SSP Chawrasia defended his Hero Indian Open title in fine style at the DLF Golf and Country Club while George Coetzee earned himself a top 10 with a steady final round.
Chawrasia, who won last year after four runner up finishes at the event, becomes the first Indian to defend a European Tour event. The 38-year old is also the first player on the European Tour to defend a title since Branden Grace won the 2016 Qatar Open.
The local hero got off to the perfect start with a birdie on four to go with four pars in the first five holes before two successive drops gave the field a glimmer of hope. Chawrasia slammed the window of opportunity, however slight it was, shut with two birdies on eight and nine for an opening 35 to all but end the contest.
Chawrasia was in cruise control on the back nine as he continued to find fairways and greens in regulation with one birdie and seven pars allowing the local star to tee off on 18 with a staggering 8 shot lead over the pack, who were left to battle for second.
As easy as Chawrasia made it look, Gavin Green and Carlos Pigem battled away and made mistake after mistake as they were unable pull ahead. That was until the 18th as Pigem found the hazard off the tee three times before an official found his first ball. He was forced to settle for a double bogey seven to leave Green to finish in second alone.
Chawrasia epitomised the control he showed all week as he laid up twice on 18 before running his pitch shot onto the green for a par putt. In the end, he had plenty left in the tank as he two-putted for a bogey six, a final round 71 and a total score of -10 for the win.
Champion.
Congratulations @SSP_Golf, the @HIO_2017 winner. ? pic.twitter.com/J2BEp7ek7C
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 12, 2017
‘I’m winning back-to-back so I’m really very happy, he said.
‘I was very happy to have everyone supporting me and having my wife here too to see me winning the Indian Open two times back to back. I’m just very, very happy.
‘I learned many things this week and hopefully I can play better in Europe. That’s my target next, I have to win in Europe.
‘This is probably my best win of my career as it was a really tough course. This week, I made less mistakes and others made more mistakes.’
George Coetzee was the best placed South African after closing with a level-par 72 which was good enough to earn the South African a place inside the top 10.
Dylan Frittelli, who’s tournament unravelled on Saturday when he shot 80, bounced back with a two-under par 70 for a share of 29th place. Shaun Norris finished in T55 with a tournament score of +13.
In the end, only seven players finished under par at the extremely tricky Gary Player-designed track.
Final leaderboard:
278 – SSP Chawrasia (IND) 72 67 68 71
285 – Gavin Green (MAS) 72 73 65 75
286 – Matteo Manassero (ITA) 68 73 72 73, Scott Jamieson (SCO) 70 74 70 72
287 – Rafa Cabrera Bello (SPA) 73 73 70 71, Anirban Lahiri (IND) 76 73 67 71, Carlos Pigem (SPA) 69 73 67 78
288 – David Horsey (ENG) 66 74 76 72, George Coetzee (RSA) 73 74 69 72, Michael Hoey (NIR) 71 71 71 75
