Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Aryan Anand bagged his maiden IGPL title at the Invitational Congo tournament held at the Par-73 Golf de Lubumbashi course on April 22. The 25-year-old from Mysore, aspiring to become a professional global golfer, finally reached the winner’s circle, overcoming some tense moments along the way. Aryan finished at 16-under after a final bogey, tying with Udayan Mane, who was aiming for consecutive wins. After two sudden-death holes that were shared, Aryan ultimately pulled ahead in the third and won the Trophy.
Aryan, playing for RVR Delhi, scored an impressive 8-under 65 on a Par-73 course. His round featured a remarkable streak of five birdies starting from the 11th hole on the back nine, which put him at 16-under with three holes remaining. An additional birdie on the 17th brought him to 17-under, seeming to secure his lead. However, a bogey on the 18th hole resulted in a final score of 16-under.
Another contender, Shaurya Binu (68) from Honer Gurugram, finished alongside Aryan at 15-under, finishing third. However, moments afterward, Udayan Mane of Atri Mumbai, known for his resilience, eagled the Par-5 17th and birdied the 18th hole, tying with Aryan at 16-under and forcing a playoff.
In the play-off, Aryan outperformed Mane, a seasoned Olympian and multiple-time winner in India, just prior to his first IGPL victory in Joburg, South Africa, seven days earlier. It took three play-off holes to decide the outcome, and Aryan rose to the challenge. “That was a big one and an awesome moment. I played superbly all week and have been doing so for some time,” said Aryan.
