NEW DELHI – March 7, 2005 - Top Bangladesh amateur Mohammad Siddikur Rehman vanquished Chandigarh’s AS Lehal 3&2 in a 36-hole affair to win the Royal Challenge Eveready 104th All India Amateur title. The event, which concluded at the Delhi Golf Club on Saturday, was the grand finale of the Royal Challenge Indian Golf Tour’s 2004-05 season.
With this win not only did Siddikur become the first player from his country to win the All-India Amateur title but he also assumed the role of the first amateur to win a golf tournament outside Bangladesh. The title also completes Siddikur’s hat-trick after he claimed the Nepal Amateur and Bangladesh Amateur earlier this year.
“It gives me great pleasure to extend my heartiest congratulations to Mohammad Siddikur Rehman on his tremendous victory at the All-India Amateur Championship, undoubtedly the most prestigious title on the Royal Challenge Indian Golf Tour”, said Deepak Chaudhuri, Joint President, Shaw Wallace in a congratulatory note to the winner.
It was sweet revenge for Rehman, who had lost to Lehal in the second round of the All India Amateur championship held in Bangalore in 2002. Today the Bangladeshi did not give his opponent a chance to get into the lead. The morning session saw him keep a stranglehold on the game as he played percentage golf to finish 3-up after the first 18 holes.
An hour’s break later, Lehal started to script a recovery, which saw him even scores after the tenth hole (28th for the day). Siddikur pulled two back but not without help from his opponent who missed a key putt or two under five feet in distance. The 25 feet putt Siddikur sank on the 15th which proved to be the final nail in the coffin. The Indian, who’s effort on that very green came to rest just a couple of inches short of the cup gave up that very instant. This was apparent in his tee shot on the following hole, which he sent into the left thicket. Another trip to the woods after a penalty drop sealed Sandy Lehal’s fate.
“I am delighted at winning this title which has come to me after a week of hard work. The level of competition at the All-India has been very high and it is a good feeling to have come up trumps from among such established players’, said a visibly elated Rehman.
Meanwhile, it was heart break yet again for Lehal who had to contend with the runner-up tag the second time. The Chandigarh lad had met the same fate in the 2002 edition of the All India Amateur finals in which he lost to Manav Das. “It is disappointing to have reached this stage and not get my hands on the trophy but all credit goes to Rehman who never really let me get into the lead”, said the gracious runner-up.
Final Round: Mohammad Siddikur Rehman (Bangladesh) beat AS Lehal (India) 3&2
