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Varun Chopra, who started the final day of the AM Green IGPL Invitational presented by Vimtra Chennai Lions GC three shots behind the 36-hole leader Shiv Kapur, played another solid round of 4-under 68 and beat Kapur in the race to the finish.
Chopras superb final-round rally gave him a two-shot win over Kapur, who slipped to 1-over 73 on the final day. Chopra shot rounds of 66-68-68 for a total of 14-under 202, according to a press release from IGPL. Kapur, after a stunning 62 on the first day, had a 69 on the second, which kept him in a three-shot lead. However, the final day saw the pendulum swing Chopras way and win the title, which also gave the Indian-American the first prize cheque of Rs. 22.50 lakhs. Kapur was left to clutch the second spot at 12-under 204 and received Rs. 15 lakhs. It was Chopras first IGPL title, and earlier this year he won the APGA Tour championship and had done well at the Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech. Sachin Baisoya grabbed third place with a 68 that gave him a total of 8-under, while five players Veer Ganapathy (71), Gaganjeet Bhullar (71), Varun Parikh (71), Aryan Roopa Anand (68) and Tushar Pannu (68) were tied fifth. Chopras fine final day also meant Auro Goa Eagles took a double as they won the team title also this week. They totalled 23-under, while Kapur-led RVR Delhi Blue Bulls were pushed to second at 21-under. Sachin Baisoyas final day push earned his team, Hyderabad Firebird, third place at 13-under. They were tied for third with Flying Man Kolkata, for whom Varun Parikh was the star performer.Chopra began with a birdie start, but his three birdies in a span of four holes between the fifth and the eighth gave him the momentum he needed. Meanwhile, Kapur just could not get the birdies to answer Chopras charge. By the turn, Chopra had moved ahead, and he made no mistakes on the back nine, even as Kapurs putter did not do his bidding. After a 4-under front nine, Chopra birdied the 14th but gave that shot back on the 16th before playing the final two holes in par. That did not prove costly as Kapur was unable to take advantage of that. Shiv Kapur, who had holes everything, saw on the first day round of 10-under 62, just could not find any birdies on the final day. He was forced to settle for pars all through, and he also dropped a bogey on the Par-4 12th for a 73. IGPL Debutant Ravi Kumar (70) and young Kanav Chauhan (71) were Tied-ninth to round off the Top-10 finishers. (ANI)
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