New Delhi, India: SSP Chawrasia made history with an assured Hero Indian Open victory as he became the first Indian to successfully defend a European Tour title.       

         

 “I feel great as it’s one of the toughest courses I’ve played, and winning by seven shots, I’m really happy. Honestly, this is very special to win back to back. I think this is one of the toughest courses I’ve played in my career." proudly quoted Chawrasia.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

 

His ten under par total sealed a seven shot winning margin and continued a remarkable record at his national Open, where he was runner-up four times before finally triumphing last season.

 

The home favourite started the day in a share of the lead at DLF Golf and Country Club but had moved two shots ahead of Spain’s Carlos Pigem when the third round of the weather-delayed tournament was completed on Sunday morning. Indian star S.S.P. Chawrasia romped to a commanding seven-shot victory to successfully defend his title at the US$1.75 million Hero Indian Open on Sunday. 

 

The 38-year-old Chawrasia, who triumphed by two strokes last season, ground out a final round of one-under-par 71 to seal his sixth Asian Tour victory and fourth European Tour title at the demanding DLF Golf and Country Club’s Gary Player course with a winning score of 10-under-par 278.

 

      

                                                                  SSP Chawrasia winner of Hero Indian Open 2017 (source: Getty image)

 

Victory was worth US$291,660 and pushed him up to second place on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit behind American David Lipsky.

 

Malaysian rookie Gavin Green, playing on a sponsor’s invite, finished an impressive second after signing off with a 75, with his sterling effort sealing his full playing rights for next season after picking a runner-up cheque worth US$194,440.

 

Returning to DLF early Sunday to complete the last seven holes of his third round, the straight-shooting Chawrasia opened up a two-shot advantage after 54 holes, thanks to three straight birdies from the 13^th to 15^th holes.

 

Throughout the final round, the local hero was never threatened, extending his lead to five through the turn after he bounced back for bogeys on six and seven with birdies on eight and nine.

 

Another birdie on 13 put daylight between him and the chasing pack and Chawrasia soon strolled home to his “best win” of his career yet in front of his adoring fans.

 

Scotsman Scott Jamieson (72) and Italian Matteo Manassero (73) shared third place, eight behind the winner, while 2015 Asian Tour number one Anirban Lahiri (71) and Spanish duo Rafa Cabrera Bello (71) and Carlos Pigem (78) finished equal fifth on 287.

 

                                                                       SSP Chawrasia at DLF Golf and Country Club

 

"I’m disappointed I got so far out through the first two rounds that I couldn’t really challenge. Having said that, SSP would have been hard to beat seeing the way he is playing. I’m happy with the way I fought back. The third round got me into this position and I’m happy to finish strong.

 

“I missed a lot of shots, just put myself in bad positions. This course, you can’t really do that. Having played four rounds here, if I were to come back for another event, I would definitely be better prepared.” said Anirban. 

 

 

Scoreboard

Position	Player Name (Country)	Day 1	Day 2	Day 3	Day 4	Total Score
1	S Chawrasia (Ind)	72	67	68	71	278
2	G Green (Mas)	72	73	65	75	285
T-3	S Jamieson (Sco)	70	74	70	72	286
T-3	M Manassero (Ita)	68	73	72	73	286
T-4	C Pigem (Esp)	69	73	67	71	287
T-4	A Lahiri (Ind)	76	73	67	71	287
T-4	R Cabrera Bello (Esp)	73	73	70	71	287
T-5	M Hoey (Nir)	71	71	71	75	288
T-5	D Horsey (Eng	66	74	76	72	288
T-5	G Coetzee (RSA)	73	74	69	72	288
T-6	E Molinari (Ita)	75	72	73	69	289
T-6	P Angles (Esp)	73	70	77	69	289
T-7	J Fahrbring (Swe)	73	74	69	74	290
T-7	P Meesawat (Tha)	72	74	70	74	290
T-7	N Kimsey (Eng)	72	77	73	68	290
T-7	D Boonma (Tha)	75	72	72	71	290
T-8	P Uihlein (USA)	72	75	68	76	291
T-8	L Jensen (Den)	70	77	73	71	291
T-8	J Smith (Eng)	75	73	72	71	291
T-8	A Knappe (Ger)	75	74	72	70	291
9	A Da Silva (Bra	73	77	75	67	292
T-10	K Aphibarnrat (Tha	73	73	74	73	293
T-10	P Saksansin (Tha)	76	74	72	71	293
T-10	W Ormsby (Aus)	73	76	73	71	293
T-10	E Pepperell (Eng)	69	70	78	76	293
T-10	C Hanson (Eng)	76	72	69	76	293
T-10	C Kumar (Ind)	73	75	71	74	293
T-10	S Tiley (Eng)	70	74	74	75	293
T-11	M Siem (Ger)	70	76	71	77	294
T-11	A Que (Phi)	70	74	74	76	294
T-11	D Chia (Mas)	70	69	81	74	294
T-11	S Gallacher (Sco)	70	73	78	73	294
T-11	D Frittelli (RSA)	72	72	80	70	294
T-12	R Langasque (Fra)	69	75	80	71	295
T-12	S Vincent (Zim)	74	74	72	75	295
T-12	C S (Ind)	72	76	75	72	295
T-12	G Havret (Fra)	70	74	72	79	295
T-12	J Janewattananond (Tha)	71	79	74	71	295
13	A Lascuna (Phi)	75	75	73	73	296
T-14	S Sharma (Ind)	72	76	71	78	297
T-14	T Pilkadaris (Aus)	71	72	80	74	297
T-14	D Im (USA)	74	72	79	72	297
T-15	S Khan (Ind)	74	74	73	77	298
T-15	S Walker (Eng)	70	75	77	76	298
T-15	P Marksaeng (Tha)	73	74	78	73	298
T-15	S Chan (Tpe)	74	75	72	77	298
T-15	G Bhullar (Ind)	74	74	76	74	298
T-15	D Brooks (Eng)	73	71	75	79	298
T-16	M Nixon (Eng)	74	74	72	79	299
T-16	R Gonzalez (Arg)	72	78	74	75	299
T-17	R Wattel (Fra)	79	71	74	76	300
T-17	N Fung (Mas)	73	75	73	79	300
T-17	S Gros (Fra	74	75	74	77	300
T-17	M Tabuena (Phi)	73	72	83	72	300
T-18	A Atwal (Ind)	74	76	72	79	301
T-18	S Norris (RSA)	76	74	77	74	301
T-18	P Peterson (USA	70	72	81	78	301
T-18	A Sandhu (Ind)	73	77	77	74	301
T-18	A Wall (Eng)	70	78	78	75	301
T-19	N Colsaerts (Bel)	74	76	78	74	301
T-19	D Singh (Ind)	77	70	75	80	301
T-19	D Kullar (Ind)	76	74	76	76	301
T-19	T Khrongpha (Tha)	77	71	78	76	301
20	J Randhawa (Ind)	75	70	79	79	303
21	L Weber (Fra)	75	72	85	72	304
22	N Bertasio (Ita)	67	80	76	83	306
23	R Khan (Ind)	73	76	78	81	308
24	R Fernandes (am) (Ind)	72	76	84	77	309
25	A Chadha (Ind)	76	73	79	82	310