KOLKATA, India – Dec. 18, 2004 – It was perhaps the best birthday gift Chirag Kumar could have ever asked for, even though it came two days late. The 21-year old stole the winner’s title at the Royal Challenge RCGC Cup from right under Jasjeet Singh’s nose with a consistent performance of one-over 73 in the final round, which landed him with a four-day tally of 289. Jasjeet finished one stroke behind at 290 to earn the ‘Runner-up’ tag.

The third position was taken by AS Lehal who notched up a four day total of 293, with Noida’s Simarjeet Singh taking up the fourth position one stroke behind Lehal. Opening day leader Gagan Verma finished fifth with 296 against his name.

It was drama at its best on the 18th green of the par-72 Royal Calcutta Golf Course. With both Chirag and Jasjeet tied on identical scores at the end of the 17th hole, the match boiled down to the final hole. Had Jasjeet managed a par on the hole, the game would have been forced into a play-off. But fate had other plans for him. While Chirag managed to make par, Jasjeet faltered to make a bogey and handed the title to Chirag.

Earlier, Jasjeet Singh began the day at the top of the leader board, four strokes ahead of Chirag. However, too many errors soon negated the GAIL employee’s lead. Jasjeet’s misfortune began on the second hole itself where he recorded a bogey. It was the same story on the next hole. Jasjeet finished the front nine and started his return journey too with a bogey each. On the 11th his miseries doubled as he recorded a double bogey. The saving grace in his game were two birdies that he scored on the 17th and 18th holes.

Meanwhile Chirag played a consistent round throughout as he made four bogeys which were compensated by three birdies. For this player from Delhi Golf Course, the birdies came on the fourth, fifth and fourteenth holes and the bogeys on the second, sixth, seventh and 13th holes.

As if the excitement of the main event was not enough for the crowds that came to see the amateurs fighting it out, the media putting competition added even more zing to the day. Finally Elora Sen of the Statesman was crowned the ‘Lord of the green’ with Arup from the Times Of India finishing second. The excitement continues for another day as the amateurs will team up with the city’s top corporates to fight for honours at the Royal Challenge RCGC Cup Am-Am.

SCORES (AFTER 72 HOLES): 289 Chirag Kumar (73,75,68,73), 290 Jasjeet (69,71,72,78), 293 AS Lehal (69,78,70,76), 294 Simarjeet (77,73,69,75), 296 Gagan Verma (67,76,74,79), 297 Manav Das (74,72,72,79), 299 L Silvadurai (75, 82, 71, 71), Vikrant Chopra (74, 74, 79, 72), 301 Joseph Chakola (78,78,69,76), Balwinder Mattoo.