Harshjeet, Hitaashee emerge champions

Delhi teenager Harshjeet Sethie reserved his worst for the last but the brilliant work done over the previous three rounds ensured he emerged champion without much fright in the IGU-Nutrite Rotary Karnataka Amateur Golf Championship here on Friday.

Harshjeet couldn't quite attack the pins and fire a huge number of birdies as he did on Wednesday and Thursday but the 17-year-old still managed a sedate one-under 71 to score a three-shot win (273) at the Eagleton Golf Resort.

Delhi girl Hitaashee Bakshi completed a resounding victory in the Ladies and junior girls (category A & B) combined section. Although a girls' Category A competitor (15-17 years), Hitaashee was almost untouchable over three rounds as she shot 74 in the final round to total 219 and wrap up a whopping eight-shot victory.

Bengaluru girl Avani Prashanth triumphed in Category C, carding 76 on the final day to total 228.

Harshjeet made a superb start to the day's proceedings with a birdie on the opening hole itself. He then picked up one more shot on the third before dropping one on the fifth. He quickly bounced back with a birdie on the sixth but dropped a shot on the 10th.

Thereafter, Harshjeet chose to curb his attacking instincts and played percentage golf to par the remaining eight holes to score an easy win.

Like Harshjeet, Hitaashee too made a roaring start by birdieing the first and third holes but a hat-trick of bogeys from the fifth set her back badly. Two more bogeys on the 11th and 12th wrecked her card but having built up a substantial lead on Thursday and her rivals faring worse than her, Hitaashee was in no danger of losing. She birdied the 15th and the parred the last three holes to score a good win.

Leading scores: Men (after 72 holes): 273: Harshjeet Sethie (70, 67, 65, 71); 276: Rohan Dhole Patil (67, 72, 68, 69); 279: Kartik Sharma (74, 71, 68, 66).

Ladies and Girls (Cat A & B, after 54 holes): 219: Hitaashee Bakshi (74, 71, 74); 227: Shreya Pal (77, 75, 75); 229: Khushi Hooda (76, 79, 74), Nayanika Sanga (77, 75, 77).

Ladies: 238: Geetika Ahuja (80, 80, 78); 239: Anisha Agarwalla (81, 80, 78); 240: Shriya Vivek (82, 82, 76).

Girls (Cat A): 219: Hitaashee Bakshi; 227: Shreya Pal; 231: Vaishnavi Naik (78, 77, 76).

Cat B: 229: Khushi Hooda, Nayanika Sanga; 230: Sneha Singh.

Cat C: 228: Avani Prashanth (78, 74, 76); 230: Ananya Garg (76, 78, 76); 237: Ceerat Kang (84, 79, 74), Mannat Brar (80, 79, 78).