SSP Chowrasia

India’s Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia gave the crowd something to cheer about by winning the Avantha Masters. He was up by just a shot with a final round score of 67 at the DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi.

He pipped England’s Robert Coles to victory, who literally handed over the game to him with a dramatical mistake on the 18th green. Coles initially looked in a good position to win his maiden European tour title. He was playing steadily throughout and was sharing the lead at 15-under with Chowrasia. Chowrasia was cruising throughout the entire final round with a flurry of birdies on holes four, seven, eight, 10, 11 and 14, except for the double bogey at the 16th. This was a great opportunity for Coles to take advantage of, but alas, that was not to happen.

Chowrasia ended the fourth and final day with a five-under-par 67 for a winning total of 15-under-par 273. Coles still had four more holes to go when Chowrasia retired into the club house. A birdy would have been sufficient for Coles to ensure a victory. He had an excellent chance of becoming the outright leader at the 17th hole but he missed the 8-footer birdy shot and eventually paid the price for it.

While Coles went to play the last hole, Chowrasia was nervously awaiting the outcome, while warming out for a possible play-off. A perfect tee shot in the 18th and a second into greenside rough put him in a good position but his chip from a downhill lie went 20 feet past the hole. He over-hit the putt which could have landed him the tournament win and an eight foot return was also missed which triggered off celebrations all around, with Chowrasia being cheered by his friends at the driving range.

Chowrasia ended his three-year title drought at the Avantha Masters, which is tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and the Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI). He collected a check for 300,000 euros ($411,000). It was the 32-year-old’s first win since taking the Indian Masters, also in New Delhi, in 2008.

Tags: Asian Tour, Avantha Masters, European Tour, Golf, India, Indian Masters, New Delhi, PGTI, Robert Coles, Shiv Shankar Prasad Chowrasia, SSP Chowrasia