Pune’s Udayan Mane reigns supreme at Golconda Masters Golf Championship 2020

Pune’s Udayan Mane reigned supreme at the Hyderabad Golf Club (HGC) as he posted a clinical final round of four-under-67 to make it back-to-back titles on the TATA Steel PGTI with victory at the Vooty & Haldi Presents Golconda Masters Golf Championship 2020 Powered by Telangana Tourism.

Mane (68-67-65-67), who closed the week with a total of 17-under-267, bagged his ninth professional title with a two-shot margin at the season-opening Rs. 40 lakh event. It was the 28-year-old’s second win at the Golconda Masters following his 2018 triumph. Udayan had also won PGTI’s last event, the 2019 season-ending Tour Championship in Jamshedpur in December.

Mane collected seven Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) points for his win in Hyderabad and thus took a massive leap of 114 spots from 417 to 303 in the world ranking.

Add WION as a Preferred Source

Bengaluru’s Viraj Madappa delivered a scintillating nine-under-62 in round four, the week’s best score, to clinch the joint runner-up spot at a total of 15-under-269 along with Patna’s Aman Raj who fired a last round of five-under-66.

Udayan Mane, lying one off the lead in second place after round three, was off to a steady start in the final round making pars on the first five holes. Round three leader Veer Ahlawat of Gurugram dropped bogeys on the fourth and fifth to concede the lead to Mane.

Udayan, a two-time winner last year, began to pull away from the rest with a birdie and an eagle on the par-5s sixth and eighth respectively. The strapping Mane then produced a couple of birdies on the ninth and 11th to build a commanding four-shot lead.

Mane’s only bogey of the day came on the 13th but he held on to his lead with pars on the last five holes despite late surges from Viraj Madappa and Aman Raj.

Udayan said, “Back-to-back wins are always special, and it feels awesome to have achieved it. It’s also good to win at the HGC for the second time. It’s turning out to be my happy hunting ground. I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season.”

Viraj Madappa, lying tied 10th and eight off the lead ahead of the final round, had a rather quiet first eight holes with two birdies and a bogey. Asian Tour regular Viraj then went on a rampage with eight birdies between the ninth and the 18th courtesy his hot putter.

Here’s a look at the highlights of the Vooty & Haldi Presents Golconda Masters Golf Championship 2020 Powered by Telangana Tourism, a Rs. 40 lakh event, played at the Hyderabad Golf Club from February 5th to 9th. Pune-based Udayan Mane made it back-to-back titles on the TATA Steel PGTI as he emerged victorious with a two-shot margin. The victory at the season-opening event accounted for Udayan’s ninth professional title.