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Noida golfer Sukhman Singh rang in early Christmas celebrations by capturing the prestigious IGU 124th Amateur Golf Championship of India at the Tollygunge Club here on Sunday. Sukhman posted a dominant performance to defeat Harman Sachdeva of Haryana in the 36-hole final following an unassailable 7UP lead after 29 holes. The 124th Amateur Golf Championship of India is the world's longest-running amateur matchplay championship, organised by the Indian Golf Union (IGU).
With a hot putter and an impressive long game, Sukhman kept attacking the flags from the start of the final. He was all square till the sixth hole before going 4UP after 12 holes, and remained 2UP after the first 18 holes. Sukhman's father, Simarjeet Singh, is a former India No. 1 amateur and three-time winner of the Sri Lankan Amateur as well as IGU Mid-Amateur champion. Even though Harman cut down his lead to three till 23 holes, Sukhman was at his dominant best thereafter, sinking birdie after birdie to go 6UP till the 25th hole. When he went 7UP after 29 holes, the tournament director declared him the winner of the event as his lead was unassailable over his rival. "It still feels like a dream, one has to pinch me even though in reality I have won. I have been working my whole life for getting there but to finally being able to do it, feels amazing. It is a proud moment for me as well as my family. My father is the one who kept pushing me and kept relying on me when I myself didn't. So, it is a time for me and my family to rejoice," Sukhman said later. Talking about his strategy going into the final round, he said: "I always knew this was not an 18-hole match and I have to sustain it for 36 holes. So, even if I lose out a couple of holes I had a lot many holes to make a comeback. Also, I didn't want Harman in the final as he is a tough competitor. So, I kept attacking to get ahead and the tactic paid the right dividends at the end. My driving and putting were both good today and that helped." It has been an impressive season for Sukhman. He won the IGU Rajasthan Amateur and returned runner-up in the Andhra Pradesh Amateur event. Apart from this, he also came fourth at the South African Amateur strokeplay event earlier this year. Thanking the Indian Golf Union for providing the right exposure and numerous opportunities to excel at the international stage, Sukhman, who participated in South African and Japan Amateur said: "The IGU revived the national squad system and conducted national camps that helped strengthen friendship and camaraderie among team members. Also, playing in international events helps amateurs like me to evaluate and make improvements in our game."(ANI)
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