Eagleton - The Golf Village, Bengaluru, 31-10-2015

Gritty Chikkarangappa retains TAKE Solutions India Masters title after surviving playoff scare from Shubhankar Sharma

Champion Chikka now leads the Rolex Ranking

Bengaluru’s Chikkarangappa successfully defended his title at the US$120,000 TAKE Solutions India Masters 2015 with a gritty playoff victory at his home course Eagleton against Shubhankar Sharma of the DLF Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon, on Saturday.

Chikka won with a birdie on the first playoff hole after he and Shubhankar had both finished the regulation 72 holes with matching scores of 25-under-263 at the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI) joint sanctioned event. Chikka, who bagged his second win on the ADT and seventh overall, also moved into the lead in the Rolex Ranking.

Chikkarangappa (65-66-66-66), the overnight joint leader along with Shubhankar, wrote his name on the TAKE Solutions India Masters trophy for the second year in succession after a dogged display through the week.

The 22-year-old made an early birdie on the second which was neutralized by a bogey on the fourth which was the result of a poor chip. The local favourite then seemed to be taking control as he had a hat-trick of birdies on the fifth, sixth, seventh thanks to some accurate shots with the gap wedge.

A good recovery from the bunker earned Chikka his fifth birdie of the day on the 10th. The Asian Tour rookie had a firm grip on the title when he sank a 12-footer for birdie on the 13th. However, despite Chikka’s tap-in birdie on the 17th, Shubhankar managed to catch up with birdies on the last four to take the match into a playoff.

A resolute Chikka then displayed great composure under pressure to land his approach within five feet of the pin and collect a birdie on the first playoff hole to clinch the title.

Chikka said, “I love challenging situations as that brings the best out of me. That’s what happened today after Shubhankar’s amazing comeback. I’m delighted to win at home once again in front of my family and friends. This course is like a mother to me so I can’t bear the thought of losing here. I therefore didn’t want to let it go till the very end.

“I play better on the back-nine here so I knew even if I played three to four under on the front-nine I would be on course. I was also very confident going into the playoff since I had won both my two previous playoffs on the PGTI.

“This is a great confidence-booster and sets me up for the remainder of the Asian Tour season. The work that I have done with my mentor Rahul Dravid is also paying dividends,” added an elated Chikka.

Chikka took home the winner’s cheque worth Rs. 13,65,000 which pushed him up from sixth place to first position in the Rolex Ranking. His season’s earnings now read Rs. 26,37,440. Chandigarh’s Abhijit Singh Chadha, who finished third this week, is second in the money rankings with season’s earnings of Rs. 23,37,165. Chikka’s win also helped him secure six Official World Golf Ranking points that the winner of each ADT event is awarded.

Shubhankar Sharma (65-64-68-66), the overnight joint leader along with Chikka, made three birdies against a lone bogey on the first 14 holes even as Chikka looked set to retain his title with a comfortable three-shot lead with four to play. However, the 19-year-old Shubhankar made a sensational comeback with birdies on the last four holes to take Chikka into the playoff. Sharma drained an audacious 20-footer on the 16th and a nerve-wrecking 10-footer on the closing 18th.

Shubhankar, however, couldn’t convert his 10-feet birdie putt in the playoff where Chikka stole the thunder with a birdie from five feet. Nonetheless, Sharma’s runner-up finish lifted him from ninth place to third position in the Rolex Ranking.

Shubhankar said, “I fought really well today except for the putt in the playoff. The four birdies at the end were the highlight of my round. I knew I had a chance when I got within one shot of Chikka. I told my caddie that I had to make birdies on the last four holes since my target score for the tournament was 25-under irrespective of whether I win or lose. I achieved that target but then didn’t trust the putt in the playoff which cost me at the end.

“I take a lot of heart from this performance as it’s my best on the ADT so far and also gives me a lot of self-belief as I head to the Panasonic Open in Delhi next week,” added Shubhankar, a winner on the PGTI last year.

Abhijit Singh Chadha, the Rolex Ranking leader till last week, posted the day’s best of 10-under-62, a bogey-free effort, to end the tournament in third place at 19-under-269. He has now slipped to second in the money list.

American Greg Moss and Delhi’s Rashid Khan were a further shot back in joint fourth.

Himmat Singh Rai of the DLF Golf & Country Club, Gurgaon, claimed sixth place at 17-under-271.

About TAKE Solutions

TAKE Solutions is a leading domain focused technology company offering services/solutions to the global market. The company provides cost-effective and comprehensive solutions for enterprises across diverse sectors including pharmaceuticals, high technology, consumer packaged goods, oil/gas, and automotive.

TAKE Solutions encompasses specialized lines of businesses under distinct brands such as Navitas – a pure play Life Sciences company, TAKE Supply Chain & TAKE MEA – flexible, accessible, mobile Supply Chain software solution providers, APA Engineering – an International Sourcing and Engineering services company and TAKE Enterprise Services Inc. – a specialist provider of technology-driven business solutions and software services.

TAKE’s global headquarters is in Chennai, India; its U.S. headquarters is located in Princeton, New Jersey. TAKE has a proven track record as a trusted partner in delivering world-class solutions to more than 400 customers worldwide. For more information, please visit www.takesolutions.com.

About the Asian Development Tour

The Asian Development Tour was launched in 2010 with the aim of creating a career pathway for professional golfers in Asia. Sanctioned by the Asian Tour, the Asian Development Tour will ultimately create a new playing platform for emerging stars from across Asia and around the world. Through the Asian Tour Qualifying School, players will qualify for the Asian Development Tour and enjoy the opportunity to hone their games and talent through a secondary circuit in Asia. Designed in the same structure as the Web.com Tour in America and European Challenge Tour, the Asian Development Tour is a stepping stone to the Asian Tour and the exciting world of international golf. The Asian Development Tour has been structured to ensure the best opportunities for its members. The leading five players on the Asian Development Tour will earn coveted Asian Tour cards for the following season, ensuring a proper career pathway for aspiring professionals. All ADT events receive Official World Golf Ranking points.