I feel I have to focus more on my performance and my game-plan in the last round.”  

Bengalureans Chikkarangappa (67) and Mari Muthu R (69) took a share of third place at 18-under-270.

Bengaluru’s Khalin Joshi (66) secured fifth place at 17-under-271 while Patna’s Aman Raj (76) finished sixth at 13-under-275.

Shubhankar Sharma (73-71-72-69), who shot his best round of the week, a three-under-69, on the last day, finished tied 29th at three-under-285.