Shamim Khan pulls off dramatic playoff
win at BILT Open 2012
Rashid Khan finishes runner-up
New Delhi, October 13,
2012: Delhi’s Shamim Khan pulled off a dramatic playoff win against fellow
Delhi professional Rashid Khan at the BILT Open 2012. The match was decided on
the second playoff hole after both Shamim and Rashid ended the regulation 72
holes with identical totals of 14-under-274 at their home course, the Delhi
Golf Club (DGC).
Shamim Khan (64-72-64-74), the overnight leader by four
strokes, shot a resolute two-over-74 in round four that helped him take the
match to a playoff. Shamim had a terrible start to the day as he pulled his tee
shots to the left on the third and fourth holes. These errors resulted in a
double-bogey on the third and a bogey on the fourth for Shamim. His accurate
hitting earned him birdies on the eighth and 15th and resurrected
his round. However, a three-putt on the 16th meant Shamim finished
the round with a 74.
Rashid Khan (65-66-73-70), on the other hand, made a brave
comeback to take the match to a playoff. Rashid’s final round of two-under-70
included four birdies and two bogeys. Rashid trailed Shamim by one stroke after
the 17th hole but then made a crucial birdie on the 18th
to draw level with Shamim.
The first playoff hole (18th hole) saw Rashid
find the bushes on the right and then make a spectacular recovery with a
20-feet birdie putt. Shamim also birdied the first playoff hole.
Shamim’s experience prevailed on the second playoff hole (18th
hole). After Rashid missed a 10-footer for birdie, Shamim knocked in an eight
feet birdie putt to register his eighth professional win. This win also
happened to be his third of the 2012 PGTI season and his first in a playoff out
of four attempts. The 34-year-old has now climbed from third position to number
one on the 2012 Rolex Rankings.
Shamim, who took home the winning cheque worth Rs.
16,16,500, said, “My hitting saved the day for me. I had a poor start but I
kept hitting it straight after that. Rashid made a good comeback towards the
end of the round but my experience saw me through in the playoff. There was no
pressure on me after Rashid missed his birdie on the second playoff hole. I then
focused on my line before converting my eight feet putt for victory.
Importantly, it was a left to right putt which has been a problem area for me
in recent months.
“This is my biggest win in terms of prize money earned and
also my first win in a strokeplay event at the DGC. I have finally broken the
barrier of winning in a playoff after three unsuccessful attempts in the past. It’s
great to be back on top of the Rolex Rankings.”
Runner-up Rashid Khan, who continues to be placed second on
the Rolex Rankings, said, “I recovered very well from some tough situations
today. I took the tough decision of pulling out the driver on the 18th
hole. That helped me take the match to a playoff. However, I could not take my
chances in the playoff.”
Manav Jaini (69-71-68-71), another DGC-based professional,
finished third at nine-under-279. His final round of 71 featured four birdies
and three bogeys.
Mithun Perera of Sri Lanka and Faridabad’s Abhinav Lohan
were a further stroke back in tied fourth place.
Indian star Jyoti Randhawa grabbed a share of ninth position
at four-under-284.
The BILT Open 2012 will be telecast on Ten Golf and Ten
Sports.
About
Avantha
The US$ 4 bn Avantha Group is one of
India’s leading business conglomerates. Its successful entities include BILT,
Crompton Greaves, The Global Green Company, Avantha Power & Infrastructure,
Solaris ChemTech Industries, Biltech Building Elements, Salient Business
Solutions and Avantha Technologies. With an impressive global footprint,
Avantha operates in 20 countries, employing 20,000 people worldwide. The Group
has business interests in diverse areas including power transmission and distribution
equipment and services, paper and pulp, energy and infrastructure, food
processing, farm forestry, chemicals, IT and ITES. Led by Gautam Thapar,
Avantha demonstrates strong leadership globally and emerges as a focused
corporate, leveraging its knowledge, leadership and operations, adding lasting
value for its stakeholders and investors. For more information on Avantha,
please visit www.avanthagroup.com.
About BILT
Ballarpur
Industries Limited (BILT), part of the US$ 4 billion Avantha Group, is India’s
largest manufacturer of writing and printing (W&P) paper. BILT’s subsidiaries include BILT Graphic
Paper Products Limited (BGPPL); Sabah Forest Industries (SFI), Malaysia’s
largest pulp and paper company; and BILT Tree Tech Limited (BTTL), which runs
BILT’s farm forestry programme in several states in India.
BILT and
BGPPL have six manufacturing units across India, which give the company
geographic coverage over most of the domestic market. The company has a
dominant share of the high-end coated paper segment in India and is the
country’s largest exporter of coated and uncoated paper. BILT’s acquisition of
SFI in 2007 was a watershed event – it was the first overseas acquisition by an
Indian paper company. Itt transformed BILT into a major regional player, and
elevated BILT’s ranking among the global top 100.
About PGTI
Formed in 2006, Professional Golf Tour
of India (PGTI) is the recognized official body of professional golf in India.
PGTI’s objective is to promote professional golf in the country as well as give
players an opportunity to be involved in decision making for all aspects of the
game. Headed by Mr. Gautam Thapar (President), PGTI’s governing body comprises
of leading Indian golf professionals. PGTI currently has over 300 members.
For information regarding Avantha
please contact: Shravani
Dang, Vice President & Head, Corporate Communications. Tel No.: 011
41699282; Mobile: 9811261080; Email: s.dang@avanthagroup.com
For information regarding BILT
Open / coordinating interviews, please contact: Sukumaran P B, Group Corporate
Communications, Avantha. Tel No.: 011 41699227;
Mobile: 9810496866; Email: p.sukumaran@avanthaholdings.com
For information regarding PGTI,
please contact: Nikhil
Kalaan, Media Officer, PGTI. Tel No.: 124 4861772; Mobile: 9910974846; Email -
media@pgtofindia.com
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