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Thailands Pornanong Phatlum completed a rare feat by winning the US$ 500,000 Womens Indian Open a fourth time with a four-shot win, overcoming a spirited fight by Indias Vani Kapoor on Sunday.
The 36-year-old seasoned LPGA player's wins at the DLF Golf and Country Club in 2008, 2009 and 2012 had come at the adjoining Arnold Palmer Course, and Pornanong completed the sequence by conquering the Gary Player Course with a four-day score of 11-under 277, as per a press release. After posting rounds of 72, 71, 69, Pornanong left the best for the last, and the flawless bogey-free 7-under 65 under pressure spoke of pure class, as well as the difference from the rest of the field. Barring the start to the final day, when Asian Games gold medallist and Hero Brand Ambassador Pranavi Urs seemed to mount a charge, it was mainly a two-player contest between Pornanong and Vani, who finished at 7-under 281 (73, 69, 69, 70). In a bid to protect a sore wrist, defending champion Shannon Tan at 4-under 284 (68, 77, 67, 72) played far below her potential and finished at sole third. She was followed by Czechias Sara Kouskova at 3-under 285 (69, 72, 73, 71), along with Pranavi (70, 70, 73, 72) at T-4. There were three Indians in the top-10 on the leaderboard, with Tvesa Malik, also a Hero Brand Ambassador, finishing Tied-7th at 1-under 287 with scores of 71, 73, 71, 72. Vani registered her best result on the Ladies European Tour (LET) with her sole second finish. Going into the final day with a slender one-shot lead, it could well have been a breakthrough win on the LET for Vani. She got off to a whirlwind start with four birdies in five holes, but missing the short birdie putt on the 9th appeared to upset her rhythm. Vanis moment will surely come, and while the disappointment of not completing the task will linger, the solid result puts her in line for a full card on the LET for the upcoming season. Pornanong ticked a few boxes herself after arriving in India as one of the invitees this week. The demands of competing on the LPGA had prevented her from returning to India after 2012, but it is only appropriate that this week has come at a time when the 36-year-old is rediscovering herself on the LPGA Tour. The run in 2024 on the Epson Tour, the feeder line to the LPGA, helped Pornanong as a win that year got her back on the LPGA, and the past season was about ascendancy on the main tour. India is like home, and I feel I can settle down here. My fourth win here is the most special as I didnt think I was going to win again. It seems like a dream, Pornanong said. It was the affinity for this land that got coupled with her quick understanding of this golf course and its demands. The road back hasnt been easy, and Pornanong even contemplated retirement at the start of the year, but that thought has been put to rest. I am still good to continue on Tour, and I want to win more, she said. Pornanong will need to make smart travel choices, and Sundays result will see her compete on the LET a lot more in the upcoming season. Vani fought through disappointment to accept the result handed out by her smiling vanquisher, Pornanong, who put to use her immense experience of competing on the LPGA. I gave it my 100 per cent, and everything went to plan. I dont think I could have done anything more. I made a lot of birdies, especially considering the amount of pressure there was. I dont think I would have made so many birdies in a single round before. I made a couple of mistakes too, but thats part of the game. Its better to accept it, Vani said. The reference was to the stark difference between her two nines - the first dotted with birdies and the other with dropped shots. Vani attributed it to pressure. Its all about timing. There were some in-between shots where there was extra pressure. You dont have exactly the yardage you want, and you have to think about where you can miss the ball. Those are stressful shots, so there was a little mistake there. Despite the stomach bug, Pranavi fancied her chances, and the end to Sunday with the back-to-back bogeys was an apt sum-up of her up-and-down game. Its definitely not the result I wanted. I wanted to win. Especially with the way Ive been playing, I thought I would have a chance. The biggest obstacle was my stomach. I wasnt feeling my best, but Im proud of how I conducted myself throughout the week, said Pranavi. The result is enough encouragement to strive for more, and Pranavi will attempt to win on the LET in her upcoming starts. (ANI)
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