Varun Parikh wins Haryana Open
Ahmedabad’s Varun Parikh edged out Bengaluru’s Rahil Gangjee in a classic playoff encounter to win the Rs 1 crore Haryana Open 2024 that concluded at the Panchkula Golf Club (PGC).
Parikh (64-71-67-69) prevailed over Gangjee (63-71-67-70) on the fourth playoff hole to bag his second professional title after the two golfers had finished the regulation 72 holes with identical totals of 17-under 271.
Parikh (26) who hails from the Gulmohar Greens Golf Course in Ahmedabad earned a prize money cheque worth Rs 15 lakh and thus climbed from 48th to 16th position in the TATA Steel PGTI Ranking.
Dhruv Sheoran (67) of Gurugram finished third at 16-under 272, while the Delhi trio of Sachin Baisoya (69), Chandigarh’s Akshay Sharma (70) and Gurugram-based Veer Ahlawat (70) took tied-4th at 14-under 274.
Veer Ahlawat stretched his lead further in the TATA Steel PGTI Ranking as he crossed the Rs 1 crore mark in season’s earnings.
Parikh who began the final day in second position one shot behind the leader Gangjee trailed the latter for most part of the fourth round. He had a slow start as he made two birdies and two bogeys on the front-nine even as Gangjee made a birdie and a bogey.
He recovered well from the rough to make a 20-foot birdie conversion on the 10th. He picked up another stroke on the 11th. Meanwhile, Gangjee added three birdies between the 10th and the 13th to stay ahead.
The tide began to turn in Parikh’s favour when he sank a crucial 30-footer for birdie on the 17th, while Gangjee dropped a bogey on the same hole. The two-shot swing meant both golfers were tied for the lead. Thereafter, Parikh made a clutch par putt from 10 feet on the 18th to take the match into a playoff.
Both players made steady pars on the first three playoff holes. On the fourth playoff hole, Gangjee missed a chip-putt from the back edge of the green to drop a bogey while Parikh made a comfortable par to come home the champion.
Parikh who won his last pro title two years back said, “I was in a good mental space from the start of this week. I was quite calm and relaxed. Today, I feel the turning point was the 17th hole where I made a 30-footer for birdie. That just gave me the much-needed momentum which also helped me make that all-important par putt on the next hole to force the playoff.”
“I’m delighted to have finally crossed the line after a two-year gap. In the playoff, I was striking it really well but not making the birdie putts so that was quite frustrating. But I told myself to keep fighting and not let go of the intensity. This positive mindset helped me seal it at the end. My driving and putting stood out through the week,” Parikh added.
