Anura Rohana recorded his first win on the Indian tour with a largely untroubled six-stroke victory in the Global Green Bangalore Open at the KGA course here on Saturday.
If the Sri Lankan's only previous triumph as a professional, in the Surya Nepal Masters in 2009, had been rather dramatic (when he won by two strokes with an eagle on the final hole), this one couldn't have been more dissimilar.
Leading by a comfortable five shots from Mukesh Kumar overnight, Rohana overcame a minor blip to finish with three-under 69 for the round, and a card of 12-under-276 for the competition.
Mukesh never quite threatened to make up ground on the leader, eventually finishing second (282) after shooting two-under 70 on the day. .
“It's fantastic to win my first title in India after having played in this country for so many years,” Rohana said afterwards. Rohana's card on Saturday featured an eagle, five birdies and, rather surprisingly, four bogeys. He opened with a birdie on the first hole, before sinking his next on the par-five fifth, where he used the driver on his second shot as well. If there was, at all, a period of concern for Rohana, it must have been when he dropped three shots on holes six through 10. The 38-year-old bogeyed six, seven, and 10; on the first of those missing par when his putt from four feet lipped out, and on the other two after finding himself in bunkers. “I knew I had sealed it after the 11th hole,” Rohana later admitted. He went home richer by Rs.6,46,600 while Mukesh earned Rs.4,46,000.
Chikka best amateur
S. Chikkarangappa emerged the best amateur and joint fourth overall with a card of two-under 286.
The scores (top eight): Anura Rohana (68, 68, 71, 69) 276; Mukesh Kumar (72, 70, 70, 70) 282; Abhishek Jha (72, 71, 73, 68) 284; S. Chikkarangappa (A) (76, 72, 69, 69), Ajeetesh Sandhu (71, 72, 73, 70), Feroz Ali Mollah (77, 68, 71, 70) 286; Sanjay Kumar (70, 76, 71, 70), Ashok Kumar (74, 69, 72, 72) 287.
