Saqib Ahmed wins Tata Steel Haryana Open Golf Championship

Syed Saqib Ahmed played his worst round of the week but by virtue of an eight-shot cushion he walked away with the honours in the Tata Steel Haryana Open Golf Championship at the Golden Greens Golf Club in Gurgaon on Friday.

The Bangalore lad signed off with a five-over 77 for a four-day total of three-under 285 to emerge as the champion.

Manav Das rallied with a brilliant five-under 67 but it proved to be a little too late in the tournament as he fell shy by two shots in an event dominated by youngsters.

Udayan Mane finished third at 289 while Simarjeet Singh ended up fourth at 290. As many as four players - Varoon Parmar, Viraj Madappa, Trishul Chinnappa and Karan Taunk - shared the fifth place at 293 while Arjun Sharma was ninth at 294. Manu Gandas and Jaibir Singh were tied for the 10th place at 296.

Saqib, who had shot a magical 66 just about 24 hours ago, was not in his best of elements as he was four-over after four holes after shooting a double on the second and lost one shot on the seventh.

However he saved a stroke when he made a sandy-birdie on the par-5 ninth. The 18-year-old's agony continued when he made back-to-back bogeys on 10th and 11th. A birdie on the par-3 16th was the only solace on his return journey.

"Golden Greens has been my happy hunting ground," said Saqib, who incidentally had won his maiden amateur title at this very course.

"I was confident of my victory. I admit I had an eight shot advantage but never did I take it easy. It was just that my hitting went astray and I had to pay the penalty," he added.

Meanwhile, Manav after beginning with a birdie made an eagle-two on the par-4 third. He added two more birdies on the fifth and ninth while making a bogey on the seventh to take the turn at four-under.

The last mistake of the day was committed on the 10th while he made two more birdies on the 12th and 15th to submit a card of 67.