Vikarabad, Telangana, 27-11-2022

Nerveless Manu Gandas seals thumping four-shot win at Dream Valley Group presents Vooty Masters 2022

• Gandas earns a record fifth title of the season and equals record for lowest winning total on the PGTI
• Yuvraj Singh Sandhu matches course record 63 to finish fourth and maintain his lead in the TATA Steel PGTI Ranking

Manu Gandas of Gurugram sealed a thumping four-shot win after a nerveless final round display of six-under 66 at the inaugural Dream Valley Group presents Vooty Masters, a Rs. 1 crore event played at the Vooty Golf County in Vikarabad, Telangana.

Manu (63-68-67-66), the overnight leader by one shot, totaled 24-under 264 for the week to register his fifth win of 2022 and thus match the PGTI record for most wins in a season, a record previously jointly held by Yuvraj Singh Sandhu (2022), Gaganjeet Bhullar (2009) and Ashok Kumar (2006-07). In the process, Gandas also equaled the PGTI record for the lowest winning total (24-under 264) set earlier by Anirban Lahiri, Rashid Khan and Akshay Sharma.

Gandas took home the winning cheque worth Rs. 15,00,000 to consolidate himself in second position in the TATA Steel PGTI Ranking as his prize money earnings for the season moved to Rs. 65,78,938.

Om Prakash Chouhan (66-63-73-66) of Mhow finished runner-up at 20-under 268 following his last round of 66.

Delhi’s Shamim Khan shot a fine 64 on Sunday to secure third place at 16-under 272.

Chandigarh’s Yuvraj Singh Sandhu continues to lead the PGTI Order of Merit thanks to his sensational last round effort of nine-under 63 which matched the course record set previously in the week by Manu Gandas and Om Prakash Chouhan. Yuvraj gained 25 spots to finish fourth at 14-under 274 which took his season’s earnings to Rs. 67,39,568. 

The 26-year-old Manu Gandas, who set the course record of 63 on day one, had a mixed start to round four with birdie-bogey on the first two holes. But Manu began to find his groove with birdies on the third and fifth where a terrific approach shot and a brilliant chip left him tap-in putts. Gandas then sank birdie putts from a range of seven to 10 feet on the eighth and ninth to lead by five shots at the turn over nearest rival Om Prakash Chouhan.

Gandas, who has six career titles on the PGTI, then hit a poor approach and missed a short putt on the 10th to drop a double-bogey. Just as Om Prakash Chouhan got within two shots of Manu, the latter resurrected his round with birdies on the 14th and 15th thanks to his sharp chipping and putting. Gandas finally saw it home in style with birdies on the last two holes including a monster 45-feet conversion on the 18th.

Manu said, “I took one shot at a time and stayed in the present. I had a bad start on the back-nine but was steady thereafter and set up a lot of birdie opportunities for myself. Overall, it was a solid round barring a couple of mistakes.

“I tend to get a bit aggressive as the round progresses but I managed to keep that tendency in check. I kept my composure well.

“I kept the intensity going after I got my first birdie on the back-nine. I’m quite pleased with the records added to my name but my focus is more on taking my game to the next level. This win gives me the momentum for the final two events of the season.

“It was an amazing experience playing here at the world-class Vooty Golf County for the first time. The course conditions were immaculate. I thank the Dream Valley Group for supporting this event.”

Om Prakash Chouhan made six birdies on a day he went error-free. Om Prakash was briefly in contention on the back-nine when he got within two shots of the lead. His second place finish lifted him from sixth to fourth place in the PGTI’s merit list.

Shamim Khan made nine birdies and a bogey during his outstanding 64.

Yuvraj Singh Sandhu’s extraordinary 63 featured an eagle on the 16th, eight birdies and a bogey.

The Chandigarh duo of Abhijit Singh Chadha (65) and Angad Cheema (76) claimed tied fifth place at 13-under 275.

Chandigarh’s Ajeetesh Sandhu finished tied 34th at three-under 285.

Fifteen-year-old Noida-based amateur Aarav D Shah, an Australian national, took the trophy for the best performing amateur after he too ended the week in tied 34th place.

Prize Presentation picture:

Manu Gandas receives the winner's cheque and trophy from Mr. K Santhosh Reddy, Chairman & Managing Director, Dream Valley Group (2nd from left), Mr. Akash Reddy, CEO - India, Dream Valley Group (extreme left) and Mr. Uttam Singh Mundy, CEO, PGTI (extreme right).